Do We Think We Can Get By With Disobedience Against The Holy God?

In reading the account of Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, today, I was struck with the fact that Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way through blatant discipline from God, Who the One true God was. He even became like the ox of the field eating grass because of his rebellion against God.

Because of the discipline of God, Nebuchadnezzar turned from his evil ways to the One true God. Then Nebuchadnezzar's son was the next in line to be king. He knew of the story of his father and what God did in his life, but did not obey God.

Because Belshazzar, grew up knowing right from wrong, knowing the story of his father, he was going to be much more accountable than even his father, who had repented.

Belshazzar took the temple cups and began to use them for the worship of pagan gods. IN doing this he brought God's wrath upon himself and his entire kingdom.

Daniel 5:5-6
"5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another."

Daniel 5:13-14
"13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee."

Daniel 5:22-30
"22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain."