0273. Belshazzar in Death: (A) His Death Was Not Without Warning
Belshazzar in Death: (A) His Death Was Not Without Warning
"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" (Dan_5:5).
God stopped Belshazzar in his madness, and gave him full warning of what was about to come to pass. Belshazzar not only saw the part of the hand that wrote, but Daniel came in and read unto him the writing and made known unto him the interpretation thereof.
All of this was done, in order that Belshazzar might turn and repent of his evil ways. But the king did not profit by his warning.
In how many ways, and at how many intervals has God, in faithfulness, warned the wicked.
1. He has sent forth His Prophets, the ministers of His Word. He has said unto them: "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live." And again, "If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way * * his blood shall I require at thine hand" (Eze_33:8-11).
2. He has sent forth His Spirit. "When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment" (Joh_16:8).
The Holy Spirit is always warning men and He is always calling men to Christ. Let sinners beware, therefore, how they despite the Spirit of grace.
3. He has sent forth His providences. Many a man has been warned of God by certain happenings, events that speak out with no uncertain sound. It was no mere happen so, that placed the young man Saul upon the scene, as Stephen was being stoned. It was no mere co-incidence that threw Onesimus into the Roman jail and almost into the arms of Paul the faithful friend of Philemon and the earnest preacher of the Cross.
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform, He speaks to men from every angle of human experience.
"Every burning bush is ablaze with God,
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes."
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR