MORNING DEW
DATE: WEDNESDAY 10TH AUGUST, 2022
THEME: DON'T DESECRATE GOD'S TEMPLE
TEXT: DANIEL 5:1-4
1 King Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all one thousand of them in getting drunk.
2 Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could drink from them.
3 As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God’s Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses drank from them.
4 As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
KING BELSHAZZAR PROVOKED GOD
Belshazzar was a co-regent of Babylon (553 - 539 B C) At the centre of Belshazzar's great feast were the vessels of gold and silver that had taken from the Jerusalem Temple by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was not literally the father of Belshazzar; Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, with whom he shared co-regency during the closing years of the Babylonian monarchy. The word "father" in Aramaic, like Hebrew, can mean "ancestor" or "predecessor."
Belshazzar wanted to emphasize his direct connection to Nebuchadnezzar, who had been the greatest of all Babylonian kings, however his character was not different from Nebuchadnezzar. There was one thing Belshazzar did differently, which was under the influence of alcohol, which Nebuchadnezzar his grandfather never did with all his pride and influence, that he ordered for the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to be brought forth for them to use them to drink their wine.
It was an insult to God. Those vessels belonged to God and were holy. Belshazzar committed a crime against God for using those vessels. Holy vessels cannot be used to feed dogs. Dogs have their own bowls they use for food, you can't use holy vessels to feed them.
Christians today accept anything, being holy or unholy. The holy vessels represents you as a believer. You are a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, holy vessel. Read what Peter says:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9).
Royal priest don't live like pigs. They live honourable lives. They live decent lives. They live like royals. Don't allow any spot on your royal garment. It will be a disaster soiling your royal garment.
Belshazzar represents the devil, who pollutes God's children. He polluted the vessels of God. The same way the devil is polluting the elects of God. He uses so many mechanisms for these activities. Don't give him the chance. The guy who wants to have sex with you is in the form of the devil. Your friend who is telling you to steal the money because you are not the first person doing that, is the devil in human form. Any negative influence from the social media, friends, your parents, families, are all agents of Satan.
God was not happy with Belshazzar, and He would not be happy with the devil when he touches you. You are God's Temple, therefore keep His Temple clean and pure. Don't consecrate His Temple.
Let's be vigilant beloved!
MEDITATION
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9).
PRAYER
Help me Holy Spirit, to keep my garment pure, in Jesus' Name!
Amen!
Author: Rev. John Wundengba
Miracle Centre A/G, Kugadoone, Bolga-Soe
WhatsApp: 020 9 422 159
Facebook: Morning Dew
