The Great Exchange

Life has its share of pitfalls and was it not for some of the warnings that exist, we would find ourselves in a lot more trouble. Flashing red lights, buzzers, signs, and people, to name a few. We often find warnings in the Bible. They are warnings sent by God through people that are called "prophets." Sometimes even God Himself intervenes in life situations to reveal a sign. Such is the case in Daniel, chapter 5. He manifested Himself at a big party in a palace in Babylon. He stretches His hand and writes a message to king Belshazzar. The story is familiar to many, and it is where the saying "the handwriting on the wall. This writing is a warning given to the king by God to warn him of impending doom.

The story begins with this massive gathering. There were several components to what caused the hand to appear and write this warning on the wall, but the key was the fact that they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone (vs. 4). In the scope of human existence, because of the fall in Genesis 3, man has a weakness to ignore the truth of God and, in doing so, reject God. Romans chapter 1 elaborates, in verse 18, when it says that man has a tendency to suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness. When we do that, we most generally choose to discard God and replace Him with "things." In verse 23, it says, "they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures." God is replaced with "idols.” Romans 1:25 says that "they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever." Man has this tendency to suppress the truth of God and to replace the eternal God with lesser things, things that have been created.

Let's go back to Daniel 5. Belshazzar was worshipping these created things, the gods made by the hand of man. I'm sure that they were beautifully handcrafted ornate images. Still, they were not the God of the universe, the Creator God, the True God. But how could Belshazzar know this God? He had been raised is a pagan culture. We know that one of the ways God reveals Himself is through the written Word of God, the Bible. There is as much there as we need to see and know God. But Belshazzar didn’t have that. It may be argued that he had a testimony about God from his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, who had an understanding of God that is found in Daniel 4. Let's say that he didn't have access to this testimony of his grandfather. Millions of people today still do not have the Bible translated into their native tongues. World wide almost 3,000 different languages are yet to have the Bible translated into a that can be understood by a specific groups. How can they know and worship this God? Romans 1 gives us another answer to how God reveals himself to us. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (vs. 20) "The heaven declare the glory of God…" Psalm 19:1

Where are you at in your understanding and knowledge of God? Even if you don't have someone to teach you, there is so much that surrounds you in God's creation, and it shouts, "Here I am." "I want you to know me and worship me."

I started by talking about warnings. God warned Belshazzar, and He also warns you. He didn't give him much time to repent and turn to Him. Sometimes God provides more time, and I pray that if you have not repented that He will give you time to give your heart to Him.

Pastor Lynn Rettig

Musselshell Community Bible Church