Against the Flow: Holiness in a Hostile WorldSýnishorn

Day 9: The Need for Repentance

Have you ever done something wrong because you thought you could get away with it?

Perhaps you cheated on a test and thought it was justified since your friends were also doing it.

Perhaps you pretended to work from home but were secretly doing your personal things.

Perhaps you had a secret relationship with someone other than your spouse but were careful in hiding it.

Do we really get to escape the consequences of our wrongdoings if we fail to repent?

In Daniel 5, we see how God confronted Belshazzar’s arrogance and blatant sin through the harrowing experience of a mysterious handwriting on the wall. At that time, Daniel was already a senior statesman in the Babylonian courts and was serving Belshazzar, the last Chaldean king. In a show of defiance and pride, Belshazzar drank from the holy goblets from the Jerusalem temple (v3) and even used them to toast to the lifeless idols of Babylon (v4). By doing so, he was committing both blasphemy and idolatry, thoroughly defiling the holy items and profaning God’s holy name.

Belshazzar’s pride and total disregard for God can also be seen in how he spoke to Daniel condescendingly. As Nebuchadnezzar’s descendent, he would have known Daniel’s contributions towards the late king. But Belshazzar intentionally put Daniel in his place, by referring to him as one of the exiles (v13). In the later part of the chapter, we see how God refused to tolerate the pride of Belshazzar and finally put him to death.

Through the lives of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, we see how God deals with people who sinned. In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar ultimately repented of his pride and was restored. Here, Belshazzar refused to repent and was ultimately destroyed.

God’s patience towards us does not mean that He will tolerate or even overlook our sin. While we may not be blatantly toasting to idols like Belshazzar, we must ask ourselves if we have disregarded God or treated Him carelessly in our lives. Do we harbor secret thoughts that dishonor God? Do we sin wilfully, taking His grace for granted? Do we think we can get away with little wrongdoings just because we have not been exposed by others?

Let Belshazzar’s story remind us that God’s grace is not a license for us to be unrepentant and live carelessly. Instead, a life that truly abides in the holy God should be marked with a repentant heart and reverent fear towards Him.

Prayer points:

• Are there secret sins in your life that you need to repent of and seek forgiveness from God? Confess your sins to God and pray for His grace and mercy as you seek Him for restoration. Ask the Lord to cleanse you and empower you to live a holy life.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your life and to reveal if there is any part that is displeasing to Him. Be open and submissive to what God reveals and ask for His strength to live a God-honouring life.