Who Is Using Your Vessel?

Daniel 5:2-4 KJV –  2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the GOLDEN and SILVER VESSELS which his father Nebuchadnezzar had TAKEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4 They drank wine, and PRAISED the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

• The worldly government leaders were drinking the wine from vessels purified as gold, yet continued to worship their own idols.
• The ones that were supposed to be used in service of the LORD and His government that is above every other Kingdom but instead these purified vessels were brought under subjection of Babylon’s kingdom and used in committing idolatry.  
• Why did these golden vessels submit to this defilement and idolatry? Because at least they were being put to use, and finally receiving honor that a golden vessel is due, which was better than remaining in the hiddenness of captivity while the Temple lay desolate.
  
  

Daniel 5:16-17, 20, 22-23, 26-28 KJV – 16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and GIVE THY REWARDS TO ANOTHER give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. … 20 But when [Nebuchadnezzar’s] heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: … 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:… 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.

• Daniel couldn’t be bought! He had the boldness to declare God’s judgment against the king that could have lopped off his head because he operated with authority from God’s Kingdom and not under man’s Kingdom.
• Belshazzar watched what happened to his/her predecessor and yet didn’t learn from their fall, choosing not to humble themselves so God will be finish their kingdom and finish it.

Ezra 1:7,11 KJV – 7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; … 11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

• Those golden vessels were brought BACK to the House of the LORD under the leadership of Cyrus. TIMER!!!
• However, they were returned to a desolate temple and Jerusalem that Nehemiah had the boldness to ask King Artexerxes AND THE QUEEN (Esther???) to go back and rebuild.
  
  

Ezra 2:62 KJV  62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as POLLUTED, put from the priesthood.

• Those who do not know the Heavenly Father as THEIR Father will be removed from the priesthood.  (**Blog: https://www.myfatherswitness.com/my-blog/ezra-2-the-reckoning-of-the-priesthood-will-you-make-the-cut
• Why is this important??? See below!

Ezra 7:23-25 KJV  23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, IT SHALL NOT BE LAWFUL TO IMPOSE TOLL, TRIBUTE, or CUSTOM, UPON THEM. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set MAGISTRATES and JUDGES, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, ALL SUCH AS KNOW THE LAWS OF THY GOD [Jehovah]; and TEACH YE THEM THAT KNOW THEM NOT.  

• Those who pass the test to be proven to be God’s children and active in service will end up not having to pay taxes.  

The trigger for such a financial honor from the King is the threat of God’s wrath upon the king of the nation, which means he must have a REASON to fear God’s wrath.