FINISHING STRONG.

PREACHER: REV. DR. WILLY MUTISO.

TEXT: DANIEL 5 : 1 – 30.

INTRODUCTION:
One of the hardest aspects of integrity is living life consistently. Life is full of problems; no wonder many people fail to act consistently in each situation. Daniel is now 80 years of age! He is now a senior citizen by any standard. A new challenge comes but Daniel is going to live according to his beliefs at 80 just like he did in his teens.

The problems (5:1-4).
The kingdom had changed. He was in a new world.
Daniel still found himself in a foreign land.
Only one thing had not changed: God is the same.
Belshazzar had assumed the authority of the king.
Enemies of the Babylonian Empire were knocking at the door.
The city of Babylon was strong, but the kingdom was weak.
Rather than the king seek God in prayer and repent of his evil ways, Belshazzar throws a party.
Belshazzar was the epitome of pride.
Belshazzar was giving the annual kingdom banquet for all the nobility (Daniel 5:1).
Belshazzar proudly drunk wine with his guests.
In his pride, he asked for the vessels which had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem.
These goblets used to honour Jehovah God were now used to honour idols of silver and gold.

The party is over (5:5-6).
God miraculously stops the party at it’s high point of revelry.
The handwriting was put on the wall in the hall.
The fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall.
The party was over. The proud king was now trembling.
Belshazzar, drunk, trembled before the guests.
The finger of God mean judgment.
Like his father, he called the magicians, astrologers, and diviners.
Even with great rewards of gold chains and 3rd position in the Empire, the wise men could not decipher the handwriting on the wall!
Again, the “wise men” could not “read and interpret.”

The proclamation (5:11-12).
“There is a man in your kingdom who has the Spirit of the gods.”
Daniel, though old, was a man of integrity.
God was going to use him greatly.
“Call for Daniel, he will tell you what to do.”
Daniel gives the king a lesson on history.
He interprets the handwriting.