Daniel: Face the Fire & Trust God
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Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
“In the year of Christ 286, a most remarkable affair occurred; a legion of [Roman] soldiers, consisting of six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men, contained none but Christians. This legion was called the Theban Legion, because the men had been raised in Thebias: they were quartered in the east until the emperor Maximian ordered them to march to Gaul, to assist him against the rebels of Burgundy.
They passed the Alps into Gaul, under the command of Mauritius, Candidus, and Exupernis, their worthy commanders, and at length joined the emperor. Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice [to false gods], at which the whole army was to assist; and likewise he commanded that they should take the oath of allegiance and swear, at the same time, to assist in [totally destroying] Christianity in Gaul. Alarmed at these orders, each individual of the Theban Legion absolutely refused either to sacrifice or take the oaths prescribed.
This so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword. This bloody order having been put in execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living was put to death. This second severity made no more impression than the first had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles, but by the advice of their officers they drew up a loyal remonstrance to the emperor. This, it might have been presumed, would have softened the emperor, but it had a contrary effect: for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords, September 22, 286.”
From “The Ninth Persecution Under Aurelian, A.D. 274” in Fox's Book of Martyrs
Are you ready friend?
Are you ready to face the Fire and Trust God?
Perhaps you are considering becoming a Christian - the ideas have titillated your mind, the stories of the Bible have stoked your imagination, the faith seems like it may be comforting to you.
But, before you become a Christian, I urge you to count the cost. This is a costly faith. You cannot tack it on your life like an expansion pack. It’s not bonus material. It’s not a hobby.
This faith will cost you your life. You have to lay it down in order to gain life.
Are you ready?
Are you ready to face the Fire and Trust God?
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Long before Christ walked the earth an spoke these words, there were faithful men who exemplified what Jesus Christ calls his disciples to do. Their names were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Recap
605-530BC - God sent them into exile in Babylon under King Neb.
God is the hero of the book: God is faithful even when he is leading his people through rough times.
A thought: We may find many parallels between the stories of Daniel and our own time - especially as we see an increasing government tyranny and godlessness. However, it is important not to import our experience into the story, but rather let the story speak into our lives through Christ.
You see that difference? Don’t import yourself into their story, but rather let the Word speak into our lives through the work of Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of the whole Bible, so be careful not to just draw object lessons. To be sure, these men are held up as honorable fellows to copy - but we need to remember we need Jesus not to just “dare to be a Daniel”.
Now we come to the classic story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Till now these three fellows have been somewhat background characters - but now they step into the limelight.
This is a fantastic story.
As a western reader you may start to get irritated by the continual repetition in this passage, but it is a powerful storytelling tool. It drives the story, and it gives it a “beat” or “rhythm” that builds anticipation. But I invite you to put aside that irritation and enjoy the depth that repetition brings to the story.
Stupidity of State Religion. v1-7
Stupidity of State Religion. v1-7
Chapter 3 is a new story in the saga, but it builds on the previous story that we covered last week in ch. 2.
In particular Neb. had received a vision from God, and Daniel had revealed the meaning to him. It was a statue made out of different materials, starting with a gold head, silver torso, bronze midriff, iron legs. Each material represents a different kingdom. Then God’s kingdom comes out of nowhere and smashes all these kingdoms - pulverizing them to dust that is lost to the wind.
Then we are told:
Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
So, God has told Neb. that he is indeed a great king of power and prestige - a head of gold. But, God has also shown him in no uncertain terms that the empire he has established will not last. Not only will it give way to other kings and empires, the whole lot will be completely destroyed. It will be gone.
So, what does Neb. do in response to this revelation?
He pays lip-service to God, saying : “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery” Da 2:47.
But then, next minute Neb. is out creating a state religion with what? Not a statue of several different materials, but a gold statue from top to bottom.
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
It’s almost as if Neb. is trying to counteract the prophesy that he had heard through Daniel.
We don’t know how much time has passed between Ch 2 & 3, and we don’t even know what the statue represents exactly, but the way that these two stories are put back to back with these links implies that Neb. was about the business of trying to outmaneuver God.
Bad move.
As you read this story, you may hear whispers of the tower of Babel. Not only are Babel and Babylon intrinsically linked by wording in the Hebrew, here in in Daniel 3 we have an obstinate king who wants to make a name for himself, creating a blasphemous object on a plain to gather people in rebellion against God.
Like the tower of Babel on the plain of Shinar tried to reverse God’s command to spread out across the earth, Neb. sets up a statue on the plain of Dura near Babylon to reverse God’s decree that his empire was going to fall. Maybe he thought: “I’ll be the head of gold, and the torsos and the legs and the feet!”
As I said, we’re not told what the image of gold is, but there is a strong inference that it is connected with Neb. - perhaps he thought of himself as a god, and was calling all his officials together to inaugurate the worship of himself as a God. It’s not far fetched, especially considering in a few chapters Darius expects everyone to pray to him! Nevertheless, what ever the gold image was - it was state sponsored idol worship.
At the sounding of the instruments everyone was to bow down and worship the image.
They must pay homage. Give it worth and honor and praise. They were to abase themselves before a statue of gold as if it were a divine being, all at Neb. behest.
He was setting himself up as a director, a priest of the country. There before him were representatives from all positions of power and authority from across his empire, which in turn were drawn from different countries and ethnic groups he had conquered. He was arrogantly exerting his God-given authority as civil government leader to make them conform to his religious expectations.
Utterly blasphemous.
“You will worship when I say”
“You will worship how I say”
“You will worship what I say”
“I will say who can worship”
Whether or not the gold statue was a representation of Neb. the very fact that he was establishing himself as the arbiter of religion signals that he thought of himself as a god.
The coalescing of religious and civic authority into governments is not out of the ordinary. Many governments like to give themselves legitimacy by aligning themselves with the religion of the day, or by inventing religion to suit themselves.
Rome is famous for the way that their emperors at times sponsored and expected religious observance (like in the opening story), and they also worshiped some of the ceasars as gods.
But don’t think that that is something far removed from us, it can happen just as much here and now as it has happened before. I’ve heard some people describe our consumerist lifestyle as something of a religion which is sponsored by a government keen to increase GDP year on year.
You may have noticed the continual development of the ANZAC story into legend and religious observance. Now, don’t hear me wrong, it is good to remember the sacrifice of those who have secured our freedoms and to have memorials to remind us. Some of you will, or have, put your lives on the line to protect our country. So I’m not minimizing that, but you may notice that culturally, we are coalescing more and more around ANZAC. People who will never darken the doors of a church will never miss an ANZAC dawn service. They find it moving and meaningful even when it is the same content every year. We perpetually have service-men and women attend the shrines we have erected with an endless repetition of traditions.
During the protests last week there were some protesters who gathered at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, and I heard words that I never hear Aussies use: it was called sacred place and consecrated ground and it was desecrated by the protesters. Religious language.
But also, the last two years has seen the creation of a Covid liturgy where the priestly premier will come daily to give us the latest divine revelation and a new set of rules about when we can worship, and who can worship, and how we should worship. Were told what activities are sanctioned, or what are deemed off limits and then they’re enforced by police.
Now, would I be so bold as to say we have any verifiable true-blue state religion? No. But I want to draw your attention to the way that blasphemous religions can creep in, and we can be caught unawares, all the while just thinking we are being a loyal and patriotic citizen.
But here’s the thing, like Neb. day - the masses will submit to state even when they overstep their God given boundaries. Either because the people are subdued, or they’re deceived, or they’re afraid.
When they hear the music, the people submit to false gods. They’re been trained to be enslaved to fallible rulers and mute gods. Their gods are powerless and empty.
This is the stupidity of state religions, they’re worshiping something that can do nothing for them.
Serve God, despite the risks. v8-18
Serve God, despite the risks. v8-18
But! There are three young men who worship a God who is alive, who has power and who speaks! They will not bow down! And it agitates those who are lost to their enslavement, they are incensed by the freedom of these Jews!
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Where is Daniel? Dunno.
Back in the city?
Business trip?
Going unnoticed behind the scenes?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will not comply. They know that God had commanded them not to worship other gods, not to worship idols. They wouldn’t do it, even for the most powerful man in the world!
So they’re hauled up before the king so he can sort them out. The king is quite angry that his wishes are not being respected. He threatens death in the furnace. He even puts himself on footing with the gods saying: “what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Da 3:15.
Neb. is reasonable (kinda), they’re given several chances to back down - Summoning, Questioning/threat, & offering to play the music again. No dice.
Guys answer:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Somewhat abrupt: We have no need to answer you! What point would there be? Neb. is drunk with power and self importance, he’s not going to listen to sense. The guys are appealing to a higher power, and entrusting themselves to God over what looks like overwhelming odds.
Everything around them looked like it was in Neb. favor - prestige & power, the people bowed down, the police/gaurds, etc. They were just 3 dudes who wouldn’t get on board.
Their trust was in God to deliver them, and if he didn’t deliver them they still would still rather die that break God’s commands.
They had no rights from God to be delivered, they didn’t have a get out of jail free card up their sleeve, but they knew that God could - if he wanted to, miraculously save them. They knew the history of God’s people, and they knew from personal experience that blessing followed obedience, so they stuck with the God who had a track record of rescuing his people.
Perhaps they remembered the Psalm:
When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
These guys show us that it is more important to serve God than save our own skins. They laid it all on the line to resist the evil they were being called to participate in.
These guys showed us a godly way to disobey the state, in resisting when being asked to do something that God has said not to.
Jesus was obedient, even unto death.
The trials are not punishment, Augustine helpfully observes:
For to the just all the evils imposed on them by unjust rulers are not the punishment of crime, but the test of virtue.
Face the Fire & Trust God - risk it all.
God protects in the Fire. v19-27
God protects in the Fire. v19-27
Neb. Finanly looses his cool. enough’s enough!
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
Their death scentance, they were seemingly gonners - Neb. exercised his authority - but he couldn’t stand against the true God. the limits of his power were laid bare!
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
a Theophany - God walks with his people.
An angel - Pre-incarnate Christ?
Neb. calls them out, then:
and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Through God, they came through unscathed. Not one hair. Complete protection.
Christ walked this earth with us, and even now he promises to walk with us.
He promised that there would be persecution and difficulty, but he comes with us, and we have the HS.
God can still miraculously deliver when he desires. But we do not have a garuntee of no harm in the face of opposition - the maryrs attest to that!
But, God still protects us from the greater fire, the fires of Hell - everlasting death. He has promised eternal life - and we can trust ourselves to God, risking it all, knowing that if we suffer death we shall behold the face of Christ once more in life.
Face the Fire & Trust God
God will be Glorified. v28-30
God will be Glorified. v28-30
Neb. seems to finally come to his senses:
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Neb. the most powerful man in the world, with all his officials and leaders right there, infront of the great image, has just proclaimed that these three blokes did the right thing.
They defied the king, and served their God. And now Neb. is praising their god rather than the gold image.
God will always get the glory, even in Glorious martyrdom.
Face the Fire & Trust God