The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-10-24
Lesson for October II
BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST
Temperance Lesson.)
LESSON TEXT-Daniel 5:1-31.

LESSON TEXT-Daniel 5:1-31.
GOLDEN TENT-Wine is a mocker,
strong drink is raging; and whose
ever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Daniel Solves
Riddle.
JUNIOR TOPICAL the Feast of
Belshazzar.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-What Drink Leads To.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-The Facts About Alcohol.
I. Belshazzar's lmpious Feast wv.
1-4.
1. Those In attendance wv. l. p.
Those present were Belshazzer. his
wife and concubines, and one thousand
of his lords.
2. Their behavior wv. 3, ~.
a. They drank wine and engaged
In drunken revelry.
b. They committed sacrilege They
drank wine from the sacred vessels
taken out Of the temple at Jerusalem.
C. They worshiped idols.
II. The Handwriting on the Wall
wv. 5-16).
1. The time of ". 81. 1t occurred
ain the same hour" in which they
were engaged in their drunken de-
bauchery.
2. The effect upon the king ". g..
'The joints of his loins were loosed,
and his knees smote one against an
other"
3. The kings behavior wv. 7-16).
a. He called for the astrologers and
soothsayers, offering them rewards Of
gold and of position wv 7-9).
b. Daniel brought In at the sugges-
ton Of the queen wv. 1916. The
queen was perhaps the wife Of Ne
buchadnezzar who remembered Dan
iel's service in interpreting the dream
Of her husband.
Ill. Daniel lnterprets the Writing
wv. 1928.
l. Daniels address to the king wv.
1920.
a. He brushes aside his promised
gifts ". ~. He would not have his
speech limited by the kings gift.
b. He reviewed before Belshazzar
the history of Northumberland wv.
1920. He showed clearly that Bel
shazzar should have profted by the
experiences Of his father.
2. The Interpretation of the writ
ing (vv. 1929.
a. Meme" means numbered" ".
26). God hath numbered thy king
dom and finished It,
b. "Teker means weighed" ". 27).
"Thou art weighed In the balances and
art found wanting"
C. "Peres" means divided" ". 2S).
"Thy kingdom is divided, and given to
the Medes and Persians."
". The Judgment Executed wv.
29-3D.
So rapidly did the divine judgment
fall that Belshazzar was slain and
Darius the Median took the kingdom
that same night. The Chaldean dynasty
ended with Belshazzar. We may.
therefore, interpret this whole scene
as pointing to the conditions at the
close of the time of the Gentlles, and
as adumbrating their prevailing con-
ditions. Let US note
!. The stupidity Of men. Belshaz-
Ear. like people today, did not learn
by example. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS fate
should have deferred Belshazzar.
2. The magnificent splendor. This
great feast was characterized by pomp,
display and parade. How character
istic of our own age!
8. Luxury. The famous hanging
gardens of Babylon were a noteworthy
example. Signs Of luxury abound to-
day on every hand.
4. The RIGHTEOUSNESS of the king
with his many wives and concubines.
Licentiousness Is likewise VIGOROUSLY
prevalent today.
5. Blasphemous sacrilege The sac
rilege of this day may be in excess
of that of BclshazZar's day and ex-
presses itself in
a. A profession of religion for
pecuniary gain, social and political
preferment.
b. The use of the pulpit of the
Christian ministry for notoriety and
even for the propagation Of false doc
trine.
c. Uniting with the church and at
tendance at the Lords table so as to
cover up secret sins.
d. The use Of the Word of God to
give point to a joke.
e. Denying that the Bible Is Gods
Word, making it a book of errors,
myths, and legends,
f. Sneering at the virgin birth, re-
pudiating Christ's deity and setting
aside his vicarious atonement.
g. Drunken carousals. The hand
writing is on the wall. His judgments
shall eventually fall. Conditions in
the world indicate that the time is
drawing near. Are you ready7
Pity
Friends should be very delicate and