6_25_2023 - The Rescuing God

Opening Prayer)

(Sermon Introduction)

Today we begin our new series entitled “New Eyes,” focusing on seeing what we call the “Old Testament” with “New Eyes.”

(Series Context)

We recognize that it takes a lot of time and study to unpack the Old Testament with “New Eyes.”

However, we cannot overlook the importance of the Old Testament to the development of the Early Church and to the understanding the Gospel message and the depth of what Jesus the Christ has done for us.

I cannot tell you the number of times over the years that I have had well meaning people tell me, even those claiming to be Christians, that Jesus Christ hasn’t always been.

As we begin today I want to set the stage for this series with an understanding that Jesus has always been, He is, and He will be forevermore.

John 1:1–5 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is a distinct person of the Trinity.

As we take a look at the First Testament with New Eyes, I find it interesting how many western believers miss the obvious things that eastern believers would see quickly.

For instance, Eastern Eyes when they meet Jesus for the first time, find that He is all over the texts of Scripture.

They see Him readily, while we struggle to make the connection.

Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon

“Just as every road of England leads to London, every road of Scripture leads to Christ.”

“Don’t you know, young man, that from every town and every village and every hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London? So from every text in Scripture there is a road toward the great metropolis, Christ. And my dear brother, your business is, when you get to a text, to say, ‘Now what is the road to Christ?’ I have never found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it and if ever I find one…I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a Saviour of Christ in it.”

(Spurgeon. “Christ Precious to Believers,” sermon at Music Hall, Royal Surry Gardens, London, March 13, 1859.)

As we work our way through Scripture, we are going to be looking at different accounts in the Old Testament where Christ is revealed in a powerful way.

I believe that God is going to give you new eyes as you read the Scripture, so that you see Christ!

(Context: The Angel of the Lord / Jesus Christ)

I want to remind you once again about The Angel of the Lord in these texts that we are studying isn’t some random angel.

The way He is referenced and the way that Scripture reveals Him it is clear that this “character” is in fact the Lord Jesus Christ.

William Pakenham Walsh

The unanimous voice of the early Christian Church acknowledged that “The Angel of the Lord,” who so frequently appeared as the Revealer of God’s will to man in the older dispensation, was none other than the Second Person in the glorious Trinity.

(Walsh, The Angel of the Lord, Or, Manifestations of Christ in the Old Testament, pg. VII, 1856.)

(Context: From Time of Hezekiah to the Time of Daniel)

After King Hezekiah (who we talked about last week), the Southern Kingdom of Judah continued on for another 114 years.

King Josiah (three kings after Hezekiah) would be the last good king of Judah.

The Babylonians would destroy Jerusalem and take the people of Judah captive in 586 B.C.

You can read about it in the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations, as well as at the end of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.

When the Babylonians took the Jews (the people of Judah, that is why they are called Jews), there were four young men in particular that were taken and placed in the palace in Babylon to serve King Nebuchadnezzar.

Their names were: Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego).

Daniel and his friends quickly experience favor and receive promotions.

Daniel is promoted to serve in the king’s court.

Daniel’s friends are promoted to oversee the affairs of the province of Babylon.

But things begin to go the way of the world and Daniel's friends are caught in the middle of it with their lives on the line.

(Sermon Title: The Rescuing God)

The title of the sermon today is: The Rescuing God.

(Context: King Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue)

The Jewish people were living in a nation that did not honor their God.

This nation did not honor the ways of their God.

In fact, this nation expected the people of God to bow down and worship them and their gods.

In fact, King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue of himself (90 feet high, 9 feet wide) and expected all the people to worship him.

Let’s pick up the story in Daniel 3.

Daniel 3:4–7 (ESV)

4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”

7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The fact that the officials were commanded not only to fall down before the image, but also to worship it, indicates that the image had religious as well as political significance.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Daniel 3:4–6)

Since no specific god is mentioned, it may be inferred that Nebuchadnezzar was not honoring one of the gods of Babylon, but rather was instituting a new form of religious worship with this image as the center.

Nebuchadnezzar purposed to establish a unified government and also a unified religion.

The king constituted himself as both head of state and head of religion.

All who served under him were to recognize both his political and religious authority.

Daniel 3:8–12 (ESV)

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.

9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!

10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.

11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The counselors evidently sought to curry favor from the king by contrasting the three Jews’ refusal to bow to the image with their own worship of it.

Interestingly they accused Daniel’s three friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—but not Daniel.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Daniel 3:8–12)

Since Daniel was appointed to a higher office (2:48) he may not have been required to attend (cf. comments on 4:8) or perhaps he may have been elsewhere in the empire carrying out his duties.

Daniel 3:13–15 (ESV)

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

The king impressed on them the importance of such submission, warning them that the penalty for rebellion (being thrown … into a blazing furnace; Daniel 3:6) would be carried out immediately.

Nebuchadnezzar considered himself above all gods, for he asked, “who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands” (Daniel 3:15)?

Again this shows that he claimed absolute authority in both political and religious realms.

He was challenging any god to circumvent his authority.

The matter then became a conflict between Nebuchadnezzar and Yahweh, the God of Daniel’s companions.

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The three showed absolute confidence in God, stating that their God was greater than Nebuchadnezzar and was able to deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment in a display of His superior power.

Their words, “our God whom we serve” (v. 17), show they recognized that God’s authority was greater than the authority claimed by Nebuchadnezzar.

Though they were employed by Nebuchadnezzar, they “served” Yahweh.

Their God demanded implicit obedience and had forbidden them to worship any other gods.

One who obeys God is not presuming when he expects God to protect and deliver him.

Obeying God was more important than life to these three, so if God chose not to deliver them, they would still obey Him.

Daniel 3:19–23 (ESV)

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.

20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.

22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

In spite of the high regard with which Nebuchadnezzar had held these three (Daniel 1:20), he determined to demonstrate his authority by ordering their immediate execution.

This would serve as a lesson to any others who might consider rebelling against his political and religious authority.

Daniel 3:24–25 (ESV)

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Though Nebuchadnezzar did not know of the Son of God, he did recognize that the Person appearing with the three looked supernatural.

Daniel 3:26–30 (ESV)

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Daniel 3:24–26)

The term “the Most High (lit., the Highest) God” or “the Most High” occurs 13 times in Daniel, more than in any other book except Psalms.

This was a remarkable admission by Nebuchadnezzar.

Up to then he had believed that his Babylonian gods were superior to Yahweh (though he had once acknowledged the greatness of Yahweh, Daniel 2:47).

After all, he had taken captives from Judah and vessels from the Jews’ temple.

But his gods could not deliver anyone alive from a furnace!

As the three had predicted, their God (Yahweh) was able to deliver them from the furnace (v. 17).

Though the king recognized the unusual nature of Yahweh, he did not acknowledge Him as his God.

In view of the evidence presented to him, Nebuchadnezzar declared that this was an act of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who had sent His angel (v. 25) to rescue the three who served this God (v. 17).

Nebuchadnezzar was moved by the devotion of the three to their God (he knew they trusted in Him), even though it entailed their disobeying the king and jeopardizing their own lives.

(Context: Daniel in the Lion’s Den)

King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Kingdom would be overtaken years later by King Darius and the Medes who would inherit Daniel and his friends.

Daniel would soon find himself being thrown into the lion’s den because he refused to stop praying to his God.

Who shows up to rescue Him from the lions?

Listen to Daniel’s account:

Daniel 6:19–24 (ESV)

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!

22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

Main Idea:

The God Who Rescued Then, Still Rescues Now

Colossians 1:13–14 (NASB)

13 For he has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul writing Pastor Timothy towards the end of Paul’s life declares:

2 Timothy 4:17–18 (ESV)

17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

(Response)

(Invite the keyboardist and the Prayer Team)

(Sermon Recap)

The Rescuing God:

The God Who Rescues Then, Still Rescues Now

(Closing Challenge)

(Response Card)

1. What did you hear? (Blank Lines)

2. How will you live it out? (Blank Lines)

3. Who will you share it with? (Blank Lines)

4. Who are you discipling? (Blank Lines)

5. What are you praying for? (Blank Lines)

6. How has God answers your prayers? (Blank Lines)

(Closing Blessing)

Numbers 6:24–26 (ESV)

24 The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.