837. DAN 5:23. OUR BREATH IN GOD’S HAND, &C

Dan_5:23. Our Breath in God’s Hand, &C

"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 know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified."’97Dan_5:23.

The circumstances connected with the text are awfully sublime. Daniel is called to interpret the ominous inscription on the wall of Belshazzar’s palace, whilst he and his princes and nobles were engaged in banqueting. "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whilst 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 princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein."’97Dan_5:1, Dan_5:2. You will see, too, that at this festive scene, the sacred vessels of the Lord’s house were desecrated. "Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone."’97Dan_5:3, Dan_5:4. Then follows the account of the man’s hand: "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."’97Dan_5:5. We see the startling effect produced on the king, and the calling in of the astrologers. "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 king the interpretation thereof."’97Dan_5:6-7, and Dan_5:8. Finally’97Notice the invitation to Daniel, to whom rich presents and honors were offered. "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? 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 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 show the interpretation of the thing: and I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts; now, if thou canst lead 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."’97Dan_5:13-16. We have then Daniel’s reply: "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. 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 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’97till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will."’97Dan_5:17-21. And then the application of the subject to Belshazzar. "And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this: 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 know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified."’97Dan_5:22, Dan_5:23.

Such are the events identified with the text. Our subject in both its parts, is equally applicable to multitudes of mankind’97perhaps to many here.

Observe, in the text,

I. Man’s dependence on God. And,

II. Man’s neglect to glorify him. I. Man’s dependence on God.

Here the language of the text is very graphic and figurative. The text speaks of God’s hand; that power by which God sustains, directs, and rules. God’s hand is a fashioning hand; for it has made and modelled all things. A supporting hand; for it upholds all creatures and all worlds. A providing hand; for it supplies the wants of every living thing. A preserving hand; for it is the hand that protects and preserves his needy dependent creatures. This hand is sometimes employed, too, to chasten, and sometimes even to destroy. Observe in the text,

1. Mans breath is described as being in it.

The breath is the evidence of life. The exhalation of the lungs, so to speak; so long as the lungs heave, there will be breath; so long as breath, life. Man’s first existence is thus described: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."’97Gen_2:7. It is afterwards used as the symbol of life. "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is breath of life from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die."’97Gen_6:17. "Seeing he giveth to all life, and. breath, and all things."’97Act_17:25. The cessation of this is death. "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."’97Psa_104:29. Now this breath is in God’s hand’97at his disposal; so says the text; so says Job: "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind."’97Job_12:10. All the means of life or of death are with God.

Now, reason and observation alike confirm this. So that life in its commencement, progress, and termination, is under the divine control. In whose hands, supremely and constantly, is man’s breath. Then notice,

2. Our ways are under the divine government.

"And whose are all thy ways." Some people speak of chance’97of fortune’97of luck’97of man’s skill. The truth is, there is no chance, or mere accident, or luck. No man that breathes can direct his own steps, or say this or that will be secured. Our ways are under the regulation of God’s providence. This will apply to poverty or riches; for he makes rich, or brings low. Success or dejection: he exalts or debases. Prosperity or adversity: he gives sunshine or sorrow’97health or sickness. "The lot is cast into the lap, and the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." See how this is stated: "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."’971Sa_2:6-10. "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another."’97Psa_75:6, Psa_75:7. Now the history of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Mordecai and others, all establish this. Yes, the ways of men are seen by the eyes of God. He weighs human actions. He decides human affairs. This should never be forgotten. And we should practically act on it. See Psa_37:5, and xxxiv.

But observe,

II. Man’s neglect to glorify God.

"Hast thou not glorified?"

In the case of the text, Belshazzar had not profited by the afflictions of his father (Psa_37:18-22). He had praised his senseless idols. He had profaned the vessels of the Lord. He had lifted himself up against God; and therefore God’s wrath was stirred up against him. Now, have not many here just neglected to glorify God, by a similar course of conduct towards him?

1. Have you profited by the divine dispensations?

With respect to those around you? His judgments’97his destruction of the profane and reckless,’97their sudden death; or by visitations in your families, perhaps relatives and friends; or by your own bodily afflictions and trials. Have God’s dispensations been pondered’97his hand acknowledged’97his corrections been received with humility and submission? Then we ask,

2. Have not you exalted and praised other things rather than God?

Belshazzar did so of idols. You, perhaps, have done the same of science, philosophy, fame, wealth. Have you not given your chief attention to inferior things? Have not other things had the place of God’97and is not this the essence of idolatry? However lawful the things may be, or however secondarily excellent; yet, if it usurps God’s throne, and have the homage he demands, then is God not glorified.

3. Have you not been guilty of profanity? Belshazzar profaned the vessels of the

Lord’s house. I ask you in reference to the divine word, is it not true that God has written to you the great things of his law, and yet you have esteemed them as a strange thing? So the divine ordinances of religion. Have they not been neglected or perverted? So the divine name. Have you not profaned it by swearing, or by using it lightly, and without reverence and awe? So the divine day. Have you not profaned the day of God, by giving it up to secular pleasure or trifling pursuits? Alas, how few are exempted from the charge of some kind of profanity! Then we ask,

4. Have you not lifted up your hearts against God?

Belshazzar did this. "And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven." Psa_37:22, Psa_37:23. This is clone by the opposition of heart and life to God. By rejecting the voice of God in his word, and conscience, and providences. By refusing the only way of acceptance with him, which involves penitence, faith, and prayer. To many, is not the charge in the text literally true? You have not glorified God; but by a life of practical infidelity, or wicked idolatry’97of spiritual, or manifest profanity, and by lifting up your hearts in pride against God, the charge is equally true as it was of Belshazzar of old; only with this additional aggravating clause’97that your light and means of moral elevation have been much greater than those the infatuated monarch possessed.

Now, this not glorifying God is heinously wicked. All the holy intellectual hosts of heaven glorify God, All the pious on earth, in all ages, have done it. All the irrational inferior creatures do it, by obeying their respective instincts, and answering the end of their existence. All the works of God do it. The heavens and the earth’97day and night’97all the seasons and operations of God’s hand. And observe, God will have it even from his enemies. Though unwillingly, he had it from the awful wonders of the destructive deluge. From the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hosts. From the destruction of Belshazzar. So in the Judgment-day, and in the dark pit of perdition, both from fallen angels and lost souls, he will have it.

Then suffer the word of exhortation,’97

1. To the unconverted. "Give glory to God" before he cause darkness,’97before he overwhelms with ruin,’97before it is too late. Honor God by repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray in the language of the hymn’97

"O God, mine inmost soul convert,

And deeply on my thoughtful heart

Eternal things impress!

Give me to feel their solemn weight,

And tremble on the brink of fate,

And ‘wake to righteousness.

Be this my one great business here,

With serious industry and fear

My future bliss t’ insure:

Thine utmost counsel to fulfil,

And suffer all thy righteous will,

And to the end endure."

2. To the Christian. Remember he demands, that whether you eat or drink, you do all to his glory. You are to glorify God in your bodies and souls, which are his.

3. To all. We exhort to think of the two parts of the text’97our dependence on God; and then, the glory we should render. He is thy God, worship thou him. Seek his glory in all things. Let this object be the one absorbing aim of your being’97the great end of your existence; and then life shall be holy and happy, and eternity one of dignity, uninterrupted joy, and blessedness.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS