By David Freeman
Pastor
Calvary Baptist Church
You may not have tomorrow. In Daniel 5:23, the Bible tells us that God has our breath in His hands. He is in control.
In this chapter, Daniel brings charges forth because Belshazzar disregarded God’s revelation. We are charged today, and we have to make a choice. God’s word will not return void; a decision must be made.
You have the opportunity to accept His word with love and move towards Him in repentance unto salvation or a restored relationship. If you decide not to heed His word; you will harden your heart. Either way, the choice is yours.
Belshazzar had the opportunity to learn from his father. In Daniel 5:18-19, we see that his father, Nebuchadnezzar, was made a mighty king. Verse 20 tells us: But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. His father lost his throne because he became prideful and hardened his heart against God. In verse 22, Belshazzar still refuses to humble his heart to the almighty God, the very one who gave him power.
Today, we can still learn good and bad from our parents. Sometimes they are examples of how to live, and sometimes their lives teach us what to avoid. Either way, it is always in our best interest to learn from the mistakes of others instead of repeating those mistakes for ourselves.
There are several other examples from the Bible from which we can learn. The first example that comes to mind is Pharaoh. When Moses approached him about letting God’s people go, he refused. He kept putting off what God wanted for His people.
Pharaoh continued to hold out for another day even though he and his people were suffering from the plagues. Because of his pride, his heart was hardened towards God. His pride caused great pain for the people of Egypt, and in the end, his entire army was drowned in the sea because of his hardened heart.
Another example is Judas. He betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver. We know that the love of money is the root of all evil, and here we see it to be true. This love of money continues today. Many do strange things for money. People will lie, cheat, steal and murder for money.
We also know King Herod to be an evil man. He was consumed with carnal pleasures. Today, people continue to be consumed with drugs and alcohol. Those carnal pleasures affect our minds and decisions. When your life is dependent upon your decisions, you should choose to operate with a clear mind.
The last example we will look at is Felix, a Roman governor to whom Paul preached the Gospel. Paul was one of the greatest preachers of all time, and he brought that message to Felix. Felix came so close to salvation; he told Paul that he had almost convinced him, but in the end Felix decided to follow the crowd. Just like so many people, he chose the broad path that leads to destruction. If Felix had had one more day, maybe he would have decided to follow Christ.
None of us are guaranteed the next second, much less the next day. We must make our choices now!
In Daniel 5:23, the Bible tells us that Belshazzar committed sacrilege. He removed God’s vessels and used them for his own purposes. Sin steals the vessels of the Lord. Our bodies were created to be vessels unto the Lord, but so often human life is used to glorify the Devil.
When witnessing to people, I have often heard them say that maybe when they’re older they will make the decision to be saved. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. II Timothy 2:21 tells us, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” There was also a charge of idolatry because they worshipped pagan gods. Today, you may not worship a molten image, but anything nearer to your heart than God is your idol.
Although we are not guaranteed tomorrow, we do have the present. You can make the decision to follow God right now. In Daniel 4:34, Nebuchadnezzar prayed to God; he acknowledged the power of the Almighty God. In verse 37, we see that God can humble the pride-hardened heart. He did it with Nebuchadnezzar, and He can do it with you.
Don’t put off the decision to follow God. Humble your heart today and choose the path of Christ. If you’re lost, trust in Him today. If you have drifted from God, humble your heart and repent that you might draw nigh unto Him. Today is the day to make the right decisions. You are not guaranteed tomorrow.
Trust the Lord today.
