The Smell of Fire
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· 40 views"The smell of fire was not on them", these young men came through a trial without any of the after effects lingering with them. What ever trial you may be going through, you can come out without any of the effects hanging on you.
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Someone once stated “No one gets out of life unscathed”. How many of us would agree today? Life can be difficult.
I remember hearing a story from the childhood of Chuck Swindoll in one of his early books. They would attend family reunions in South Texas. The family would always hire the same fellow to help take care of the event. His name was Coats.
One afternoon, Chuck was standing near Coats as the man worked over a barbecue pit. As he worked, Coats told young Church about his life. A life etched with trouble and tragedy.
Coats rubbed his big, leathery hand through Chuck’s hair as he knelt down to his height and said, “Charles, the hardest thing about life is that it’s so daily.”
Coats had it right - “Life is unceasing isn’t it?” You don’t get a day off from life and life doesn’t throw marshmallows at us.
Every one of us will be tried by life.
It may be situations of our own making, poor decisions, sins, etc.
Maybe situations someone else brought upon us. Taken advantage of, mistreated, deceived, etc.
It may be a situation that life gives us. Disease, suffering, loss, etc.
Life is difficult.
It was difficult for Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. These young men had been part of the Israelites who were conquered and removed from their home. Taken from a people who knew about God to a country and people that knew nothing of God. From one environment to another.
Probably saw some atrocities in that war. Possibly saw some loved ones killed. Suffering the loss of people, home, identity.
They lost a lot. But they kept their God. They kept their faith.
It is possible to go thru everything that life will send at you without losing your faith in God!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego’s commitment to God would be tried.
Your commitment is going to be tried.
Daniel 3:1-
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
Notice the kind of pressure they were put under when they refused to bow down to this false god.
It was the kings command.
Everyone else did it.
Many people will do what they see everyone else doing.
Their position (king’s court) demanded they bow too.
These young men would not bow. They were not willing to lose the one thing they had retained.
When it seems as though you have lost everything, don’t lose your faith in God too.
Being Tried
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
Don’t be surprised by the trial.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Count the trial a joy.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Temptation here in the NKJV is often translated as “trials”.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
There is a crown of life at the end of the trial. When you come through on the other side, steadfast, standing, you will receive the crown.
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Trials are going to come. Don’t be surprised.
Count the trial a joy.
There is a crown of life at the end of the trial.
You only know the value of your faith when it has been tried.
And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
Their hair is not singed, coats are not changed, the smell of fire has not passed to them.
Bonfire Illustration
Anyone seeing them, getting close to them could not tell they had been in the fire. No effects.
God will carry you thru some trials that people will never know that you went thru. No effects.
Caution of talking about the trial. There are people who God takes through a trial. The outside is untouched, but the heart is marred. The trial got into their spirit. It possesses all their conversation, seems as though they can’t wait to tell you about their trial.
Joseph
Joseph
We have been talking about Joseph in our midweek life groups…great example.
Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
Sold by his brothers, lied on by Potiphar’s wife, 2 years in prison, exalted to prime minister of Egypt.
Gen
When his brothers come to buy food and he reveals himself to them. He could have ask “Why? Why did you do that to me?”.
So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
No smell of the fire. No bitterness. No after effects of the trial.
Stephen
Stephen
Stephen preaches to hearers about Jesus. They rush upon him as a mob and begin to stone and beat him to death.
Ending soon - Call for music.
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Acts 7:54-
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Stephen is not seeing a trinity - He is seeing Jesus Christ in the fullness of His power. The right hand of God represents the authority and power. He is seeing a revelation of who Jesus Christ is, verse 59 says he was calling on God, notice the name he uses for calling on God.
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
Acts 7:54-55
Seeing Jesus Christ in the fullness of His power. Calling on Him. Stephen could have ask “Why? Why are you letting them do this to me?”
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:
No smell of the fire. No after effects of the trial that ended in death.
When seeing Jesus Christ in the fullness of His power, calling upon God. Stephen could have ask “Why? Why are you letting them do this to me?”
Ending soon. Call for music.
Jesus
Jesus
Though he had been drug through various courts of the land. He had been abused cruelly. Beaten, crown of thorns, beard plucked, tortured.
He still prayed, “forgive them they do not know what they do”.
You and I will be brought through the fire. If you have not yet, you will be. What will be the after effects?
Will there be the lingering effects? Will people be able to smell the fire when they get close?
God can bring you through it. If you guard yourself from becoming bitter (bitter is a choice). There will be nothing to say that you ever stood in the furnace.