Stand--Week 2

• We’ve been talking last week about 4 men who took a stand no matter the cost, and we’re going to be talking about that again

Daniel’s name means, “God is my judge.” His name was changed to “Belteshazzar,” which means “Bel is my judge.” Bel is the name of one of the Babylonian gods.

• Hananiah’s name means, “God is gracious.” His names was changed to “Shadrach,” which means, “Illuminated by the sun god.”

• Mishael’s name means, “Who is like God?” His name was changed to Meshach, which means, “Who is like Venus?”

• Azariah’s name means, “The LORD is my helper.” His name was changed to Abednego, which means, “The worshipper of Nego.” Nego, or Nebo, was the Babylonian god of wisdom.

I’ve been your youth pastor for over 2 years now…and in those 2 years, I’ve talked about idols A LOT!

You may be sick of me talking about them…but i’m going to be talking about them again tonight

The main point of my message tonight is Stand for God. Don’t bow for idols

We’re actually not going to be talking about Daniel tonight…even though this is a series on Daniel.

Instead, we’re going to be talking about his 3 friends we talked about last week (Shadrach, meshach, abendego)

Daniel 3:1–7 ESV

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. 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. 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. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 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. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 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.

We aren’t sure whether this image was of his favorite god OR (maybe more likely) it was an image of himself

But we know persecution came…read on

Daniel 3:8–18 ESV

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 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. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 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.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 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? 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?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 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. 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.”

Idolatry and Persecution go together

Biblical examples of Idolatry/Persection

Galatians 4:8 ESV

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Psalm 16:4 ESV

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

Nebuchadnezzar is mocking the three men now

He is saying “I’m more powerful than your God. So why don’t you worship me”

Doesn’t this happen to us all the time in our life?

Let’s talk about what Idolatry is

If you love anything better than God you are idolaters: if there is anything you would not give up for God it is your idol: if there is anything that you seek with greater fervor than you seek the glory of God, that is your idol, and conversion means a turning from every idol.

God’s glory is replaced by other things

The King was trying to replace God’s glory with his own

Sometimes idolatry comes a bit more sneakily

Think about this for a second…Maybe you aren’t persecuted thrown into a fiery furnace, but do you get looked down upon for any or all of these things?

Technology (Need to have the nicest phone)

Sports (If i’m not the best am i even worth anything)

Social Media (How I look on social media is how people perceive me)

Academics (If I don’t pass this test i’m a total failure)

If you depend on these things for success, you’re going to expect everyone else to have them as well…or you’ll view them as not successful.

Persecution either pushes us to God or to idols…depending on what you love

Look at what happens in vs. 19-26

Daniel 3:19–26 ESV

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

THese men were truly persecuted…and this persecution pushed them to God

I know there have been times in my life where I have changed things about myself to fit in…that is idolatry.

How do you respond when you’re persecuted

Do you find your worth in God rather than idols?

What are you going to do to find your satisfaction in God?