Another in the Fire
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
You ever try to stick it to someone as defiance?
Stick it to the man!
We all want to - rebellion is human nature
When someone uses authority, we respond with defiance
Vatican - Michaelangelo work in the Sistine Chapel
Security yells, “No photo! No video!”
Most think it’s because flashes will damage the pigment
Actually, underwent restoration in 1980
Japanese company Nippon TV helped with $4.2 million
Part of the deal was exclusive photo and video rights
When you hear that, it makes you want to take some photos
Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t...
Some good things come from rebellion
The United States was created by rebels
Civil rights were obtained by rebels
The Death Star was destroyed by rebels
We have started to believe rebellion is always a good thing
Sometimes I feel we look for things to rebel against
Doesn’t matter if good or bad
We have celebrated rebellion itself, rather than their purpose
Today we are going to see a good rebellion, and a bad one!
Let’s start with the bad one
YouVersion: Another in the Fire
Daniel 3:1-30 (whole chapter)
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
In reading this, I noticed something I had never seen before
Quiz: Last week’s imagery
Head of gold - Babylon
Chest and shoulders of silver - Medo-Persia
Belly and thighs of bronze - Greece
Legs of iron - Rome
Feet of iron and clay - probable future empire
Catch this: This is what Nebuchadnezzar saw, and this is what he builds
What do you think that means?!
Clearly, he is saying God is wrong, and Babylon with go forever
We ended ch. 2 by saying Daniel’s God is the God of gods/Lord of kings
Seems he has changed his mind
Maybe a few days, maybe a few years later
He’s built a 90 foot statue out of gold (either solid or gold overlay)
This room is 21ft., tornado siren goes up to the waist
He’s mocking God’s plan… sticking to God if you will
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
This first rebellion of Nebuchadnezzar asks for a reaction
Theme: Not about the faith of man, it’s about the power of God
This is another challenge in a series of challenges for God
Let’s look at more
2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 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.
Now he’s REALLY sticking it to God
Not only is my plan better, everyone will WORSHIP it!
Important also, he invited all important people
He wanted to test their allegiance
He called everyone who was anyone - up to 300,000 people!
Failing a test usually involves a punishment
6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”
Not bowing was not only a religious offense...
It was treason!
For many governments, religious and political strength go together
That’s why we have separation of church and state
Herr Baldur Von Shirach (Nazi Director of the youth program - 1936): “If we act as true Germans we act according to the laws of God. Whoever serves Adolf Hitler, the führer, serves Germany, and whoever serves Germany serves God.”
You want to serve God don’t you?
Then you’d better serve Hitler and the Nazi Party!
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 literal translation: as soon as they were hearing they were falling down
Silent Freeze Bell
Still to this day have no idea what the purpose was
But everyone did it!
Everyone bows to the king’s statue here too - well, almost!
Nebuchadnezzar defies God with the statue
So now God’s people will defy Nebuchadnezzar:
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.”
Of up to 300,000 people, only 3 guys won’t bow
Something has always caught my attention here:
3 guys stand: Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego...
Notice whose name is NOT mentioned… DANIEL!
3 possibilities:
1. Daniel bowed down
That’s a surefire way to not get in trouble
Doesn’t seem like Daniel’s character though...
He wouldn’t even eat the king’s food
2. Daniel was exempt
Maybe he was high enough that he was worshipped too
Maybe Daniel was allowed to keep his God as a favor
3. Daniel wasn’t there
Daniel was in charge of the whole region
There’s no mention of his 3 friends when he’s in the lion’s den either
4. Daniel didn’t bow, but wasn’t ratted out
Only certain Chaldeans made the accusation
May have been early enough to where Daniel hadn’t been caught
All are speculative
I kinda lean toward 3 or 4, but I don’t know
In any case, Daniel’s friends didn’t bow
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
It doesn’t seem like they made a spectacle, but they didn’t hide it either
They weren’t trying to fight, they just didn’t do it
They wanted to honor God
When you shine the light of Jesus, it’s not through fighting...
But it’s not by hiding your faith either!
It’s just inevitable that it will be seen
Do we know how many people don’t go to their basement when tornado warnings go off? NO!
There’s too many people to track - no one watches you at home
But Daniel’s friends were seen as they honored God
And ol’ king Nebuchadnezzar was not happy:
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?”
A couple of things
The king does not accept hearsay
He asks them if it’s true
He gives them a chance to bow down right then
So at least the king is fair in that regard
2. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have a good reputation
That’s probably why the king asks them
Then we hit the theme for Daniel again!
Notice the closing line: And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
This is what I’m saying, it’s a challenge for God!
This isn’t about these 3 guys...
He wants to know what GOD will save them!
Sometimes we get huffy and want to defend God’s honor
But He can handle it!
Betty wants to fight for control
Doesn’t matter how hard she pulls, she is still within our control
If she relaxed and let us lead, she’d be much more comfortable!
But she doesn’t, and it’s the same for God!
He’s in control, but we squirm and fight for control
We could be so much more comfortable!
If we just relax and let God be in control
He already is anyway...
So, Daniel’s friends simply tell the king what God can save them:
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.”
Like a really old naked guy in a sauna, they walk in with a confidence most people don’t have!
They don’t argue their case, they don’t ask for mercy!
They already know they’re going to the furnace - bring it on!
2 possible outcomes
God saves them from the furnace
They have no doubt He can
2. He CHOOSES not to
They’re okay with that too
BUT if that happens, know that they will not worship the image
I wonder about that kind of faith, do I have it? Do you have it?
How often do we not take a stand for fear of consequences?
If it was illegal to worship God, would you pay a fine, go to jail or die?
3 When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
It’s one thing to post that on FB or send in a card
It’s another to live it out
Some of us think God is about going to church, checking a box, and going to heaven
Kenny Chesney: “Everybody wanna go to heaven, it beats the other place there ain’t no doubt. Everybody wanna go to heaven, but nobody wanna go now.”
It’s not everything one way here, and other way there!
The spiritual world is connected to this one!
If you trust God with your soul, you should trust Him with your life!
And there is NOTHING anyone can do to take you from His grace
So they take a stand, and here’s what happens
Quick note about trusting God
Thanks for response to COVID
No anger, arguments or disrespect
Better than any church I know
Disagreements are not about US
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Sometimes we need to stop doing the talking...
But wait! What if things get bad? You have to stand!!
You mean bad like it was for Daniel’s friends?
Let’s look:
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.
Nebuchadnezzar liked these guys...
But not anymore!!
He’s a scary and intimidating man
But the 3 friends stood firm
How many times do we have a chance to stand, but are ashamed
We talked about standing against COVID rules...
But do you stand up to your own family, friends and coworkers?
How often do we not talk to unbelievers for fear of confrontation?
Or a fear of looking stupid?
26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Are you ashamed to share the love of God with others?
Ashamed to admit that your Savior died for you?
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
If you want to stand, do it in love to those who are near you
There is no greater mission than the lost person in front of you
You don’t have to face a furnace 7X hotter than normal!
What does 7X hotter mean?
Today, we think if it’s 300F, it goes to 2100F
But what if it was Celcius? 300F is 149C
149Cx7 is 1043C or 1909F (200 cooler than first estimate)
Maybe they put 7X more flammable material in it?
This was the iron age, maybe they measured the color of the iron
Light red iron is 900F, orange is 1500F, yellow is 1900F, white is 2200F
Some think it was a ridiculous request
Like cranking the volume to 11
There is no 11, just max it out
Here’s what happens next:
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.
Talk about terrifying
Tell the dryer felt story
When I think of that heat, I can only imagine...
Look at how hot it was:
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.
Guys were dying that didn’t even get in the furnace!
Notice they fell in: this must have been a pit
Clearly this is the end...
Nebuchadnezzar thought so too, watch:
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.”
Notice Nebuchadnezzar rose up quickly
The Septuagint days something caught his attention
The sound of singing...
He was walking away, clearly confident in their death, but he heard praises
Your love is like fire, that burns for all to see!
Hey Nebuchadnezzar, can we get a space heater?! It’s freezing!
King says, wait, what?
He sees 4 incredible things
They’re not dead
No one should survive that, much less walk around and sing
2. They are unbound
They were tied up
They weren’t burned, but the ropes burned off
3. They threw 3 people in there, now there’s 4
Where did He come from?
“There’s another in the fire”
4. This 4th person doesn’t seem human
He says He’s like a son of the gods
Actually, He is THE Son of God!
Jesus the Christ showed up to protect these men...
Funny thing, Daniel’s friends don’t acknowledge Him
Maybe they saw Him, maybe they didn’t
Jesus stands with us in our trials too...
…whether we see Him or not
We tend to see God’s work in a trial one way...
If God interferes, this will go away
My daughter is sick, He will take it away
I lost my job, God will give me a new one
My former friend is slandering me, God will destroy her!
Sometimes God does deliver us from trials
Other times, like this, He goes through the trial with us
In these times, He wants to be our protector and sustainer
He doesn’t take it away, He gets us through it
Let’s see what’s next:
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.
Everybody out of the pool!
Nebuchadnezzar already sees what happened
That God I asked about who would deliver you?
Clearly, your God is the Most High God!
Remember, that’s what all this is
It’s about God and His power, not just the faith of these men
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.
As you can imagine, a crowd gathers
You can’t cook on a grill without singing arm hairs
You can’t sit by a campfire without smelling of smoke
These guys have nothing...
We see that perfect protection in Christ’s death
Our sins are GONE
No matter how bad you have been
No remnants of the smallest lie, the quickest glance, the smallest theft
Jesus’ blood covers every last sin
Here’s the last thing:
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.
Nebuchadnezzar only knows how to rule by force
It wasn’t the 3 friends that ask for this rule
It also wasn’t God that asked for this rule...
God forces no one to worship Him
But he got something right...
THERE IS NO OTHER GOD WHO CAN RESCUE...
Close with gospel and prayer
Close with gospel and prayer
