Monday February 28

Read Daniel 5:1-4

Belshazzar had a tenuous reign in Babylon. His father, Nabonidus, was the real king but because he was away often in Arabia on long military campaigns he set up Belshazzar as the vice regent in Babylon.

Unlike the great and revered King Nebuchadnezzar, who had earned and won his kingship, Belshazzar probably felt that he had to prove himself.  The huge banquet may have been an attempt to impress and seal his rule over the kingdom. In this vein, Belshazzar had the gold and silver goblets (which were taken from the temple in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar) and he used them as part of his revelry.  What was Belshazzar doing? Showing contempt and disregard to the great King Nebuchadnezzar and throwing down the gauntlet before the one true living God, Yahweh Himself. This is borne out in vs 4 - they gave praise to the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron and wood and stone.  Any material that could be used to carve a statue was praised and honoured in defiance of the first and second commandment Yahweh had given His people.  And so began a contest of superiority and greatness. Belshazzar was claiming to be the greatest, even against Nebuchadnezzar the great king and Yahweh, the one true living God.

Far too many believers end up in a mess (think of all the Christian youth that have ended up in a tragic situation) simply because they felt that they had to prove themselves. In God’s eyes you have nothing to prove. He loves you as you are. He has called you into His Kingdom and has lavished His love upon you through the cross and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  God does not want you to do stupid or risky things to prove yourself. He wants you to strive for holiness. He wants you to work hard at doing what is pleasing, right and good in the Lord’s eyes.  And to make it possible for you to do this very thing, He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell with each and every single person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:-

þ Pray for Jim and Faye Lyons and their Straight Talk Ministry. Ask God to bring blessing and a great harvest through their work. Ask the Lord to allow many students to come into the Kingdom through their work.

þ Continue to pray for the work of OMF and for Cecily Moar.