Faith Tested
Notes
Transcript
Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king.
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?
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?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.
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.
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.”
Intro:
Intro:
The devil tempts us to destroy our faith, but God tests us to develop our faith, because a faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted. False faith withers in times of trial, but true faith takes deeper root, grows, and brings glory to God. This explains why God permitted the three Hebrew men to be tested and then thrown into the fiery furnace.
Warren W. Wiersbe
Be Resolute Chapter Three: Faith and the Fiery Trial (Daniel 3)
The experience of these three men helps us examine our own faith and determine whether we have the kind of authentic faith that can be tested and bring glory to God.
Background
Background
Judah is in captivity in Babylon
Babylonians believed in many gods.
The Lord handed Judah over to king Neb. (1:2)
Trained in the language and literature of Babylon (1:4)
Stole their identity by changing their names (1:7)
Separated from family and culture
Determined to remain faithful to God (1:8)
God granted kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch. (1:9)
God gave these four teens knowledge and understanding. 1:17)
Graduated at the top of their class. (1:20)
Real faith stands the test of feelings, peer pressure, circumstances, and consequences by obeying the Word of God.
Real faith stands the test of feelings, peer pressure, circumstances, and consequences by obeying the Word of God.
What is faith?
What is faith?
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
The Command
The Command
So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. Then they stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded:
When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, you are to fall facedown and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
The Consequence
The Consequence
But whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”
The Crowd
The Crowd
Therefore, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The Confrontation
The Confrontation
Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king.
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?
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?”
The Conviction
The Conviction
Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,
but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.
Faith rest on commands & promises, not on arguments & explanations.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.
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.
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.”
The Question
The Question
Who & what are you following?
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.
