SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful Sunday morning! The sun’s shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are perfuming the atmosphere with their awe inspiring aroma – somewhere in the world, but not in my cold, snow bound area- (smile) and above all, the King of Glory, Jehovah God, is still on His throne controlling things in His universe! And all God’s people gave thanks for that because they know that He’s a most LOVING, kind, generous, merciful, protective and forgiving God – in fact, the ONLY TRUE ONE in existence. Now I know that some of you don’t like it when I stay on a Bit for more than a couple of days, but this one we definitely need to extend because our God has done so many signs and wonders they can’t all be covered in one or two Bits, and moreover because too many of us supposed believers aren’t fired up with enough passion for the Lord. We don’t seem to take Him seriously enough, take Him at His word, when he says He’s going to do this or that. And here I see an opportunity to fire us up by bringing us face to face with some of His wonders and signs, which hopefully will make us take Him more seriously. Our Bit rightly proclaims: ‘How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.’ And over the past two days we’ve seen how the Lord dealt with Bruh David, the Jewish boys in the fiery furnace and king Nebuchadnezzar. Today we’ll continue in the Book of Daniel, because a lot of pertinent stuff happened in his time. A new king is on the throne, Neb’s son, Belshazzar. One day, while feasting with his courtiers, he orders that the golden and silver vessels taken by his father from the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, be brought in, so that they could drink from them. ‘They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass (bronze), of iron, of wood, and of stone.’ (Dan.5:4) But Friends, as usual when we fool with stuff that pertains to our God, He makes it known, sometimes in very undesirable ways. So it was with Belshazzar. Within the hour of drinking from the Lord’s sacred vessels, a hand appears in the palace and writes on the wall next to a candle and Belshazzar sees a part of the hand. He’s frightened out of his wits: ‘Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins (hips) were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other (knocked).’ (Dan.5:6) Calling in all his magicians and astrologers, he demands an interpretation. But none of his people can do it. Now the queen hearing the commotion comes into the banquet place, and after learning the problem tells the king about Daniel who has done such marvellous work in his father’s time. So Daniel is called and offered gifts of lovely clothes, a golden chain and the position of third ruler in the kingdom. Obviously he refuses them, and gives Belshazzar a lesson in his father’s affairs. ‘O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour…But when his heart was lifted up (made proud), and his mind (spirit) 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…till he knew (recognized) that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointed over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. But hast lifted up (exalted) thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house (the temple) before thee, and thou and thy lord, 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. Then was the part of the hand sent from him: and this writing was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. This is the interpretation of the thing (each word): Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balance, and art found wanting. Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.’ (Dan.5:18, 20-28) Then despite his earlier refusal, they dressed up Daniel in royal finery, put a gold chain around his neck and declared him third ruler in the kingdom. But Friends, that made no difference whatsoever to Belshazzar’s demise, for ‘In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius, the Median (Mede) took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.’ (Dan.5:30-31) Oh my people, I sure hope that this pride and arrogance of the Babylonian kings teaches us a lesson, namely that our God does not make fun with His stuff. He’s indeed a wonderful God, but when coming to His glory, He’s very jealous of others trying to usurp it, and He will deal with them severely. Please, let’s pay serious attention to these signs and wonders, so when we are weighed in the balance, we’ll not be found wanting. Much LOVE!…and I seek not mine own glory…there is one that seeketh and judgeth (John 8:50)…a wise man will follow Jesus’ example…