The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 5 Listen: (5:47)
Read: Hebrews 3 Listen: (2:25)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: Daniel 6 Listen: (5:18), Read: Hebrews 4 Listen: (2:43)
Read: Daniel 7 Listen: (5:21), Read: Hebrews 5 Listen: (1:57)

Scripture Focus: Daniel 5.17, 25-28

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

25 “This is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN
26 “Here is what these words mean:
Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Reflection: Weighed and Found Wanting

By John Tillman

The terms written on Belshazzar’s wall come from counting and weighing money made of precious metals and are filled with double meanings. Mene means “mina” and sounds like the word for “measured.” Tekel means shekels, a unit of weight measurement, and was also a play on the word numbered. Parsin means half-shekels, implying a kingdom divided, and sounded like Persian, which is who would take over the kingdom.

“Writing on the wall,” has become a worldwide idiom that shows up in countless cultural references. Many don’t know that it comes from the Bible. But there is more to the meaning of the phrase than an ominous warning. The writing on the wall is all about pride and gold.

The gold items Belshazzar was drinking from had an interesting history.

After humbling Egypt, God caused Egyptians to look favorably on the slaves as they left. God told the Israelites to ask for items of gold and jewelry, “so they plundered the Egyptians.” (Exodus 11.1-3; 12.31-36)

Later, the people gave of this gold to make implements of worship designed by God. (Exodus 35.20-29) A generation prior to the exile, Hezekiah showed off these golden items in the temple to visiting Babylonian officials, which seems to have sparked Babylon’s interest in conquering the land. (2 Kings 20.12-18)

So, Belshazzar held in his hand golden cups designed by God, made from gold taken by God by humbling Egypt at the height of its power. Belshazzar stood atop the empire of his father, called the “king of kings,” who at the height of his power suffered humiliation and exile because of his pride.

Belshazzar held God’s cup but did not honor the God who held his own life in his hands. (Daniel 5.23) Belshazzar “knew all this” but still chose to defy the God of Israel. Belshazzar did not measure up. He was found wanting.

Belshazzar should have known better and so should we. We also hold in our hands wealth and power that we think we gained for ourselves but which came from God. We, like Belshazzar, “know all this,” but do we learn from the sins of our fathers before us? Do we continue in them or deny them?

We are responsible for what we know and what we do about it. When we, and the rulers we have set over us, are weighed and measured, will God find humility or hubris? Kindness or callousness? Generosity or greed?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments. — Psalm 119.10

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Deceit Hardens Hearts

Whatever sin tempts you, there is a lie about God’s character at its root. The more deeply we believe the lie, the harder our hearts can grow.

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 4 Listen: (7:27)
Read: Hebrews 2 Listen: (2:47)

Scripture Focus: Daniel 4.28-32

28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

Reflection: Humbling Nebuchadnezzar

By John Tillman

Babylon is more than historical. Babylon is the proto-typical symbol for all empires in rebellion against God.

The tower of Babel previews the idea of Babylon. It is the Edenic rebellion written on a nationwide scale. “We will raise ourselves up to Heaven. We will not be scattered or conquered.” (Genesis 11.4) “We will be like God.” (Genesis 3.4-7)

Throughout the canon, writers reference Babel and Babylon when discussing spiritual or political forces that oppose God. For example, John refers to Rome as Babylon quite clearly, but John is not only writing about Rome in his own time. He uses Babylon as a stand-in so that we will recognize that he is writing about Rome and all future incarnations of power that will take up the mantle of Babylon in opposition to God.

In this same way, Nebuchadnezzar is more than a historical emperor. He is the proto-typical emperor of all kingdoms aligned against the people of God. This is part of the meaning of the dream of the statue which brings Daniel to great prominence. Daniel calls Nebuchadnezzar the “king of kings.” (Daniel 2.37)

When Nebuchadnezzar is humbled it is not just a warning for one king, but a warning to all future kings, emperors, and heads of nations. Humility will save you and your nation. Pride will destroy you and your nation. If only kings had ears to hear.

Despite surrounding themselves with the best and brightest, leaders often have a hard time learning. Nebuchadnezzar has multiple opportunities but the lessons don’t stick. Many leaders, like Nebuchadnezzar, will say the right things, but can’t bring themselves to do the right things.

Nebuchadnezzar commands that all people worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the God of Daniel, but he consistently returns to his prideful, arrogant way of life. This is why he is ultimately humbled.

Scripture and history are unclear on whether or not Nebuchadnezzar truly repented or just gave lip service to God’s greatness until he got the reins of government back in his hands. It is also unclear in our own day if our leaders’ words of faith or repentance can be trusted.

Daniel prayed Nebuchadnezzar would humble himself and avoid humiliating tragedy, yet suffering and humiliation came to the unrepentant emperor.

We pray unrepentant emperors of our day would avoid the humbling discipline of God by humbling themselves before him.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

And yet my people did not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey me. — Psalm 84.11

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about The Thriving Tree

Many kings, humbled and seeking God’s face, received miraculous deliverance…This was not one of those times. Zedekiah was the opposite of humble.

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 3 Listen: (5:56)
Read: Hebrews 1 Listen: (2:15)

Scripture Focus: Daniel 3:12

12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up

Reflection: To Assimilate or Not

By Erin Newton

I love the Bible because it speaks to our culture—even when distantly removed in time. The stories in Daniel have been repeatedly used to speak of Christian ethics in a fallen world.

The story is familiar. The three men taken into captivity are asked to assimilate to the foreign culture. They refuse and are sentenced to death in a fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are tokens for standing up to power and choosing truth over popularity. Their determination to continue in honorable living outweighs their fear of death.

To refuse the king meant severe consequences. This time it meant fire.

The story continues with the miraculous salvation of the three men. They are thrown into the furnace and a fourth person appears—an angel or a theophany of Jesus, perhaps. Whoever joined the men in the fire was a divine instrument of salvation.

There are parallels between the stories in Daniel and the book of Esther. Both involve Judeans sent into the court of a foreign king and asked to conform their lives to the whims of those in power. Daniel and his three friends resist conforming. They consistently reject the king’s commands. Twice they are sent to their deaths. Twice they are miraculously saved.

Esther hides her ancestry and partakes in the customs and system of the foreign kingdom. She comes to the king when he calls for her. She performs the beauty and dietary regimen assigned to her. Her actions are quite the opposite of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

How do we reconcile the different accounts? Yes, Esther was later used to save the Jews and risked her life to do so. Daniel and the three men risked only their lives in resistance.

We have both stories of bold resistance and quiet acceptance to reveal the complexity of life. There are rarely simple answers to our situations. Perhaps God had stirred their hearts to boldness in refusing the king and boldness in obeying the king.

Too often are we tempted to judge one another for making these same decisions. I believe Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were right in in refusing and taking the consequence. I believe Esther was right in joining the king’s court. God used both.

The days ahead will be filled with opportunities and we may disagree on how things should be done. Let us pray that God is moving in the midst of us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Send our your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling;

That I may go to the altar of God, to the God of my joy and gladness; and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God. — Psalm 43.3-4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Stories of Faith :: A Guided Prayer

As we tell our stories of faith, we celebrate every moment—the struggles, the losses, and the miraculous moments of victory. 

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: Daniel 2 Listen: (8:45)
Read: Jude Listen: (4:12)

Scripture Focus: Daniel 2.14-19

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.

Reflection: Resisting in Faith

By John Tillman

The early chapters of Daniel are popular teaching chapters because they show concrete examples of the successes that are possible when resisting an evil culture and an evil government.

But Daniel’s strategy is not one many today would embrace. Daniel embraces civility and service to his enemies. In today’s conflicts, the last thing our society wants is civility and no one wants to be caught associating with, much less serving or working with, the opposition.

Civility is considered by some as a tool only to be employed when one is in power. Those found guilty of politeness in today’s discourse are often accused of complicity and “numbered among the transgressors” when it comes to ideological loyalty.

Daniel embraced civility even when he was under the direct threat of death.

The Bible gives few details on Daniel’s confrontation with Arioch. But it is safe to say speaking to a man sent to kill you would be a tense moment. It was a tension that Daniel chose to diffuse with “wisdom and tact.”

In the midst of one of the most powerful and evil governments in history, Daniel understood and accepted that the exiles were and would remain at the mercy of the government’s actions. Their calling was to speak to power, not to strike at it. (Psalm 106.32-33; Numbers 20.7-11)

Daniel doesn’t succeed by doing what all the other strategists and forecasters did. He doesn’t resist by deception, by violence, by falsehoods.

Daniel resists by doing something only a person of faith can do. He resists by demonstrating the power of his God through his actions. (Daniel 2.27-28) He resists by serving unconditionally. He resists by helping. He resists by taking action to save the lives of men who will eventually turn against him and conspire to throw him in a pit of lions. (Daniel 2.24; Daniel 6.4-7)

Daniel lived undefiled, resisted the whims of an evil government, and influenced the course of an empire through simple faith and regular practice of spiritual disciplines. (Daniel 6.10)

Whatever we would resist, and whatever we would wish to change in our culture, we cannot do it using the worldly strategies that surround us.

We must, as Daniel did, turn to prayer, community, and faith as our source. (Daniel 2.17-18) Civility and service is the path that can differentiate us from our culture. What we say and what we do, if it is to be effective, must be guided by the wisdom gained through our spiritual disciplines.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Your statues have been like songs to me wherever I have lived as a stranger. — Psalm 119.54

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about A Generation of Exiles

Daniel read Jeremiah and Ezekiel, finding hope and strength. What are younger generations reading from us?

Read more about An Undefiled Heart

Daniel’s struggle to eat a diet of vegetables and water happens in the same country where Ezekiel begs not to defile himself by eating food cooked over human feces.