A new King dishonours God
TODAY’S LESSON FROM DANIEL chapter 5
BE HUMBLE
MEMORY VERSE
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10 NIV
Sometime after Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego survived the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing vision. Daniel interpreted the vision for the king, and told him that he would live like a wild animal for many years unless or until he gave up his sinful life by acknowledging God as Lord of all.
Just as Daniel said, the vision came true and King Nebuchadnezzar lived as a wild animal until he finally changed his ways. In fact, he even said, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." (Dan. 4:37)
But sometime afterwards, his son, Belshazzar became king. King Belshazzar did not honor God, nor humble himself. Instead, he did his best to fight against the Lord. Then, a message came to him in a strange way. Let's read to find out what that message said.
Read Daniel 5:17-31
Read the passage to the children as they follow along in their own Bible.
(In this passage, enchanters, astrologers and diviners were magicians and people who told the future using tricks and stars.)
Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.
18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son,[d] have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 “This is the inscription that was written:
mene, mene, tekel, parsin
26 “Here is what these words mean:
Mene[e]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians,[h] was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.[i]
Discussion Questions:
1. What gods did King Belshazzar and his nobles praise? (They praised gods of gold and silver.)
2. While they were drinking, what did they see writing on the walls? (Fingers of a human hand.)
3. Why did the king ask Daniel to come to him? (He hoped Daniel could tell him what the writing meant.)
4. Why was the sin of Belshazzar even greater than his father? see verse 22-23. (Although he knew the truth, he chose not to humble himself, and even fought against the Lord.)
5. How did Daniel describe the things that the king was praising? (They couldn't see or hear or understand.)
6. What did the writing on the wall say? (The king's reign is at an end and his kingdom will be given away.)
7. What is the difference between being boastful and being humble? (Allow for discussion.)