Scripture Daily

Context No. 1753 of 4322 · Daniel (Greek)

Context · Reflection

Daniel (Greek) 13:28-35: in context

28It came to pass on the next day, when the people assembled to her husband Joakim, the two elders came full of their wicked intent against Susanna to put her to death, 29and said before the people, “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, Joakim’s wife.” So they sent; 30and she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred. 31Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beautiful to behold. 32These wicked men commanded her to be unveiled, for she was veiled, that they might be filled with her beauty. 33Therefore her friends and all who saw her wept. 34Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people and laid their hands upon her head. 35She, weeping, looked up toward heaven; for her heart trusted in the Lord.

The two wicked elders, whose advances the faithful Susanna had refused, now bring their false accusation before the assembly to have her put to death. They send for her, and she comes with her family. The elders, to feed their lust, order her unveiled; her friends and all who see her weep. Then the elders lay their hands on her head to accuse her. And Susanna, weeping, looks up toward heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord.

Susanna stands falsely accused, powerless to save herself. The accusers are respected elders and judges; their word carries weight, and hers, a woman's, against theirs, seems worthless; the assembly is prepared to condemn her on their lie, and death awaits. She has no way to prove her innocence, no earthly recourse, no one who can vindicate her against the men who have framed her. And in that helplessness, the text tells us what she did: weeping, she looked up toward heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord. When every human avenue was closed, when she could not defend herself or make the truth heard, she turned to the one who sees the truth and can vindicate the innocent. There is a lesson here for the times we are wronged and cannot set it right ourselves, falsely accused, misjudged, our name blackened by those we cannot answer, powerless to prove the truth. The temptation is to despair, or to rage, or to sink under the injustice. Susanna's recourse was to look up, to trust God, who knows the truth that others have twisted and can vindicate when we cannot. This does not mean we do nothing, but it means our final trust, when human defenses fail, is in the God who sees. And in Susanna's story, God did vindicate her, raising up Daniel to expose the elders' lie and clear her name. The God who sees the truth is not indifferent to the falsely accused; when we cannot vindicate ourselves, we can look up, as Susanna did, and trust him who judges rightly and can bring the truth to light.

When I am wronged or falsely accused and cannot set it right myself, powerless to prove the truth or answer those who have blackened my name, do I despair or rage, or can I do as Susanna did, looking up toward heaven and trusting the God who sees the truth others have twisted and can vindicate the innocent in his time?

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