The Cross is an Obstacle to Pride
Why be Humble? – Part 1

Scripture Reading:  Daniel 5:18-31

Key Verse: Daniel 5:23

Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

Today’s scripture is an interesting Old Testament story concerning pride.  First, a king named Nebuchadnezzar was given great power to rule the land.  According to our scripture, it was God who granted him this power.  Unfortunately, the power soon turned the king’s heart away from God to himself.  His prideful attitude got so bad that God took the throne from him until he finally acknowledged the “Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone He wishes” (vs. 21).

The second person dealt with in our passage is Belshazzar.  He was the son of Nebuchadnezzar and became king at his father’s death.  He was not a good man and mocked the sacred things of God (Daniel 5:3).  During one of his ungodly feasts, a hand suddenly appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall; as the king watched it all happen, his face turned pale, so frightened that his knees buckled and his legs gave way.  None of the king’s astrologers could read what the strange fingers had written on the wall.  Daniel was called in and he was able to read the writing on the wall.

Daniel’s first words to this young king were direct: “O Belshazzar, you have not humbled yourself, though you knew…the story of your father.”  This man could have learned how great God really is and humbled himself before the Lord, but he didn’t!  (Continued)

Father, I want to grow and learn from my past mistakes, as well as from others in order to humbly serve you today.  In Jesus’ name, amen.