The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 215

of Belshe.zze.r. 3. Failure in man's prime duty; viz. to glorify God. (1) The duty. To honour God. We put the highest honour on him when we repeat bis likeness. To glorify God is to reflect God, as the IB.ke does the heaven above with all its light.. This the finRl end of our creation. (2) Its grO'Und. Our complete dependence. That depend<'nl life should be devoted life is a truth of natural religion (see ver. 23). (3) The default is so general and notorious as to require uo proof (Rom. iii. 23). II. 'l'HE AGGRAVATIONS OF GUILT. The king's guilt bad been aggravated by what he had teen permitted to see of the way of the Divine mercy and of the Divine judg- ment. 1. The vision of the Divinti goodn-, in his grandfather's prosperity. (Vers. 18, 19.) 2. The vis,·on of sin, in hi.s grandfather's misuse of position. (Ver. 20.) 3. The vision of j,uigment, in his grandfather's punishment. (Ver. 21.) 4, The vision of mercy, in his grandfatlu,r's restorati<m. (Ver. 21.) Note: (1) For every sinner a vision of the great realities of the 'IM'l'Ol world. (2) Ooming ofl in flef'Y ajfecting fONmJ, as here, through the experience of the near and dear. III. 'l'HE ABSENCE OF DEFENCE. The sinner dumb at the eternal bar, No defence possible. J udgment goes by default. There is no counsel for defence ; for there is no defence. Sentence must pass. The only thing that can be done, can he done them, viz. show ground for free pardon, This the atoning Saviour undertakes. But-- IV. 'l'HE .:ruoGMENT OF THE COURT. Of the supreme court-the court of heaven- the judgment of God against the sinner; in this case written with the very finger of God-the same finger which traced ages before" the Law of the ten words." In the "Mene,'Mena, Tekel, U pharsin," read these permanent truths : 1. The day of probation u limited. "Numbered I" and numbered to the end I 2. The character of the pro- bationer is e,:actly estimated. "Weighed I" Yes, and found light. "God does as perfectly know a man's true character as the goldsmith knows the weight of that which he has weighed in the nioest scales." Note the moral import of phrases like this : "a man of weight and character ; " "a light and frivolous man." 3. Deprivation of e11dowment is the punishment of infidelity to trud. "Divided I" Given away (see parable of the talents). V. EXECUTION. It was: 1. Btoi,ft upon the cli= of a life of sin. "In that night." 2. Sure. By an agent long prepared (lsa. xiv, 1--6). 3. Sudrun. Utterly unexpected. VI. A GLEAM OF BOPE. The king died sober: did he die penitent, The way in which he received the awful words of Daniel look very like it (ver, 29), A star of hope shines above the dark cloud in the horizon.-B. Vers. 1-9.-Blasted merriment. All merriment is not forbidden, Banqueting ia not in itself a sin. Jesus Christ himself honoured with his presence a marriage festival, and contributed, by miracle, the wine for the occasion, On the restoration of the prcdigal son, a banquet was prepared, while music and dancing were the fitting expo- nents of the father's joy. God is not a foe to rational pleasure. He gives both the capacity and the occasion for joyful hilarity. But when excess of wine inflames the carnal patisions, when it degenerates into sensuality, extravagance, and profanity, it is a sin. L ROYAL BEVELBY. We are not told what was the occasion of this banquet. Possibly it was to celebrate the anniversary of the king's accession; or else an annual festival in honour of Chaldea's gods. But: 1. It wa, an unseasonable banquet. The foe was already besieging the city. Belshazzar was presuming that Babylon could resist any siege, and that their supplies could last for an indefinite period. 'l'here is a time to be merry, but there's al6o a time for fasting and penitence. The man is a fool who canDot be scriow; at fitting times. Gravity is more seemly than gaiety wben di636ter occurs. He is a doomed man who will not listen when God speaks with voice of thunder. But he shall hear. 2. The revelry proceeded to the er,;treme of self- aba,,donment. Wisdom, dignity, good sense, decorum, reason, wero all drowned in the depths of the wine-cup. 'l'he king leti the way to extravagance, revelry, folly, deLauc:Lery. He who should have been a guide to virtue, and a pattern of prop~iety, uses Lis high influi:nce to pervert and to pollute men. Belsbazoor a.lone is mentioned w; the leader of these bacchanalian orgies. All manliness and nobleness were sacrl- fioed at that foul shrine of pleuure. 3. Ezce11s lel:l to w1;inton pr,ifanity and sacrilege, cu. v. 1-31.] THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 181