He Appreciated The Messenger and Ignored The Message

Daniel 5:29-31
(29) Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
(30) That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, (31) and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

Daniel came and told king Belshazzar that God was angry with him and He had decided to end his reign and hand over that country to another inferior kingdom known as Medo-Persia. Darius the Mede was going to take over.

We expect Belshazzar to be in shock and remorseful. We expect Belshazzar who had seen this same God turn Nebuchadnezzar into an animal for seven years, to fear and repent. We expect Belshazzar to ask Daniel if there was a way out of this crisis.

When Jonah sent a message of judgment to Nineveh, the king and all the people repented and went into fasting and prayer, pleading with God to avert disaster. God heard them and at the last minute before the disaster, God forgave them and saved them from disaster. We expect Belshazzar to respond like the king of Nineveh but he doesn’t!

When Manasseh was king, he sinned greatly. God got angry with Manasseh and He sent him to captivity. Manasseh was captured with a hook put through his nose. It was over for Manasseh as a king. But while Manasseh was on the way to captivity, he remembered God and cried for mercy. Guess what? God heard, God forgave and God restored the kingdom back to Manasseh. We expect Belshazzar to do what Manasseh did when God is annoyed, but he doesn’t!

When Lucifer who later on became satan defied God and war started in heaven, there is no record of his repentance. He doesn’t seek peace with God. He doesn’t plead for mercy. How could God forgive someone who has not repented? Belshazzar too never repented or sought God’s mercy!

Revelation 16:9
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPENT and glorify him.

Revelation 16:10-11
(10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony (11) and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPENT of what they had done.

Revelation 16:21
From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

The Bible tells us that during the time of the seven last plagues, sinners will face the wrath of God but they will refuse to repent. How can you be forgiven if you can’t repent? Belshazzar too seems to have heard the message but he refused to repent.

We are told that after Daniel gave him the lethal message of judgment, Belshazzar greatly appreciated Daniel. Belshazzar gave Daniel gifts and even appointed him the third highest in the kingdom. He appreciated the messenger but ignored the message.

Aren’t we all like Belshazzar? We appreciate the church but not the message it proclaims. We appreciate a powerful preacher but ignore what he preached about. We appreciate the singing and other talents but we can’t support them financially or follow what they presented. We have a favorite pastor whose messages we listen to and follow but we have never applied in our life. He appreciated the messenger but ignored the message.

May God save us from appreciating the messenger and ignoring the message. May we take the message seriously and may God favor us, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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