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Prophecies of Hope
The Book of Daniel
Lesson Number Five "The Last House Party"
Prophecies of Hope Daniel 5
Lesson Number Five
“The Last House Party!”

This is the party king! He has wine, women, music and power. Did you notice in the text what he did with the sacred vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem by his “father”. Read Jeremiah 52:31. This gives an idea of who ruled after Nebuchadnezzar.
“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison”

1. However, in our passage, the ruler by now in Babylon is Belshazzar. According to Daniel 5:1, 2 what relationship did Nebuchadnezzar have with Belshazzar? __________________________ in the original text the term “son” can refer to “Grandson” as well; which seems more likely since according to Jeremiah 52 another king is listed to come in after Nebuchadnezzar which would make Belshazzar the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.

2. Do you remember the biblical admonition about wine and strong drink? Proverbs 20:1; 23:39-42. What do you recall?

*Scientists have confirmed that alcohol and other drugs such as marijuana, Opioids and the like affect the frontal lobe of the brain immediately upon consumption.

3. Look up Jeremiah 51:4 and see how it describes Babylon; just before its fall. _____________

4. The date according to scholars is October 12, 539 B.C. and King Belshazzar has just suffered a major loss by his armies just North of Babylon. So, what does he do? What does he do with the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem by his Grandfather? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the first message of God’s last three-fold message to planet earth just before Jesus comes? Revelation 14:6,7 “And I saw another ________ l fly in the midst of heaven, having the ____________________ gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, ____________ ________, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and _____________ him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

6. Quick question. If you, as Nebuchadnezzar, had accepted God as your King and had been through all he had; wouldn’t you have told your children and grandchildren? Turns out he did.

Note: “He had known of his grandfather’s banishment, by the decree of God, from the society of men; and he was familiar with Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion and miraculous restoration.” Ellen G. White; Prophets and Kings; Page 522.

7. Does God arbitrarily judge people without opportunity to make a choice for Him? “And this _____________ of the ________________ shall be preached in ________ _____ ________ for a ________________ unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

8. What gods did Belshazzar the king praise during his drunken revelry? Daniel 5:4 “They drank wine and praised the gods of_______, and of _________, of __________, of ________, of wood, and of stone.”

9. During that same hour, what happened during this house party? Daniel 5:5 “In the same hour came forth _______________ of a man’s hand, and ____________ over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the __________ of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”

10. What was the king’s response? See Verse 6. What do you think the phrase means that his “loins were loosed.”?

Note: Do people today do what Belshazzar did? Instead of facing reality, they mask it, or try to escape it with using various coping mechanisms?

11. According to Daniel 5:7 who did the king call for to read the handwriting on the wall? “The king cried aloud to bring in the _____________, the Chaldeans, and the ________________. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, whosoever shall ________ this ____________, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

12. Based on verse 8 of Daniel 5, could they get it this time?

13. Notice the Queen’s response to the mysterious writing on the wall in Daniel 5:10,11 “Now the ____________, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet _________: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11 There is ____ _________ in thy kingdom, in whom is the_________ of the ____________ ________; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;”

14. Did the king know Daniel? Daniel 5:13,14 ____________

15. What did Daniel say to the king about rewards? Daniel 5:17, 18? “Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy_______ be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. {rewards: or, fee} 18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:”

16. To Whom does Daniel give the credit for setting up and taking down kingdoms? Daniel 5:18,19

17. We said earlier that the king really didn’t know Daniel. Did Daniel know the king? Daniel 5:22-23 “And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not ____________ thine heart, though thou _________________all this; 23 But hast lifted up____________ against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy __________, 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 ______________:”
God knows us better than we know ourselves. Yet He loves us better than anyone else. Opportunity after opportunity was given to Belshazzar.
18. Write down the words that were written on the wall please, and their meaning
a. Verse 26. __________________________________________________
b. Verse 27. ___________________________________________________
c. Verse 28. ___________________________________________________
d. Verse

19. Change in the king’s behavior? See Verse 29 of Daniel 5_____________________

20. What did the message mean?

a. “God hath numbered ________ ___________________ and __________________ ___” Vs.26

b. “Thou are___________________________ in the ________________, and art found _______________________________”

c. “Thy kingdom ___ __________________________ and given to the _____________ and _____________________.” Vs. 28.

21. What’s Next? What happened next? Daniel 5:30,31 “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans _________. 31 And Darius the _____________ took the _______________, being about threescore and two years old.” See Jeremiah 51:9 and Isaiah 45:1 Does God keep His word?

Have you heard from God my friend? Don’t you know His voice? Come to Jesus tonight? Right now! Just as you are! There is coming a time when it will be eternally too late. Revelation 22:10,11