Without Excuse

“But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven.” (Daniel 5:22–23, NIV 1984).

My Musings – The context of this verse is the famous “handwriting on the wall,” the fall of Babylon, and the death of Belshazzar. “That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.” (Daniel 5:30–31, NIV 1984).

What Belshazzar knew, but did not heed, was that His father (Nebuchadnezzar) got caught up in his “the high position [God] gave him… [and] became arrogant and hardened with pride…was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory…until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 5:19-21, NIV 1984).

There are things that we know about God, because “God has made it plain to [us]. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19–20, NIV 1984). Far too many “though [they know] all this” refuse to humble themselves and accept their need for God’s saving grace. In so doing, “[they] have set [themselves] up against the Lord of heaven.”

My Advice – “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27, NIV 1984). On their own merit, which is inadequate, or on the basis of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, which is the only the only sufficient means to escape judgment.

On “that very night,” those standing on their own merit will hear the equivalent of “mene, mene, tekel, parsin…God has numbered the days of your [life] and brought it to an end…You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Your [soul] is [separated from your Creator] and given to [eternal damnation].” (Daniel 5:25-28, NIV 1984).

This need not be if we have “acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign… [and He saves] anyone he wishes.” These are the ones who “confess with [their] mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in [their] heart that God raised Him from the dead, [who] will be saved. For it is with [the] heart that [they] believe and are justified, and it is with [the] mouth that [they] confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9–10, NIV 1984).