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King Belshazzar was Ruined by his Pride

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While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. (Daniel 5:2)

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In a country called Babylon, there was a king named Belshazzar.
This king did not fear God and he did whatever he wanted.

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King Belshazzar thought that his country would never be ruined.
 "Who will fight this big and strong country. My country will be forever!!"
 With this kind of heart, King Belshazzar did whatever he wanted.

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Every night, King Belshazzar called all the ministers and drank wine.
1,000 people would gather in that place to have parties.

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Then one day, King Belshazzar did a very bad thing.
"Hey, bring the silver cups and gold cups that we got from the temple of Jerusalem.
Let us drink wine with those cups! Ha ha ha!"

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The king and the ministers in that place drank wine using the cups taken from the temple of God. Then they said that the false idols they believed in were greater than God.
They were making fun of God. So, God got so angry with their boastful doings.

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Then a very surprising thing happened. In front of them, a big hand appeared and wrote letters on the wall. King Belshazzar was so afraid that he turned pale.

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King Belshazzar shouted, "I will make the one who can tell me what these letters mean, the third highest ruler of my country."
But no one was able to read or explain the letters.

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At that moment, one servant said to King Belshazzar.
"My Lord, Beltheshazzar from Judah, can answer anything. Call Beltheshazzar and ask him.
 I think you can get the answer from him."
Beltheshazzar was the Babylonian name for the well-known Daniel.

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King Belshazzar called Daniel and said, "If you will tell me the meaning of those letters on the wall, I will dress you with a purple robe, put a gold necklace on your neck and let you sit on the third highest place of this country. Quick, explain it."

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Daniel said to the king. "Just keep all of those gifts. I don't need anything.
Just give those gifts to others. Even still, I will answer you without receiving those gifts."

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Daniel bravely told what those letters meant.
"That is MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. That means the king has a boastful heart so God will divide this country into two and give it to another person."

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Even though Daniel said that, King Belshazzar still did not humble his heart.
"Ha, it was not a big thing after all. My country will be divided into two? That is totally not true. I want to kill you right now but since I promised you by the king's name, I will keep what I have promised."

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"It was not such a big thing and it only broke our fun. My country will never be ruined. Everybody, keep drinking happily and enjoy."
Even though, God warned King Belshazzar, he did not soften his heart.

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That night, God's words were fulfilled.
An army of the Persians, King Cyrus attacked the palace and killed all the people who were drinking wine there.
King Belshazzar also died that night.

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King Belshazzar had a boastful heart that his country will never be ruined but that day, King Belshazzar's country was destroyed. Then a person called Darius became the king. Even if a country is big and strong, if God does not protect that country, it cannot stand properly.
King Belshazzar did not know that.

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Dear friends, we should also know that even though we are good at studying or even though we live in a nice house, if we have a boastful heart like King Belshazzar, God will take it away. Always thank God for giving us good things and don't be boastful but become faithful people who live with humble hearts.