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BELSHAZZAR’S DEATH
“KNOWN unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” We speak of things as fortuitous and contingent, because we see not the hand by which they are directed; but, in reality, there is nothing contingent, not even the falling of a sparrow: “the very hairs of our head are all numbered.” Sometimes it has pleased God to make known, beforehand, events, which depended entirely upon the free will of man; while at the same time they were as infallibly foreseen by him as if man had been a mere machine, without the smallest exercise of choice or inclination. Such were the events which facilitated or attended the destruction of the Babylonish empire. It was optional with Belshazzar whether he would make a feast for his lords, and drink to excess: and it was optional with Cyrus what moment he should seize for making his attack upon the city: but all was foretold by God, with a minuteness and precision which proclaim at once the omniscience of the Deity, and the dependence of all things upon his sovereign will [Note: Jer_51:11; Jer_51:39; Jer_51:57.]. The event before us had long before been proclaimed by the voice of inspiration: and it will be profitable for us to consider,
I. The time of Belshazzar’s death—
In the words, “that night,” there is an emphasis which must not be overlooked. It was the night,
1. Of his feasting—
[He had “made a feast for a thousand of his lords.” We mean not to condemn all feasts: for our blessed Lord himself repeatedly vouchsafed to be present at a feast. But the generality of “banquetings,” and “revellings, and such like” are among those works of the flesh, “which they who do, shall not inherit the kingdom of God [Note: Gal_5:21.].” Of this kind was Belshazzar’s feast; at which he gave himself up to mirth, and banished all thoughts of death from his mind.
What an awful thing to be taken at such a moment! Yet how many are there, who, if not slain like him, yet are called away from the midst of the cares or pleasures of this life as unprepared as he! It was so at the time of the Deluge: it will be so at the end of the world: and it is so yet daily and hourly [Note: Mat_24:37-39.]. “The foolish virgins” greatly out-number those who are wise; and have their oil to seek when the Bridegroom’s arrival is announced. “They are saying, Peace, peace; till sudden destruction cometh upon them as a thief in the night, or as travail on a woman with child [Note: 1Th_5:2-3.].” The Lord grant it may never be so with us!]
2. Of his impiety—
[Feasting and impiety are not unfrequently associated. The generality of men seem to think that they cannot enjoy any comfort in social converse, unless they give way to excess, and banish decency and religion from their presence. Belshazzar could not be content with the pleasure which this feast afforded, but he must openly pour contempt on God, and set him at defiance. Accordingly, he ordered the sacred vessels, which his grandfather had taken from the temple at Jerusalem, to be brought forth for the use of himself and his wives and concubines; and then celebrated his gods as superior to Jehovah, over whom (as it should seem) they had triumphed. This completed the measure of his iniquities, and drew down upon him “the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple [Note: Notea.]” Perhaps we may think the crime and the punishment uncommon: but neither the one nor the other is at all uncommon. What are the songs that are usually sung at feasts, but songs in honour of Bacchus and Venus, the heathen patrons of riot and debauchery? What are the toasts or sentiments, in commendation of which the wine is poured out and drunk? what, but a tissue of lewdness and profaneness? And how often do they who engage in such scenes, come to an untimely end! One falls from his horse; another is overturned in a carriage; another run over by a cart; another is drowned; another is killed in an affray. We call these things accidents: but if an inspired prophet were sent to declare the truth, we should find them “the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.”
And may not we look back to some day, or some night, when God might have cut us off as it were, to advantage, if not in a state of riot and intoxication, yet in some other state equally displeasing to him? O let us call to mind those seasons; and adore his name, that “in that night” we were not summoned, with all our iniquities upon us, to give account of ourselves at his judgment-seat!]
3. Of his warning—
[While Belshazzar was indulging in his impious revels, he saw a hand writing upon the wall of the room wherein he sat. Terrified beyond measure at so strange a sight, he called for all his magicians and astrologers to read and explain the words. None of them being able to explain the writing, Daniel was sent for: and he, by Divine inspiration, declared the sentence which God had thus visibly proclaimed. On any other occa-sion, if we may judge from the neglect into which Daniel had fallen, Belshazzar would have fiercely resented the faithfulness with which this prophet of the Lord had denounced his doom: but his terror had softened him for a moment; yet not so softened him as to produce any genuine repentance in his heart. He ordered the promised reward to be given to Daniel; but we do not find that he humbled himself before God, or uttered one prayer for mercy. Scarcely was the warning explained to him, but it was executed on him, and on all his dissolute companions. Yes; “in that night was Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, slain.” As his royalty did not save him, so neither did his terror obtain for him one moment’s respite. He heard, he trembled, he died. He had seen (as Daniel told him) the judgments that had been executed on Nebuchadnezzar, his grandfather; and yet had not profited by that warning, or humbled himself before the God of heaven: now therefore the warning and the judgment came together: nor was any further space given him for repentance.
How differently has God acted hitherto towards us! Many are the warnings which we have slighted; and yet, behold, we live! — — — But how soon his patience may come to an end, and a termination be put to our day of grace, who can tell? — — —]
Such was the season when this unhappy monarch was called into the presence of his Judge. Let us next consider,
II. The instruction to he gathered from it—
Surely we may learn from this,
1. Not to provoke the Lord to jealousy—
[It matters not whether, with Belshazzar, we “praise gods of wood and stone,” or whether we “set up idols in our hearts:” in either case, God is dethroned; and “other lords besides him have dominion over us.” And shall we think lightly of our guilt, while in such a state as this? or shall we imagine that God regards it with indifference? No: “he is a jealous God: his very name is Jealous [Note: Exo_34:14.]:” and “his glory will he not give,” or allow to be given “to another.” Look then within your own bosoms, ye who are so addicted to the pursuits of this life as scarcely to have any time or inclination for reading the Scriptures and for secret prayer; ye whose feelings are quickly roused when your honour or your interest are at stake, and yet are unconcerned about the honour of God or the interests of your souls; look, I say, within, and see whether God has not reason to be jealous of you; and whether he might not justly destroy you instantly with fire, as he did Nadab and Abihu; or cause the earth to swallow you up quick, as he did to Korah and his rebellious associates? Do not imagine that you are innocent, because you do not follow the practices of Belshazzar: see whether you be not living in his spirit; and whether you are not despising God in your heart, as much as he did in his actions; and idolizing the world in your heart, as much as he did his fictitious deities in his drunken carousals? And know, that though your idolatry is less gross than his, it involves you in deeper guilt, in proportion as the meridian light of the Gospel transcends the darkness of Heathen superstition.]
2. Not to despise the warnings you receive—
[You have not a hand-writing visibly on the wall: but have you not other warnings, equally legible, on every side? How many are cut off around you, some old, some young, and some in the prime of life! How many sudden deaths take place, or, if not sudden in respect of time, yet unexpected by the persons themselves [Note: If this be preached as a New-Year’s Discourse, the last year may be represented as dead, or as cut off from our short span of life, which therefore is proportionably contracted.]! Are the disorders which you see or feel, no warnings? But you have a hand-writing, yea, the hand-writing of God himself; you may see it in the Scriptures of truth: there you may see written, as with a sun-beam, “Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin:” to you it speaks: your days are numbered, and nearly finished: you are weighed in a balance, and found wanting: and all hope of enjoying the kingdom of heaven will be quickly taken from you, if you do not turn unto God with your whole hearts. God says to you, “My son, give me thine heart:” any thing short of this will be to no purpose. O that you would now “open unto Him that knocketh at the door of your hearts;” and that “the long-suffering of God might now at last lead you to repentance!”]
3. Not to delay the great work you have to do—
[Whilst you are living at your ease, and putting the thoughts of death far from you, God may be saying, “Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee.” And O, how terrible would this be to the generality! To some indeed sudden death would be sudden glory: but to others how different! Herod made a feast; and, in compliance with his daughter’s request, gave her John Baptist’s head in a charger: yes, that night was John the Baptist slain. But how different was that night to John the Baptist and Belshazzar! The one went from a prison to a crown; the other from a palace to a lake of fire. Inquire, I pray you, how death would find you, if it should come this night: and if you are unprepared to meet it, O delay not one hour; give not sleep to your eyes, or slumber to your eye-lids, till you have obtained peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. “Converted you must be; or you can never enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Your “conscience must be sprinkled with the atoning blood of Jesus,” or your sins will infallibly plunge you into everlasting perdition. Seize then the fleeting hour. Adore your God that you have not been taken away, as thousands of your fellow-creatures have been, with all your sins upon you: and “to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your heart;” lest like them you perish in impenitence and unbelief.]