Explore: Tell it like it is

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Aug. 10 focuses on Daniel 5:1-6, 16-17, 23-28.

When trying to understand the meaning of mysterious Scriptures, like the one in this week’s lesson from Daniel, it is important to remember a fundamental principle of biblical interpretation. Some passages of Scripture are descriptive, and some are prescriptive. In addition, it’s important to look for the underlying principle of Scripture that transcends time.

There is an odd twist of events in this story. The father of King Belshazzar had been the agent of God’s judgment against Israel a generation before. Now, it was Belshazzar’s turn to learn no one stands above God’s standards or principles.

Belshazzar’s party

Belshazzar decided to throw a party. It would appear he was attempting to mock the people of God even further by using the plunder they’d carried from Jerusalem as nothing more than toys with which to further celebrate their victory.

God was not pleased. In one of the most mysterious passages in the Old Testament, a human hand appears and writes a message on a wall in the king’s palace. Belshazzar can’t interpret the meaning of the message nor can any of his wise men. Upon the advice of his wife, the king sends for Daniel who had established himself as a man who seemed to know the mind of God.

Daniel first reminded Belshazzar of his father’s fate. God had given Nebuchadnezzar greatness and power among his people. In time, however, Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten God and abused his power and his people. Walking away from God had caused Nebuchadnezzar to go mad and be driven from power.

Now, Daniel told Belshazzar that, because he had chosen to live a profane and godless existence, his fate would be the same. Indeed, in time, it was.

Two ways of interpretation

There are two ways of reading and understanding this text. One way is simply to read it as history. It is a descriptive example of what happened to a king in the Old Testament in a time and place far removed from our time and culture.

The other way is to try to understand how it prescribes what happens to anyone who chooses to take the blessings of God and use them in careless, godless ways. If nothing else, this text is a witness to how God holds us all accountable for how we use our power over others.

We don’t know how God exercises judgment over people. We are given examples of all kinds of judgment in both the Old and New Testaments. It would not be wise to take what happened in this text and use it as the only model of what happens when people disobey God.

The problem of evil

For reasons we may never know, evil goes unabated. In places all over the world, innocent people are victims of evil dictators. In our own country, politicians often use their power for illegal personal gain at the expense of those who have no ability to protect themselves, and it seems there are no consequences.

Things are not always what they seem. If this text in Daniel tells us anything, it teaches us that, in time, God is the Lord of all power. The best way to read this passage is to let it teach us a personal lesson about how God holds each of us accountable for how we use the power with which he has blessed us.

That is why the Apostle Paul wrote these words centuries later: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Empowering the weakest

Although Jesus could have used his power otherwise, he chose to use it to empower the weakest of the weak. God now expects the same of us.

We all have power of some kind. Some have economic power or political power or verbal power or sexual power. How we use that power is the truest test of our relationship with the God of all power.

The lesson in Daniel is those who use their power to abuse others will find themselves the victims of their own power. The greatest power God has given any of us is to surrender all of ourselves, including our power, to the Lord of the universe so that God may take our power and use it to God’s glory.

For those who choose otherwise, the writing is on the wall.