Daniel 5:1-12

“What determines our usefulness in this secular society is what God gives to those who choose to walk with Him.”

1. A Party in the Palace

The drinking party in Belshazzar’s palace explains, more vividly, the workings of the spirit of this present age.

“Pride is the evil response of sinful men to the grace of God.” - Robert L. Deffinbaugh

Human Pride

a. Pretends that things are under control

b. Pursues only personal pleasure

c. Places a premium on personal integrity

d. Pushes to the extreme the boundaries of arrogance

2. Panic in the Palace

The writing on the wall exposes the inadequacy of secular wisdom to solve the deepest and most urgent matters of life.

“God has a limit to how far He will allow men to go in their sin.” - Ray Pritchard

a. Light weight

b. Limited wisdom

c. Light in wait

3. A Prophet in the Palace

The presence of a prophet possessed by a superior Spirit exemplifies the possibility of Christian usefulness in a secular society.

“Let your little light shine in the public square so that everyone may praise your Heavenly Father.”

a. Victory over personal fatal flaws

b. Wisdom to interpret and implement divine revelation

c. Viewpoint that makes sense of the vicissitudes of life

d. Willingness to reach a place of rich service to humanity for the glory of God