Can Your Faith Handle the Fiery Trials?
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Main Point: Standing Firm and Staying Faithful Requires A Continual Trust in God, Especially When The Flames of Trial Are Their Most Intense.
Main Point: Standing Firm and Staying Faithful Requires A Continual Trust in God, Especially When The Flames of Trial Are Their Most Intense.
3 Actions of those with real faith that proves you trust God...
You Trust God When You are Willing to Confront the Challenges Without Reservation (3:1-12).
You Trust God When You are Willing to Confront the Challenges Without Reservation (3:1-12).
When we left chapter 2, Nebbie had made a great confession regarding God…but when we get to chapter 3 he is completely different…most scholars believe this event in chapter 3 occurred twenty years after chapter 2, about the time Nebbie conquered Jerusalem…586.Confronting the challenges begins at the heart level.Lets take a look at the heart level of the characters involved...
The Heart of the King was Filled with Pride (1-3)
The Heart of the King was Filled with Pride (1-3)
Do you notice the repeated and similar phrases in these first 3 verses...(v.1) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold…(end of verse 2) the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up… (twice in verse 3) the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up…the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up…you see it again in verse 5 and verse 7.King Nebbie was obviously motivated by his dream and Daniel’s interpretation of that dream to make an entire image of gold…he was not going to be content with being the head of gold…he wanted them to see an entire image of gold.Daniel told him that no empire would last, including Nebbie and Babylon.Perhaps he was also filled with fear and concern over what the people he had conquered would do so he wanted to make sure there would be no rebellions.This image was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide…generally speaking a story is equivalent to 10 feet…so this statue is 9 stories tall…this worship center is roughly ___________ for some perspective...the word image here refers to a statue in human form…it is most likely an image made in the likeness of King Nebbie…it was extremely elongated…tall and thin…perhaps so everyone could see it for miles.His plan was to unify the kingdom by means of religion and fear…those who did not bow down would be thrown into the furnace and be burned to death.Nebbie sends word to all the empire…not just those in the capital city…he commanded the officials gather for the dedication of this great golden image.Every level of authority was represented and all were expected to be present.This was more than just a political gathering…this was clearly intended to be a religious act, complete with music and called for a total commitment on the part of the worshippers…the word worship appears 11x in this passage…using music was a wise move on his part because it would stir the people’s emotions and make it easier for him to manipulate them into submission and obedience.Think about how that is true for us…in all my years of preaching and teaching the Bible I have yet to hear someone come up to me and tell me something like this… “I was really down yesterday when ________________ happened and all I could think about was that message you preached on July 7th, 2017…when I did that, I got a hop in my step and a joy in my heart and all I could say for the remainder of the day is “Take responsibility for your growth by taking self off the throne and putting Christ back!” …(that was the final thought of the message that day…even I couldn’t remember it…I had to look it up). No…what do we do…we often connect to God in deeper ways through music…when we find ourselves in though times what do we often do…we sing stanzas like “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder...” from 1885 no less. We can remember words written in 1885, but many here right now will not be able to communicate this evening what you learned in church this morning. (Perhaps if I sing my sermons…no we want to see the church grow not shrink, so don’t fret)…Music has the power to grip human thoughts and emotions.
The Hearts of the People were Fooled by Self -Preservation (4-7)
The Hearts of the People were Fooled by Self -Preservation (4-7)
There was no vote…they were simply told what was about to happen was a matter of life or death.It really was easy for them to comply because they were accustomed to worshipping many gods and goddesses that adding one more was no big deal…especially in light of the consequences.See the difference between the unbeliever and believer is not the absence of faith, even the atheist BELIEVES there is no God…everybody believes in something…the difference is the object of that faith.The crowd believed the herald and the king and they obeyed.Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believed God so they disobeyed.The multitude of Babylonians did what everybody else was doing…so they conformed…it is easy to draw a point of application to our day from observing their actions here…this assembly of “worshippers” blindly followed the crowd and built their lives something that was false and futile…their only concern was that of survival…escaping danger and death…even if it meant selling themselves out to the empty promises and philosophies of humanity.Can your faith stand the test? Are you simply attempting to “survive” by selling yourself out to the philosophies and whims of man…do you compromise your convictions because you are afraid of what man can do to you? Are you buying in to the garbage this world tells you is truth…or are you standing on THE truth? NASB95We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
The Hearts of the Hebrews were Focused on God’s Promise (8-12)
The Hearts of the Hebrews were Focused on God’s Promise (8-12)
Their faith was in the true and living God and the promises He made to His people.They knew their family history…they knew that God had made a promise to their father Abraham…they knew God was in control knew and believed what Isaiah penned... NASB95But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
Possessing true faith in God means that regardless of how we feel, or what we experience, or what we face ahead, obedience will always be our chosen path.
Possessing true faith in God means that regardless of how we feel, or what we experience, or what we face ahead, obedience will always be our chosen path.
Standing firm in our faith and staying faithful means that fear of death will not shake us, nor will we always follow the popular opinion…we will always trust God to work out the consequences.There was no compromise for these 3 Hebrews…they knew the law of God and they knew the promises of blessings and cursings that came with obedience or disobedience…God said it, that settled it, no need for discussion or compromise…they would not bow down even once and then try to justify it…no matter what, they had purposed in their heart not to defile themselves.
You Are Trusting God When You Are Willing to Confess Him as Lord in Spite of the Consequences (3:13-18)
You Are Trusting God When You Are Willing to Confess Him as Lord in Spite of the Consequences (3:13-18)
Once again King Nebbie responds in anger…and yet the three Hebrew officials were calm and respectful.He must have respected these men greatly for they had served him faithfully these twenty years…he gave them another chance to comply with his orders…he obviously was blinded by his pride and rage…compare what he says in and here in .He goes from calling God, the God of gods, the Lord of kings to asking them who they think is strong enough to deliver them from his hands.He was actually claiming to be a god by questioning the ability of any other god to deliver them…God would soon be humbling this king, yet he didn’t know it.These three Hebrews could have compromised and argued that everyone else was doing it, or our jobs depended on it, or our lives depended on it…they could have even said we will do this on the outside, but in our hearts we are not bowing down...
True faith makes no excuses…it simply obeys God and knows His will is always best, even if that brings intense heat.
True faith makes no excuses…it simply obeys God and knows His will is always best, even if that brings intense heat.
Times of adversity are best viewed as moments of opportunity to glorify God and testify of His greatness.There was no fear in these men to be concerned about themselves and the fury of the king…they were more concerned about obedience and their testimony before others.They chose their words carefully……they did not try to defend God for they knew God could defend Himself…our job is just to obey…their profession of faith is perhaps one of the greatest professions in all the Bible...
They didn’t know and didn’t need to know what God had willed for their situation. They simply stated their God was fully capable of delivering them, but even if He didn’t, there was no room for compromise and they would worship no one else but Him.
They didn’t know and didn’t need to know what God had willed for their situation. They simply stated their God was fully capable of delivering them, but even if He didn’t, there was no room for compromise and they would worship no one else but Him.
What does this mean for us today?
God never promises to step in and perform miracles, but He does promise to reward faith. God’s deliverance or lack of deliverance from our struggles is His call. No matter the choice God makes, true faith trusts Him anyway.
God never promises to step in and perform miracles, but He does promise to reward faith. God’s deliverance or lack of deliverance from our struggles is His call. No matter the choice God makes, true faith trusts Him anyway.
NASB95“Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.
You Are Trusting God When You Allow Him to Make the Decision of How To Use You (3:19-30).
You Are Trusting God When You Allow Him to Make the Decision of How To Use You (3:19-30).
Again we see impetuous King Nebbie allow his anger to get the best of him…after all, if you are the king, you cannot let someone defy you or you will have mutiny on your hands.He became so angry with their defiance he ordered the heat intensified seven times greater than usual and then orders the three Hebrews be bound and thrown in the fire…the text here says the fire was so hot it burned the men who were charged with the task of throwing the others into it…:22We don’t know exactly what this furnace was like, but it appears there was an opening at the top large enough to throw things and people into and then some sort of observation window or opening at the bottom for retrieval or exit.Remarkably, this effort by Satan to use King Nebbie to destroy the faithful was met head on by God Himself.The text says that not only were the three Hebrews alive, they were also walking around free and there was a fourth person in there with them…King Nebbie thought it was an angel who looked like a “son of the gods”…what we understand about this is that fourth person is not “like the Son of God”…He is the Son of God…He wasn’t a god…He was the God…this is what we call a theophany…a physical manifestation of Jesus in the Old Testament…Jesus was with them in this fiery trial and chose to deliver them and astonished everyone…this was nothing short of a miracle for even their clothes did not smell of fire.
The faith of these Hebrews allowed God to make the decision of how they were going to be used by Him...not only did that choice have an impact on their present generation, it had an impact on countless other generations…they would forever be listed in the Hall of Faith in .
The faith of these Hebrews allowed God to make the decision of how they were going to be used by Him...not only did that choice have an impact on their present generation, it had an impact on countless other generations…they would forever be listed in the Hall of Faith in .
It even impacted King Nebbie…
Lesson for Life: Trust God By Choosing to Think and Act Biblically.
Lesson for Life: Trust God By Choosing to Think and Act Biblically.
Why did God allow them to experience this intense trial?To encourage His people in their battle against the world, the flesh and Satan.Look intently into the Word and find the strength to stand firm in your faith by following the examples of those God chose to use to teach us. NASB95For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Find Encouragement in the past
Find Encouragement in the past
This was a dark time for God’s people…they were in captivity for 70 years…their land was devastated, their temple and capital city was in shambles, and their people were either scattered or in bondage…humanly speaking, the situation was hopeless…the prophets saw the day when the Jews would return and rebuild, but first they had to endure the shame and suffering.This experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must have had a profound impact on those who chose to remain faithful like they did and even those who did not…this event sent a strong message…Jehovah still reigns…He has not forgotten us…He will fulfill His promise to His people…God promised to be with us in the fire, trust Him and obey.
Find Encouragement in the present
Find Encouragement in the present
Life for us is fairly safe and comfortable, but for many of our brothers and sisters in various parts of the world, they are paying a high price for their faith…pray for them, trust God will deliver them if that is his choice…and if not, trust Him anyway.Day after day, in our Western Christianity, we are told to fall down and worship the idol of money, celebrity, sex, etc. As we move closer to the end of the age, the flames of opposition are only going to intensify and the heat will grow stronger for us to conform. Now more than ever, God’s people need to stand with strength and stay faithful to Christ while others are bowing their knees to the world.This event ought to remind us that God cares for His people and honors them when they stay true to Him.
Find Encouragement for the Future
Find Encouragement for the Future
What happens here in reminds us of prophecies in Revelation, especially chapters 13 & 14.One day a world leader like Nebuchadnezzar will arise (the Beast) who will have an image of himself constructed and force the people of the world to worship him.Those who obey will be given a mark on their hands or on their foreheads and this mark will be the key for staying alive and doing business.Those who refuse to obey, will be persecuted and even killed.Jesus will intervene and seal 144,000 Jews whom the Beast cannot touch and they will survive the Tribulation time to reign in the Messiah’s kingdom.As we go further into Daniel, we will discover this book has much to say about the end times and encourages the believers living in those days.
No matter how evil and despotic the world’s rulers become, God will always be with His people in the furnace and will defeat them to establish His eternal kingdom.
No matter how evil and despotic the world’s rulers become, God will always be with His people in the furnace and will defeat them to establish His eternal kingdom.
What is your boiling point?
Luke 22:
Can Your Faith Handle the Fiery Trials?
Today in our study we come to . In King Nebuchadnezzar attempts to kill three of his most valuable advisers simply because they defied his decree.
They were faced with a difficult choice…Please God and suffer the King’s consequences, or please the King and suffer God’s consequences…for us this sounds like a “no-brainer”...our Western Christianity doesn’t have the foggiest idea of how hard this must have been for them.
There is the real threat similar to this in our day from a group you might have heard of…ISIS…their ultimatum to Christians is convert to Islam, leave the country, or die.
Most Western believers will not face that harsh of a reality, but we are still faced with an endless supply of opportunities to essentially take a stand and give action and voice to our faith or just plain and simply deny Jesus.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”
And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.”
And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.
Satan throws his fiery darts at us to destroy our faith, but God gives us the shield to develop our faith. For some people the question is, is your faith fake or true? For others, the question is, is your faith strong, durable, fire resistant? Or would you say it’s strong but there is a weight limit. In other words, there’s a breaking point.
Fake faith cowers in times of trial…real faith takes root and grows deeper and stronger and brings glory to God
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the men of old gained approval.
By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”
He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;
and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
(men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
Standing Firm and Staying Faithful Requires A Continual Trust in God, Especially When The Flames of Trial Are Their Most Intense.
3 Actions of those with real faith that proves you trust God...
You Trust God When You are Willing to Confront the Challenges Without Reservation (3:1-12).
When we left chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had made a great confession regarding God…but when we get to chapter 3 he is completely different…most scholars believe this event in chapter 3 occurred twenty years after chapter 2, about the time Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem…586.
Confronting the challenges begins at the heart level.
Lets take a look at the heart level of the characters involved...
The Heart of the King was Filled with Pride (1-3)
Do you notice the repeated and similar phrases in these first 3 verses...
(v.1) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold…(end of verse 2) the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up… (twice in verse 3) the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up…the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up…you see it again in verse 5 and verse 7.
King Nebbie was obviously motivated by his dream and Daniel’s interpretation of that dream to make an entire image of gold…he was not going to be content with being the head of gold…he wanted them to see an entire image of gold.
Daniel told him that no empire would last, including Nebbie and Babylon.
Perhaps he was also filled with fear and concern over what the people he had conquered would do so he wanted to make sure there would be no rebellions.
This image was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide…...the word image here refers to a statue in human form…it is most likely an image made in the likeness of King Nebbie…it was extremely elongated…tall and thin…perhaps so everyone could see it for miles.
His plan was to unify the kingdom by means of religion and fear…those who did not bow down would be thrown into the furnace and be burned to death.
Nebbie sends word to all the empire…not just those in the capital city…he commanded the officials gather for the dedication of this great golden image.
Every level of authority was represented and all were expected to be present.
This was more than just a political gathering…this was clearly intended to be a religious act, complete with music and called for a total commitment on the part of the worshippers…the word worship appears 11x in this passage…using music was a wise move on his part because it would stir the people’s emotions and make it easier for him to manipulate them into submission and obedience.
Think about how that is true for us…in all my years of preaching and teaching the Bible I have yet to hear someone come up to me and tell me something like this… “I was really down yesterday when ________________ happened and all I could think about was that message you preached on July 7th, 2017…when I did that, I got a hop in my step and a joy in my heart and all I could say for the remainder of the day is “Take responsibility for your growth by taking self off the throne and putting Christ back!” …(that was the final thought of the message that day…even I couldn’t remember it…I had to look it up).
…Music has the power to grip human thoughts and emotions.
The Hearts of the People were Fooled by Self -Preservation (4-7)
There was no vote…they were simply told what was about to happen was a matter of life or death.
It really was easy for them to comply because they were accustomed to worshipping many gods and goddesses that adding one more was no big deal…especially in light of the consequences.
See the difference between the unbeliever and believer is not the absence of faith, even the atheist BELIEVES there is no God…everybody believes in something…the difference is the object of that faith.
The crowd believed the herald and the king and they obeyed.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believed God so they disobeyed.
The multitude of Babylonians did what everybody else was doing…so they conformed.
In this day and age conformity is so
Yet everyone wants to be free to be
NASB95
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
The Hearts of the Hebrews were Focused on God’s Promise (8-12)
Their faith was in the true and living God and the promises He made to His people.
They knew their family history…they knew that God had made a promise to their father Abraham…they knew God was in control knew and believed what Isaiah penned...
NASB95
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
Possessing true faith in God means that regardless of how we feel, or what we experience, or what we face ahead, obedience will always be our chosen path.
Standing firm in our faith and staying faithful means that fear of death will not shake us, nor will we always follow the popular opinion…we will always trust God to work out the consequences.
There was no compromise for these 3 Hebrews…they knew the law of God and they knew the promises of blessings and cursings that came with obedience or disobedience…God said it, that settled it, no need for discussion or compromise…they would not bow down even once and then try to justify it…no matter what, they had purposed in their heart not to defile themselves.
You Are Trusting God When You Are Willing to Confess Him as Lord in Spite of the Consequences (3:13-18)
Once again King Nebbie responds in anger…and yet the three Hebrew officials were calm and respectful.
He must have respected these men greatly for they had served him faithfully these twenty years…he gave them another chance to comply with his orders…he obviously was blinded by his pride and rage…compare what he says in and here in .
He goes from calling God, the God of gods, the Lord of kings to asking them who they think is strong enough to deliver them from his hands.
He was actually claiming to be a god by questioning the ability of any other god to deliver them…God would soon be humbling this king, yet he didn’t know it.
These three Hebrews could have compromised and argued that everyone else was doing it, or our jobs depended on it, or our lives depended on it…they could have even said we will do this on the outside, but in our hearts we are not bowing down...
True faith makes no excuses…it simply obeys God and knows His will is always best, even if that brings intense heat.
Times of adversity are best viewed as moments of opportunity to glorify God and testify of His greatness.
There was no fear in these men to be concerned about themselves and the fury of the king…they were more concerned about obedience and their testimony before others.
They chose their words carefully……they did not try to defend God for they knew God could defend Himself…our job is just to obey…their profession of faith is perhaps one of the greatest professions in all the Bible...
They didn’t know and didn’t need to know what God had willed for their situation. They simply stated their God was fully capable of delivering them, but even if He didn’t, there was no room for compromise and they would worship no one else but Him.
What does this mean for us today?
God never promises to step in and perform miracles, but He does promise to reward faith. God’s deliverance or lack of deliverance from our struggles is His call. No matter the choice God makes, true faith trusts Him anyway.
NASB95
“Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.
You Are Trusting God When You Allow Him to Make the Decision of How To Use You (3:19-30).
Again we see impetuous King Nebbie allow his anger to get the best of him…after all, if you are the king, you cannot let someone defy you or you will have mutiny on your hands.
He became so angry with their defiance he ordered the heat intensified seven times greater than usual and then orders the three Hebrews be bound and thrown in the fire…the text here says the fire was so hot it burned the men who were charged with the task of throwing the others into it…
We don’t know exactly what this furnace was like, but it appears there was an opening at the top large enough to throw things and people into and then some sort of observation window or opening at the bottom for retrieval or exit.
Remarkably, this effort by Satan to use King Nebbie to destroy the faithful was met head on by God Himself.
The text says that not only were the three Hebrews alive, they were also walking around free and there was a fourth person in there with them…King Nebbie thought it was an angel who looked like a “son of the gods”…what we understand about this is that fourth person is not “like the Son of God”…He is the Son of God…He wasn’t a god…He was the God…this is what we call a theophany…a physical manifestation of Jesus in the Old Testament…Jesus was with them in this fiery trial and chose to deliver them and astonished everyone…this was nothing short of a miracle for even their clothes did not smell of fire.
The faith of these Hebrews allowed God to make the decision of how they were going to be used by Him...not only did that choice have an impact on their present generation, it had an impact on countless other generations…they would forever be listed in the Hall of Faith in .
It even impacted King Nebbie…
Lesson for Life: Trust God By Choosing to Think and Act Biblically.
Why did God allow them to experience this intense trial?
To encourage His people in their battle against the world, the flesh and Satan.
Look intently into the Word and find the strength to stand firm in your faith by following the examples of those God chose to use to teach us.
NASB95
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Find Encouragement in the past
This was a dark time for God’s people…they were in captivity for 70 years…their land was devastated, their temple and capital city was in shambles, and their people were either scattered or in bondage…humanly speaking, the situation was hopeless…the prophets saw the day when the Jews would return and rebuild, but first they had to endure the shame and suffering.
This experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must have had a profound impact on those who chose to remain faithful like they did and even those who did not…this event sent a strong message…Jehovah still reigns…He has not forgotten us…He will fulfill His promise to His people…God promised to be with us in the fire, trust Him and obey.
Find Encouragement in the present
Life for us is fairly safe and comfortable, but for many of our brothers and sisters in various parts of the world, they are paying a high price for their faith…pray for them, trust God will deliver them if that is his choice…and if not, trust Him anyway.
Day after day, in our Western Christianity, we are told to fall down and worship the idol of money, celebrity, sex, etc. As we move closer to the end of the age, the flames of opposition are only going to intensify and the heat will grow stronger for us to conform. Now more than ever, God’s people need to stand with strength and stay faithful to Christ while others are bowing their knees to the world.
This event ought to remind us that God cares for His people and honors them when they stay true to Him.
Find Encouragement for the Future
What happens here in reminds us of prophecies in Revelation, especially chapters 13 & 14.
One day a world leader like Nebuchadnezzar will arise (the Beast) who will have an image of himself constructed and force the people of the world to worship him.
Those who obey will be given a mark on their hands or on their foreheads and this mark will be the key for staying alive and doing business.
Those who refuse to obey, will be persecuted and even killed.
Jesus will intervene and seal 144,000 Jews whom the Beast cannot touch and they will survive the Tribulation time to reign in the Messiah’s kingdom.
As we go further into Daniel, we will discover this book has much to say about the end times and encourages the believers living in those days.
No matter how evil and despotic the world’s rulers become, God will always be with His people in the furnace and will defeat them to establish His eternal kingdom.
Stand therefore, girding your waist with truth, and putting on the breastplate of righteousness,
-26