Perfectly Holy Part 2

"...they brought the gold and sliver vessels which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God...and the king drank from them." Daniel 5:3

"...be a vessel of honor, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work."

2 Timothy 2: (20) 21

As I mentioned in part one, I had been studying the book of Daniel...and chapter five is not one that is easily forgotten. As the chapter opens, the main characters are King Belshazzar and the gold and silver goblets.

Let's back up into history for just a moment. These goblets (vessels) belonged to God, not the king. This king was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar, who originally took the goblets. The temple from which they had been taken (and all that was inside it) belonged to God and was holy (set apart for God's purposes). When the Jews and Jerusalem were captured by the Babylonians, King Nebuchadnezzar had the temple pillaged and all the precious vessels, utensils and furnishings taken into his possession. A couple of generations later, we read the account of King Neb's grandson (a worshipper of Babylonian gods) calling for the gold and silver goblets at his feast to end all feasts. King Belshazzar used these vessels to toast his gods. He used a holy vessel to toast that which us unholy. Belshazzar was not aware that the God of these vessels was in attendance at his party.

God was not pleased with the situation. If ever there was a guy in trouble, he was it. Belshazzar was busted. (I encourage you to read chapter five in it's entirety for all of the panic stricken details of Belshazzar's evening. His party was over!) God interrupted the drunken toast, and it was all downhill for Belshazzar. In the end, God's message to Belshazzar was "you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient" (5:27). Belshazzar lost everything that night.

God is serious about that which is set apart for Him. Holiness is not to be taken lightly. Because of Jesus, God no longer works through a man made temple or furnishing, but through His people. He looks at us- as His vessels- set apart for Him. The dictionary defines this (vessel) as "a person regarded as a holder or receiver of something not material" a vessel of grace; a vessel of wrath". What has God poured into you? You and I are His vessels and we are to be vessels of honor (2 Timothy 2:21) set apart for Him. The verses following this passage teach us how to continue being a vessel of honor. May we never be vessels that toast something unholy. May we always pay attention to what we are toasting. May we always be holy (set apart unto God), perfect (carrying out that which HE has called us to do) and aware of His holiness.