November 28, 2024 -The Value of Faithfulness

DANIEL 5:1-31

2 PETER 2:1-22

PSALM 119:113-128

PROVERBS 28:19-20

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Psalm 119:126 It is time for you to act, Lord;

    your law is being broken.

127 Because I love your commands

    more than gold, more than pure gold,

Daniel 5:2 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. 3 So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.

God's word is more valuable than gold and Belshazzar in his drunken state used the items from the temple of God to drink from and praise the gods of gold, sliver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. All the things that they made false gods from. Themes that I have seen repeating themselves include the importance of being sobor minded. This has become a conviction in my life lately. When we are not sobor minded we will make bad decisions. Here we see that Belshazzar who knew what his father had experienced with God Almighty but in his drunkenness he use the temple artifacts in a disrespectful way he also worshiped false gods while doing it. I also have been convicted that when we are not sobor minded it can hinder our witness for Christ. What we do matters. It says in 1 Corinthians 10:23 that all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial and constructive. Daniel was a great example of someone who lived according to God's word and the recognized the value of it. He lived a life that was different and it was noticeable.

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,

    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Daniel 5:16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel was known to have a gift from God and he was offered riches and status. Something that most other men would jump at the chance to have.

Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

Daniel did not value riches like silver and gold and told the king that he didn't want any of his "gifts". He had God and His word which was all that he needed. He was not eager to get rich.

Daniel 5:29 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.

And being one not eager to get rich he was richly blessed. Sometimes when we are willing to do without and make our choices based on what is right in God's eyes it will still result in blessing.

Daniel 5:30 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.

And the one who was misusing the items of the temple, worshiping false gods and who was eager to get rich did not go unpunished.