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the God who keeps you breathing

Daniel 5:17-23 (JDV)

Daniel 5:17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.
Daniel 5:18 King, the Highest God gave sovereignty, greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 5:19 Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages were scared and trembled at him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted.
Daniel 5:20 But when his heart was exalted and his breath became arrogant, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him.
Daniel 5:21 He was driven away from mortal humans, his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Highest God is ruler over mortal human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.
Daniel 5:22 “But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this.
Daniel 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against Yahveh of the sky. The receptacles from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand. But you have not glorified the God who keeps you breathing and who has your paths in his hand.

the God who keeps you breathing

Belshazzar’s chief crime was the failure to glorify the God who keeps him breathing. Such is the case with many kings (and paupers) today. Whether in power or in fear, so many are walking to their permanent fate with no regard for the one who will decide it. This scripture serves as a warning for us.