The King And The Furnace

I have been thinking much about how easy we forget. These moments are shadows of the truth. The Stories we tell a reflection of reality.

The Pressure of Pluralism

The Precision of True Faith

The Promise of Suffering

Daniel 3:14–29 HCSB

14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, 20 and he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Since the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?” “Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king. 25 He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God—come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

Theophany: Physical Appearance of God in the Bible.

Babylon; 6th Century BC

Practice of Exiling the professional classes and made them live in Babylon.

Make sure that the next several generations grow up in the culture and in a few generations the conquered people will assimilate into the culture and become one of them.

I. The Pressure of Pluralism:

14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up?

(By Worshipping the image of Gold I have set up).

This is a pluralistic city and he set up a national symbol God. Worship the Babylonian god’s in addition.

You can worship your God as long as you don’t deny us our gods

Your values need to be like everyone else.

All great Pluralistic cities do the same thing. They Teach that You can privately worship the way you want but public culture you need to be like everyone else. Don’t make waves or make me uncomfortable.

Business world Example: Competitors and barely legal practice. If you decided to be just as ruthless as everyone else then you have been assimilated. You have Bowed to the idol.

Premarital Sex in America Study. Males 18-23 .... Two Groups. 23% of them are virgins in America. The Christian Males are 28% are virgins. The Culture has influenced these Men to succumb to the image. They Have Bowed to the image.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS? (Q&A)

They Loved the city and pray for the City and work and served in the city. Engage in the cultural and economic activities of the city, but when asked to privatize their faith they say NO and they don’t care what the consequences are.

We are all under the same pressure and if you don’t know that you have likely given into it.

II. The Precision of True Faith.

17 If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

God Is ABLE To Save us, We Believe He will, BUT IF NOT.

We serve and Love God for Himself. NOT just for what he gives us.

People in the past who have lived in a transitional relationship with God. Have God involved in your agenda. And God did not live up to your agenda.

God ++++ For these Guys God was not God Plus, Plus Plus

They believed in God precisely and that was enough.

BEHIND THIS . God can rescue you FROM Death. But he always rescues us THROUGH Death. Eventually we all walk though that door and are spiritually fire proof.

We all want to be loved for who we are and not for our money, looks, or talent. (All that Fades)_

III. The Promise of Suffering

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king.

25 He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Fire Is a Metaphor of Trials Tribulation and Suffering.

Three things About Suffering We need to Know

1. Suffering is Inevitable.

Job 5:7 HCSB

7 But mankind is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

“

But mankind is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.”

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.

1 Peter 4:12 HCSB

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.

Jesus lived a perfect life and his life

Jesus lived a perfect life and his life

There are furnaces in life. We all have to walk though them.

Most of the time people are shocked that they are suffering at all. It comprises half of what they are dealing with.

2. Suffering will relate to your character like fire relates to Gold.

1 Peter 1:17 HCSB

17 And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence.

1 Peter 5:6–7 HCSB

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:6–7 HCSB

6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials 7 so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 peter 1 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

• Do you want to know your own heart?

• Do you want to know your own heart?

• Do you want to be a sympathetic person?

• Do you want to have a profound Trust in God?

• Do you want to be wise in life?

YOU NEED SUFFERING

You have no real way to do any of these things without having suffered.

3. If you Trust in Me I will be walking with you in there furnace.

Isaiah 43:1–2 HCSB

1 Now this is what the Lord says— the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 2 I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.

Now this is what the LORD says— the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.

Now this is what the LORD says— the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.

SUFFERING CRUSES PEOPLE ALL THE TIME> SO..

What needs to happen in order for me to grow instead of being destroyed in the suffering?

If you have faith in God you will have him walking with you in the fire. God is with you in the fire.

Not just God in general, But Jesus!!!!

Who also said.

HOW CAN YOU GET TO THE PLACE SO THAT WHEN YOU ARE SUFFERING YOU WILL NOT BE CRUSHED BY IT.

You will feel Jesus walking with you in your furnace to the degree you know that Jesus Christ was thrown into the ultimate furnace for you.

If you remember this you will feel HIM in your smaller and cooler furnace.

J. EDWARDS remarked on Jesus sweating in the garden of Gethsemane

“Jesus had then a near view of the furnace of God’s Divine Wrath in which he was about to be cast. A furnace vastly more terrible than Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace. Jesus was brought to the place where he stood and viewed it’s raging flames, he saw the glowing of it’s heat, that he might know what he was about to suffer. This was thing that filled his soul with sorrow and darkness, this terrible sight as it were, overwhelmed him.”

The Gospel is that you and I deserve to be cast away from God and since we were built for God’s presence to be separated from him is to be in agony.

HELL> A FURNACE>

HE was thrown into the ultimate furnace that we deserve.

:

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump.

For there is NO OTHER GOD who is able to deliver like this.”

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

CONCLUSION

Every religion has a way of Salvation.

They all teach the same thing. If you live a good life, God will save you?

• If that is your belief what happens when suffering Comes?

• You will either blame God or Blame yourself.

• Good works and performance will kill you.

If you say to yourself when you are in your furnace that I am not being punished because Jesus went though a much more difficult furnace. This one is nothing compared to it.

If you can do that then you can ask the follow up question. What is it I am to learn in this time?

If I trust in Him this furnace will only make me better

HE suffered not that I might not suffer, But so that I can , in my suffering become more like Him.

If you remember that he was tossed into the worst furnace for you then your situation will be used by God to refine you into Gold.

No God Saves like this God!!!!