Address—G.H. Hayhoe
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Turn to the book of Daniel.
Daniel Chapter 5 Belshazzar The king made a great feast to 1000 of his Lords, and drank wine before the thousands.
Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem. That the king and his Princess is wise, and his concubines might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the House of God, which was at Jerusalem, and the king and his wives, his Princess, his wives, and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and a silver, of brass, of iron and wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and rode over against the Candlestick upon the.
Of the wall of the King's palace, and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
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.
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 show 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. Then came in all the King's wise men, but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the.
The interpretation thereof.
Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his Lords were astonied.
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 troubling, or let thy countenance be changed. There's a man in thy Kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy God. 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 magician's astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. For as much as an excellent spirit and knowledge and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel whom the king named Belashazzar.
Now let Daniel be called and he will shell the interpretation.
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 jewelry? 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. And now the wise man, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this.
Writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof, that they could not show the interpretation to the King.
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 shalt, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shall be the third ruler in the Kingdom. 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 under the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
O thou King, the Most High God.
Gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a Kingdom and majesty, and glory and honor. 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. 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.
And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beast, and his dwelling was with the wild *****. 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 man, and that He appointed over it whomsoever he will. And thou, his son Obelshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.
00:05:13
But I asked, Lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven, and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee.
And thou and thy Lord, thy wives and thy concubines, of drunk wine in them, and thou hast praise the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know. And the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified?
Then was the part of the hand sent from him, and this writing was written, And this is the writing that was written. This is the interpretation of the thing. Meanie, God hath numbered thy Kingdom, and finished it. He tells our heart weighed in the balances, and art found wanting peeries, thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they called Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the Kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, slain, and Darius the Median took the Kingdom, being about 3 score and two years old.
There's one more sausage in Acts chapter 13.
Acts chapter 13 and verse 38.
Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
And by him all believe our justified from all things, from which He could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets, behold ye despisers, and wonder and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declareth unto you.
Well, this chapter, friends, that we have read in Daniel 5 is a very solemn 1. I believe it brings before us a picture of the very time in which we live, because here we see Gentile power. Belshazzar was a Gentile, and we see them just having a grand and fine time on the very eve of the judgment of God.
Falling upon that Kingdom.
And isn't that just like the day in which we live? It's a time of great prosperity. It's a time of apparent progress. It's a time when man is going ahead and the glory of this Kingdom.
Seemed. Well, it was so. It was so impressive, and Belshazzar was so satisfied that his city could not be taken, that he felt he could just settle down and enjoy himself, and that it would be impossible for the enemy.
To enter the city, they felt they were well protected and in those days when they didn't have airplanes, he felt that he was quite safe. He could just sit down and enjoy himself and have this feast along with his Lords and concubines. And isn't that similar to the time in which we live? I say when people feel that now they have come to such a point in world progress that they can really enjoy.
What the world has to offer. And they don't seem to have any thought of the awful judgment that hangs over this world. And I want to say to those who are here tonight, especially to you who are young, who have Christian fathers and mothers, that it's a very solemn warning in this chapter for you.
Because Belshazzar had a believing grandfather, I believe we can say.
Nebuchadnezzar had turned to God. Nebuchadnezzar had acknowledged that the Lord was the true God, but alone. Belshazzar, his son or grandson, knew all about it. He was still going on in pride. He refused to humble himself. He made-up his mind that he was going to have a good time. And it may be that you have.
00:10:02
A Christian father and mother? Perhaps you have a Christian grandfather.
And a Christian grandmother. But you're out to have a good time. And you're saying, oh, I don't need to be saved now. There's plenty of time. I'm going to have my fling while I can, while I have my health and my energy. I intend to enjoy myself and I'll think about serious things later on. But oh, how little Belshazzar and all those who were enjoying this feast with him.
Realized what was going to happen that night, that night. And there's no guarantee, dear friends, that this may not be the very night in which the door of grace should be closed and God's awful judgment will begin to fall upon this poor world that has rejected and cast out God's beloved Son.
We see here then, a very solemn setting, and yet, as far as the world was concerned, this was a time that would be called a grand feast.
A good time, and perhaps it may be that way with you. You may be saying, don't disturb me, please, I'm having a good time. I don't like to hear about hell and judgment to come. I don't like to be told about it because it spoils my good time. It spoils my happiness. But all how much better to be warned before it's too late.
How much better it had been horrible Shazar, if he had listened to this warning.
Instead of going on in his blindness and in his indifference. And that awful judgment overtook him that very night. Oh, it had lots of warnings. It says God speaketh once. Yeah, twice. Yet man perceiveth it not. How many times has God spoken to you? How often have you been warned of coming judgment? How often has someone put a little gospel tract?
Your hand. Some friend laid his hand in your shoulder and spoken to you about your soul. How often, perhaps, father and mother have fled with you, and brought before you the solemnity of what it would be to spend eternity under the judgment of God. And are you still indifferent? Are you still careless? Are you still thoughtless? How that immortal soul of yours?
All of the time coming, dear boys and girls and older ones here.
When you're going to have to stand before God as a judge, If you're not saved, you'll have to meet God as a judge. But you can meet him tonight as a Savior God. You can meet him tonight as the one who loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It says in Isaiah that judgment is God's strange work. He doesn't like to judge. He's delayed the judgment as long as it's possible for God in his perfect wisdom to do it. But the time is going to come very soon when the judgment will fall.
God is patient. The long-suffering of our God is salvation.
Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Well, this was a great feast, wasn't it? 1000 of his Lords and concubines. Perhaps you've heard of great parties, but this was something very, very wonderful when you can think of a royal feast with 1000 guests.
Oh, what a fine time they seem to be having. And yet the armies of the enemy were right outside the city, making their way under the wall so that they would enter into the city. And it may be that tonight, It may be that tonight God has written upon your page that this day.
This very day in November 1961 will be the last day of your history on earth. It may be that this is the very day that the Lord Jesus Christ will come. Oh, I plead with you to consider this question solemnly tonight, while it's still the day of God's grace.
Well, it was bad enough that they were just going on having a good time, but when we come to the third verse, we see how they filled up their measure of iniquity. And what was that? Well, it was when the king commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels that came from the House of the Lord, and bring them in to this impious feast, and drink wine and.
00:15:28
The gods of gold and silver and brass and iron and wood. And may I say that that's just about the stage that we have come to in the history of Christendom. It's bad enough when people go on in their sins thoughtless and indifferent to the claims of God, but when people begin to make plays and make jokes out of this blessed book, when people begin to make.
Fun from this book.
And despise the God who has written it. It's a very solemn thing. And I say as I go about through the city, I thank God that I don't frequent the places of amusement down through the streets of this world. But as I see the signs that hang out in front of these picture palaces and places, I can't help but think of this feast of Nebuchadnezzar. There's nothing too holy. There's nothing too good.
In God's precious word, for people to make a joke out of it, and to make it a thing to entertain them in their wicked evil course. And man is fast filling up his measure of iniquity and sin. He says, as it were, taking the gold and silver vessels out of God's house, and using them to drink wine and praise the gods of gold and silver, and brass, and iron and wood. His own accomplishments, what he has done.
His own human progress is put on the pedestal to be exalted and the Bible.
And the truth of God is brought down and ridiculed and trampled upon all friends, we're living in solemn days. We as Christians need to be warned about it. 1 is often said to the children and to the young folks. Never make a joke of any kind about God's word.
It's God's precious, unchanging word, and it's a tremendous thing when people begin to make jokes about God's Word.
There'll be no laughing when people stand before God to be judged. There'll be no laughing at the great White throne. There'll be no laughing in hell in that place where there's weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
And we can see the awful condition of things that were existing here. But now they had, as it were, filled up the measure of their iniquity. God had been patient with the Kingdom under the Kingdom of Babylon, but at last they filled up their measure of iniquity. But God never acts without giving a warning.
God never acts without giving a warning, he warned.
The people that the flood was coming and he gave space to repent.
Our brother read to us.
In the 2nd chapter of the Revelation this afternoon. How about that great corrupt system?
And it says I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not God gave Nineveh space to repent. He sent he sent Jonah down. And while there was a temporary repentance, God held her off the judgment. And it didn't come at that time because of the repentance at the preaching of Jonah, but when they returned to their evil ways.
And filled.
Their sin. Then God brought the promised judgment upon them. He told Abraham that He would give him, He would give him the land of Canaan, but He didn't give it to him until the iniquity of the Amorites was full. Don't be surprised that you see things getting worse in the world. The reason God is waiting is He is going to allow man to shout.
The evil that's in his heart. And you, dear young people, you dear boys and girls, growing up in an age like this, you're just seeing the very thing that I'm talking about. You're seeing the measure of sin being filled up all. Let us be sure that we're like Daniel, that we stand apart from all it. It's true that in his employment he had to frequent the palace. He was there in a high position in the palace in Babylon.
00:20:09
But he was still a separated man, and you and I must earn our living in this world.
But this world is a system is under the judgment of God. Its religion is fast hastening on to the time when they'll not only give up the Christ of God, but they'll actually they'll actually leave out God and Christ out of the whole profession in the earth altogether. And when God brings his judgment on an apostate Christendom, they will not only have given up Christ, but they.
Have given up God altogether, and the whole Christian world as we speak of it will have fallen in with the worship of a man, for it tells us in 2nd Thessalonians 2.
That the Antichrist as God sits in the temple of God.
Showing himself that he is God, and the apostate Jews in their land and apostate Christendom will fall in with that kind of thing, and the Christ of God and God himself will be completely abandoned and given up as far as this world is concerned. That's what's coming. That's what's hastening upon this world.
Well, where was Daniel? He was separate from all this.
He was fulfilling his daily work conscientiously. The next chapter tells us that in his daily work they couldn't find any error or fall in us. All that they could say is that we can find no error or fault in this Daniel, except we find it in him concerning the law of his God. Dear Daniel.
Was a faithful testimony for God and separation from the whole.
Corrupt system. Oh, May God keep those who are His so that they would be separate from all this that's going on and quickly ripening for the judgment of God.
Well, the time came in the middle of the feast, after they were drinking out of these vessels of gold and silver from the House of God.
That there was a part of a man's hand that rode upon the wall, and it says the king.
Saw the part of the hand that wrote. And sometimes I think that the great men of this world already have seen the part of the hand that wrote. I believe that there are people today in high places in this world that have seen that hand, and they're trembling and they're afraid.
And yet it seems that there isn't repentance produced in their heart. There wasn't with Nebuchadnezzar, with Belshazzar, there was no repentance wrought in his heart. But he saw the part of the hand that wrote the Lord Jesus said man's hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things that are coming upon the earth.
And there are awful things coming upon this earth.
And man knoweth, and man knoweth. He saw the hand. It was over against the Candlestick. In that dimly lighted place where all this empire and evil was going on, there was still a little flare of light. And under that flare of light the part of the hand wrote.
God hath numbered thy Kingdom and finished it, and there's still a flare of light in this world. The Bible is still here. The gospel is still being preached. And that's why people don't like to see this blessed book circulated. That's why they don't like to hear the gospel message announced, because in it they see the part of the hand that wrote.
They don't mind us talking about God being a God of love, but they don't like that which God writes on the plaster against the Candlestick that is her brother spoke this afternoon about the church being a Candlestick in the earth.
And so God always has, even in spite of all human failure. He always, in the day of His grace, gives a testimony to man. And he first tells him of his grace and love, but he also warns him of what's coming.
Well, the king, he, he was very upset. It tells us here in the sixth verse. Then the King's countenance was changed.
00:25:06
And his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another. He was afraid and all. If there's anybody in this room tonight who's unsaved, I hope that you, too will tremble.
It's a rare thing to see anybody today afraid of coming judgment. People are so indifferent. The word hell is used as a slang word more than in its awful reality. But let me warn you, dear friends, God says there's a hell. God says there's judgment coming. And whether man likes to make a slang word out of it or not.
I tell you, it's an awful, awful thing to think.
Of a Sinner under the judgment of God for all eternity. A Sinner exposed to the wrath of God because he would not have God's beloved Son as his own precious Savior.
Well, the king was afraid, and in his fear, who did he turn to? He turned to God. He knew about the true God. Daniel reminded him about that. He said you knew your grandfather spoke of these things and you knew about it. Belshazzar Yes, he knew. But who did he turn to? He he turned instead.
To the astrologers, the Chaldeans.
And the soothes there.
That is, he turned to those who regarded supernatural wonders in the heavens.
He regarded those who had the learning of the Chaldeans, and then he turned to the people that spoke nice, smooth things.
The soothsayers. Isn't that what the world is doing? Oh, they're looking up into the heavens. They're boasting of how they're going to master space.
They are boasting of the progress of human knowledge and wisdom, and they.
Like the people that tell them there's nothing to be afraid of, a golden age is just around the corner.
God's a God of love and everything's going to workout and we're going to have a wonderful golden age in this world.
And jet down in their hearts, they know it's not true. It doesn't answer the question. It doesn't remove fear from their minds. And those people who are talking about the space age and those people who are boasting in the advancement of knowledge in this day, and those who say that there's no hell and that everything's going to be all right.
The joints of their loins are loosed and their knees are smiting 1 again.
Just another they're only talking and you know it. You know they're just talking. They're afraid underneath all their bravado, underneath all their boasting. They're afraid because they know that the handwriting is already upon the wall and that what God has said is going to come true. And isn't it a strange thing that in this modern age when there's been more preaching saying that there's.
Hell and judgment to come. People are more afraid of the mention of hell today than they ever were. They're more afraid of it today than they ever were. There's nothing that they dislike so much as a preacher that preaches hell, fire and judgment to come. But I warn you solemnly, dear friends here tonight, that God's word is true and all the wisdom of the Chaldeans and all the men who are talking about.
Space and what's up there in the heavens and all those who are trying to gloss over the present situation.
Haven't got any peace in their own souls. They're afraid. They're afraid underneath it all. And if you're not saved, I hope you are afraid. The Lord Jesus said, fear not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell.
Yeah, I say unto you, fear him.
Well, these people were called in.
They couldn't make known the writing.
And isn't it true that today, by all those things we speak of, man doesn't know what's ahead?
He doesn't know what's going to happen tomorrow.
00:30:00
Everything in the future, even in the greatest nations of the world, looks so uncertain.
That people don't know which way to turn. So after these people that were called in had been brought, it says they couldn't read the writing, they couldn't make known the interpretation.
And this is a strange thing that the wisest man of this world still find this book a sealed, closed book as far as they're concerned, tells us in the 29th chapter of Isaiah.
That the word, the the vision of all has become unto them as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee. And he says, It's sealed, it's sealed.
They can't understand it. It's a sealed book to them. They need to have their eyes opened to see what this blessed book means when it tells us what's coming. And yet the Christian knows what's coming. Oh, I know that many in this room tonight are Christians born again. No, the Lord Jesus the Savior. And isn't it amazing things that we can look out on what's happening upon this world?
And we don't need to be disturbed as far as uncertainty is concerned. All were disturbed as we think of the awful judgments that are going to fall. But as far as what's happening in the world, the Christian who's taught of God only sees that the handwriting is being fulfilled, that everything's shaping up toward the final end as God has said it.
So Daniel, he wasn't afraid. The writing told him what was coming upon the Kingdom of Babylon. And so God's precious word has told us of what's coming on this world, and the Christian has found a way of escape from the coming judgment under the shelter of the precious blood of Christ.
The precious blood of Christ, all friends.
Are you under the shelter of the blood?
Can you look up tonight and say, thank God the blood is on the door? When judgment fell on Egypt, there were those who could point to that door and say no judgment can touch our home tonight because God said when I see the blood.
I will Passover you. Isn't that lovely? When I see the blood, I will pass over you. What gave them peace?
Were they better than the others? No. The blood was on the door. Dear friends, we who are saved don't think we're any better than the rest of the world. We're no better than the people who are carrying on in this world in their sins. We're no better than the ones who scoff and mock at the Bible, but for the grace of God.
But God has opened our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to receive Christ.
How will you do it tonight?
Christ, as many as receive him to them, gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Well, in this hopeless, seemingly hopeless picture.
It tells us in the 10th verse.
Now the Queen, by reason of the words of the King and his Lord, came into the banquet of the house.
God saw to it that there was one there who would bring in a message to the king if he would only listen.
And all how wonderful it is, God is still sending his messengers to tell of the one who is able to answer the question, the one who is able to dissolve doubts.
The one who was able to tell what is coming, and the one who in grace who himself.
Has provided a way of escape from the judgment. He has provided a way.
So she came in and she said in the 11TH verse.
There is a man in my Kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy God, and in the days of thy Father lights 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.
00:35:03
Yes, there's a man in my Kingdom.
There's a man in thy Kingdom. There was one in the Kingdom.
Body was despised.
He was a man that had been carried away captive out of Judah. He was one whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away as a slave and brought him down to Babylon. And here, many years later, we find that Belshazzar looked upon him in about the same way. Art thou that Daniel?
Says in the 13th verse, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah?
Whom the king my father brought out of jewelry. Can't you hear the pride in the voice of the king, and the way he despised this man who was carried captive only a slave brought from down in that despised country of Judah.
But he was the one whom God had brought here, that he might make known what was going to happen to the whole of the Gentile power, and of the judgment of God that would fall in the end. And to whom to whom hath God made known these things to those who were despised?
It says God hath chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith.
Another verse says Things which are despised hath God chosen.
Given things that are not to bring to nought things that are.
The Lord Jesus himself was despised, it says in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. He is despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed and not. I remember quite a few years ago we had a man come into our little mission hall back in Ottawa.
And he sat there in the Bible readings all perhaps for a month or so, and he said, isn't it a strange thing that we have to come to a humble place like this to find out these things?
But that was the turning point in that man's life. That was the last time he came.
And he went and joined a large church. He wouldn't be identified with such a despised little company who were just in a little, a small little hall out in the country. Oh, he didn't want that. And that's the way the world is today. They'd like to go to some big pretentious place. They like to listen to the astrologers in the Chaldeans and the soothsayers, as our brother remarked that they wanted.
Relevant to the Space Age, they want something that expresses man's greatness in his architecture and all that he can do. And they want the ones who stand up to speak to be soothsayers.
But to hear from a despised person who hasn't been to college and who doesn't isn't trained in the wisdom of this world, to hear the truth of God, they won't have it. They won't have it. But let me warn you dear friends tonight, that the Lord Jesus said, except ye be converted and become as little children.
He shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God.
He that humbles himself shall be exalted.
Naaman, the proud captain of the host of the King of Syria. What was said to him?
Go down and dip in Jordan 7 times.
Oh, that was too much for the pride of that important general, and it wasn't until he finally yielded and humbled himself that he got the blessing.
And tonight, if you would be blessed, you must come down to the feet of the despised Savior. You must bow before Him and acknowledge that you're nothing but a poor, lost, guilty, hell deserving Sinner. You must take your place humbly before Him if you would be blessed.
There's not one in this room tonight who saved, who hasn't had to come down and take his place as being nothing but a poor lost Sinner. And dear friends, if you want the blessing, come down tonight. Come down, step down from your pride and say, Lord, I'm a Sinner. I acknowledge it, but I believe you died for me.
00:40:13
If something else that's very nice here.
About the 12TH verse.
For as much as an excellent spirit and knowledge, and understanding and interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel in this lovely says Dissolving of doubt.
There's quite a few children here tonight. You know, that's one of the things that the enemy tries to do. He tries to bring doubt into the mind.
I can remember even with our own children, they profess to have believed in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. But sometimes when they go to bed at night, the lights were all out.
They'd want you to come in and speak to them and they had doubts.
They have doubts. They weren't sure.
How could those doubts be dissolved?
Taken away could we do anything? By any wisdom of our own or power of our own, could we remove those doubts?
No, we could just tell them of this precious word of God. We had the privilege of pointing them to the precious, unchangeable word of God. And if there's a boy or a girl or a young person here tonight who has doubts, what is going to remove those doubts?
Just to take God at his word.
Just to thank God at His word. Oh how important. This is a day when people like to think things out. As they say they like to think things out, but God's way of salvation is by faith.
By.
And for myself, I can say I was troubled with those doubts too, and the only way to have those doubts removed is just to look up and say Lord is a child.
I believe what you have said. Remember a young man brought up in the meeting said to me one time. Well, he said, I've asked the Lord over and over again to remove the doubts. They still seem to come. Oh, I said, don't ask the Lord to remove the doubts. Look up and tell him you believe his word, Said How would you like him? You told me something and I said to you, I can't believe what you said. I hope you'll remove the doubts from my mind. Wouldn't you feel quite insulted? Wouldn't you?
Feel insulted that I was telling you I couldn't believe what you said.
Well, tonight I know that the devil tries to bring doubts even into the minds of Christians. Want to remove those doubts?
Oh, Paul said, I believe God that it shall be, even as it was told me. And when the devil seeks to bring doubts into your mind, remember the only way to meet them is to look up and don't ask the Lord to remove them because that's it's almost unbelief. If I ask you to remove the doubts from my mind, it's as good as saying I don't think I can trust you.
If you look up and acknowledge that it's Satan that's trying to put in those doubts and tell God that in spite of the fact that Satan is trying to put the doubts there, that you still believe him, that honors him, that glorifies him. Well, it says the removing of doubt, the answers to the hard questions, they were all found through this man.
Who believed God? This man? Who was God's messenger? That's why I read in the 13th.
Chapter of Acts. A work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. They might have said, Oh Paul, who are you? He said, I'm only a man. But he said, I'm telling you what God says. I'm telling you what God says through this man, not me, but through this man, Christ Jesus is preached unto you, the forgiveness of sins.
And by him, all it believes are justified from all things. Isn't that lovely? All that believe? Are you in that all?
Well, if you're in that all that believes, then it says are justified from all things. Oh, how simple.
Salvation is just taking God at His Word.
Well, Daniel was called in.
Great offers were made to.
Hello, the king said. Why?
I've heard about you that you can dissolve doubts. I'll reward you richly. I'll put a chain of gold around your neck. I'll make you the third ruler in the Kingdom. I'll clothe you with scarlet. I'll do a great deal for you. I'll take you out of this insignificant place. And I'll give you a place of honor in the Kingdom.
00:45:14
All as Daniel said, let thy gift be to thyself, give thy rewards to another said I don't want any pay for speaking the truth of God. And tonight there's not going to be a collection plate placed at the end of this meeting.
We're not going to charge people for telling them the truth of God.
God's Word is true and salvation is free, and tonight you can have salvation without money and without price.
And the king didn't have to pay anything. It's true he did give some things to Daniel, but Daniel didn't want anything for what he was saying. He said. He said I don't want a thing for it and I don't want any honors for it. He said in another place, it's not in me, there's nothing in me. He said the God, there is a God in heaven that revealed secret. He said earlier in this book, there's a God in heaven.
Well, then he reminded Nebuchadnezzar of how his grandfather had known these things. He said Your grandfather.
He was high and lifted up, and his mind became hardened in pride, and God brought him down. He lost his reason. He was driven from the sons of men, and for seven years he was a raving maniac.
And at last God restored him. And what was the result?
He said that after after this he praised and extolled the God of heaven.
Oh dear friends, what is God going to have to do to you?
To bring you to repentance.
Many a man has had his body smashed to pieces.
Many a man has had terrible grief and sorrow come into his life and into his home, and yet it's all sent of God in love and for His blessing.
Belshazzar knew all this.
He'd heard about it. He'd heard about it from his father, and no doubt he'd heard about it from the Queen, who had, who knew all about this Daniel and had no part in this impious feast.
Yes, I expect he knew all about it. And so Daniel said thou.
The 22nd verse. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart.
Thou knewest all this.
But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven, and they have brought thee the vessels of his house before thee, thou thy Lord, thy wise, and thy concubines of drunk wine in them. And thou hast praise the gods of silver, of gold, brass, and iron, and wood, which see not, and are here and are know. I notice this, and the God in whose hand thy breath is.
And whose are all thy ways that thou not glorify? You're sitting in that seat, drawing your breath.
Over and over again, you breathe in and out.
And God has given you that breath.
And God may take away that breath tonight.
God may remove your breath tonight.
You wouldn't dare to sit in a seat here with a sword hanging over your head by a thread. You'd move your seat at once. There's something worse than a sword hanging over your head by a thread.
God holds your breath.
He might take it away tonight. Jesus might come tonight.
Judgment might begin to fall upon this world, as it will when the Lord Jesus comes.
But all Friend is still the day of His grace. He still waits. He's still patient.
But film The Day of Grace is going to be over that night. It was over for Belshazzar that night. That was his last opportunity.
And the hand said.
God hath numbered thy Kingdom and finished it.
You remember the rich farmer, he was so successful, he was going to tear down his barns and build greater. And God said to him, thou fool.
This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall these things be which thou hast provideth?
00:50:01
And as you think of all the wealth and all the inventions and progress of this world.
But it's all reserved unto fire.
And God has appointed the day in which you will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Well, what did What did Belshazzar do about all this?
That he take a humble place? Did he own his sin and his wickedness?
Did he say I humble myself?
No, he had had many opportunities, but I believe is a very solemn thing pictured in this chapter, that there is such a thing as God speaking for the last time.
And I believe God had spoken to Belshazzar for the last time. And you'll notice that there's no message of pardon offered to Belshazzar in this chapter.
Same thing, but if there is such a thing as a man rejecting the grace of God once too often.
Once too often, the Bible says, my spirit shall not always strive with man.
And the little hymn says there's a line that is crossed.
By rejecting the law, where the call of His spirit is lost.
And you hurry along with the pleasure mad throng. Have you counted? Have you counted the cost?
Belshazzar hadn't counted the cost, but I believe I can say that he had crossed the line. He had crossed the line. Oh dear Sinner, don't cross the line tonight. This may be your last opportunity. And if you say no to the Lord Jesus tonight?
It may be there will never be another offer of pardon to you.
Another offer of pardon. You may be lost in pleasure, in sport and things of this world, but all what an awful thing if God should write beside your name up there in that book in heaven. He's had his last opportunity.
He's had his last opportunity. Oh, I plead with you, dear Senator. Savior called in love Tonight. The Savior calls in love and grace and goodness and offer salvation to you.
Very kind here.
But it was very kind what Belshazzar did here. He clothed David and Daniel Rother in Scarlett. He put a chain of gold about his neck. But remember this, with all the kind acts that you do for a believer, all the goodness you show to a believer will never outweigh your sins. It's Christ you need. It's Christ you need all want to come to him tonight. Why not close in with his offers of mercy?
All to you, dear boys and girls, and to any older ones here who may be unsaved, why not look up in this very meeting and say, O Lamb of God?
I come. These are solemn, stern realities. We're Speaking of things that really count.
The things of this world don't count in view of eternity. Oh, I plead with you, set aside for this time all consideration of earthly things. The people in Nineveh, they even left their cattle unfed. They set aside all their occupations. And they said, Let us cry to God. Perhaps he'll hear. But I can tell you tonight that if you'll cry to God for mercy, he will hear. He will hear.
Because the Lord Jesus said him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. Oh, come to the Savior tonight.
The sad, sad end the Belshazzar's brought before us in that night.
With Belshazzar slain last night, that was his last opportunity. That was the last time.
This may be your last opportunity. Why not come tonight? Why not yield heart and body, mind and wealth to Him who died for thee? Look up tonight.
There's a little hymn says, Come as thou art, with all thy sin.
Come with thy hardened heart.
Come with thy cares, thy doubt, thy fears, All grace He will impart. The Savior stands with outstretched arms. Will you come to Him tonight?
Before it's too late, receive them as your savior right now.