tom prevailed among the ancients as does today when we call someone "uncle" who oftimes bears no blood connection. The king had only to listen to the record connected with Nebuchadnezzar's reign to see that God "moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." (iii) There was the voice of his own Moral Nature. This chapter clearly indicates that the king possessed an inward consciousness of sin. We dare not forget that guilt is always related to knowledge. To whom much is given, from such will much be required. The greater the privilege, the greater the judgment. The privileges which have come to the men and women of our day are far in excess of what Belshazzar enjoyed. Would to God that we would make use of the opportunities presented to know more about Him and His will. The A young man in the south desired to take passage from Savannah to New York. He entered the office of a steamship company and secured a ticket for the trip. Mindful of the cry of his growing physical nature, he visited a local store and had the groceryman put up a box of lunch consisting of crackers and cheese. He then went on board ship and soon the boat was under way to New York. The gong sounded for lunch and all the passengers filed into the cabin with the exception of the boy who proceeded to open up his lunch box. same thing occurred with the ringing of the dinner gong. In the morning breakfast was announced. During the night the heat had caused the crackers and cheese to melt and it was not a very appetizing meal to look upon. When noon arrived the young man was ravenously hungry. Again the passengers filed into the dining room. In desperation the boy approached an officer and said, "What will it cost me to get something to eat in that dining room?" The officer replied, "Let me see your ticket." Examining the ticket the officer said "My boy, it won't cost you anything, your ticket calls for meals and berth from Savannah to New York." How many people there are who, figuratively speaking, are living upon crackers and cheese when they might be enjoying all the riches of God. (b) PRIDE. 5:5-25. 5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. 10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let not thy countenance be changed: 11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour. 19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him; whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor 24 Then was the part of the hand sent 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. Daniel apparently had been forgotten. In all probability he was in retirement. It is when we are in trouble that we remember the minister. Belshazzar sees a hand writing upon the wall in the full light of the candelabra. With joints unnerved by fear, he called for the Chaldean astrologers and soothsayers, but none was able to interpret the unknown characters. The queen mother still remembering Daniel's ability, sends for him. Appearing before the king the prophet of God utters no reverential preference. He speaks like an embodied conscience. Brushing aside the vulgar decorations and honors offered by the king, he goes straight to his work of arousing a torpid conscience. He calls attention to the canker of arrogant pride which had eaten at the king's vitals. History is strewn with great spirits that have been ruined by this monster. Yet, "why should the spirit of mortal be proud?" It was Isaiah who said, "Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted for?" The reasons for such a statement are very clear. (i) Man is a very feeble creature. His life depends not on mind, muscle or motive, but on his breath. As the breath is blown upon a window pane, quickly disappearing with the warmth, so is man's life. It is a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth 'away. (ii) Man is a very frail creature. His breath is not in his lungs, deep, hidden, but in his nostrils. It is through the nostrils that a thousand enemies creep, bringing in death and decay. Change is (iii) Man is a very fickle creature. written upon his brow. Today he loves, tomorrow he hates. We should cease idolizing man in our trust and in the honors we have to bestow. Why should we worry about what this feeble, frail, fickle creature can do either for us or unto us? Let us pray that we shall be kept from arrogant pride. A young Seminary student was seeking a pastorate. Having graduated with honors, both from college and theological school, he felt himself to be of some importance in the world. A pastorless church considered him as a possible leader. Invited to preach, he spent considerable time in rehearsing before a glass, the particular gestures and the facial expression with attendant pauses, that he would use in connection with his first sermon in that pulpit. Arriving at the church a little while before the service was to begin, he was accosted by several brethren who suggested that they have a time of prayer together. It was plainly visible that the young man did not meet the invitation with any great alacrity. When he later entered the pulpit he looked over the congregation with glances that betokened condescension. Beginning his sermon he quickly began to flounder around and soon was in hopeless confussion. Humiliated, he broke down and wept. As he left the pulpit one of the brethren who had invited him to pray, said, "If you only had gone into the pulpit in the spirit in which you came out of the pulpit, you surely would have come out of the pulpit in the spirit in which you went in." . May God help us to "put no confidence in the flesh" but to "set our affections on the things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." (c) PRESENCE. 5:26-31. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they |