The complation of Book of Danial 20

Thursday, August 17, 2006

in total reliance and complete trust in Cod, Susanna preyed silently first then aloud and through her tears. She lifted up her heart and her eyes to the Lord the source of true help and salvation. “1 will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121)
Susanna did not defile herself. She knew the assembly would not believe her and disbelieve two respected elderly judges. “But she would not tell us. These things we testify)’ Because they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly believed them and condemned her to death.” (41)
So the people believed these two judges assuming they were righteous and just. The juristic system though corrupt was above lay people’s questioning.
The Bible clearly calls upon the judges to he just:
- Proverbs 3:9- “Open your month, judge righteously, and plead the
cause of the poor and the needy.”
- Isiab 1:17- “Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
- isiah 1:23- “Your princes are rehellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend
the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.”
“Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said “0 eternal God you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to he; You know that these men have given false evidence agaiust me. And now I am about to die, though 1 have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!” (42,43)
Susanna knew that neither her rich husband, nor her testimony could save her so she called upon the only one who knew her innocence and could save her - God.
In “The Garden of The Monks”, we read the story of the monk who repeatedly fell into tribulations, When he cried out to God for help and He saved the monLc, so the monk asked Cod: “Lord, you saw me suffering why is it that you did not save me then?”. The Lord answered him, “Because you did not ask for my help then.”
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord in isaiah 1:18. He is continually waiting to hear our prayers, Pope Shenouda wrote in one of his books “Close the door and reason Jesus in the darkness of the night; fill the night with your prayers, your outcries and your tears’. Jacob wrestled with God all nigLit (Gcn32:24) and that is the attitude that god expects from us; to pray tirelessly and say to him, “I shall not leave You until You bless me”.