Faithful When Pressed

Who comes to mind when you think about demonstrating courageous faith?

Someone in history?

Someone in your own life?

What about this person demonstrated faith through difficulty?

Why do you think people give up so easily? I think society has made it much easier for us to give up on relationships, financial obligations, jobs, you name it, we’ve made it very easy to just quit and go find something else to do or someone else to do it with.

In tonight’s study, we are going to see Daniel’s friends stand up to incredible pressure to stand firm in their beliefs in order to continue worshipping their one true God instead of the God N wanted them to worship.

Daniel 3:1–7 ESV

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. 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. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 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.

What was Nebuchadnezzar’s purpose in setting up the statue?

He wanted to express his supreme leadership over Babylon. There is recorded in history in his 10th year a revolt which may have caused him to build this statue and see who he needed to weed out of his leadership.

Why would he require people to worship it at all costs?

If his leaders still refused to bow, then the revolt wasn’t over. He would need to weed out more of his leadership. Also, if he could get his leaders to do this, then he would be able to get the people to do it as well.

Why do you think the people obeyed?

There was the threat of execution by a fiery furnace if you didn’t do what he told. This was a common form of punishment which was used back in this day. I’m sure they had witnessed many executions by this form.

When have you felt pressure to conform to cultural standards that went against God’s will?

Daniel 3:8–18 ESV

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.” 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?” 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.”

How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respond to the king’s threat?

They were very upfront they didn’t bow to this statue. They wouldn’t do this. They had complete faith in the God they served and wouldn’t bow to his god.

How were they able to stand against the king as they did?

They had put their faith in God and knew whatever the outcome, if they remained faithful, God would deliver them. They would either be saved from the king’s punishment or they would be taken into God’s glory to be with Him.

How should the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego challenge us to stand in the face of peer pressure?

They stood firm in what they believed. They didn’t let what the king and his officials telling them what to do change their faith even though it meant it may cost them their lives.

Do we still struggle with peer pressure as adults?

Of course the answer to this question is yes. It might be in different forms than when we were teenagers, but I think it is something we need to let children and teenagers know this is something that doesn’t go away. We can also demonstrate to them how to stand up against it. I think a lot of teens think this is something that will go away when they get older and they won’t have to deal with it any more. When Christian teens rely on God to help them stand up to the challenges they face during this time will help them when they grow older. I think this is something we need to be showing to our teenagers.

Why is it important that we put emphasis on the object of the three men’s faith and not their personal strength to exhibit faith?

If we focus on their personal strength, we miss the fact of what God was doing here. These men had their faith built on God and what He had done in their lives before this. There had been so many ways God had shown them His love and faithfulness to them, they didn’t even question that He would work through this.

Their faith really wasn’t theirs as much as it was how God had proved Himself to them throughout their lives. These really were ordinary men who chose to follow God and allow Him to work.

Daniel 3:19–30 ESV

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. 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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.

Why do you think the king responded even more harshly than he initially threatened?

His authority had been threatened by the response of the three. He was furious. Once again, if we go back, the king was wanting his leaders to bow to the new image he had created. If he could get them to do this, the people would follow and then he wouldn’t have an issue with everyone following his leadership. These three were not only bowing down to the image of his god, they were telling him exactly why they weren’t and that his god was inferior to the God they served.

How did God provide in a seemingly impossible circumstance?

He protected them from the fire. Not only did He protect them, some say He sent an angel in with them and some say it was actually the Son of God who was in there with them. They not only were protected from the flames, but there was no hint they had even been in the fire.

How did the king respond to seeing the men emerge from the fire untouched?

He stated that their God was superior to all other gods, but he fell short of professing He was the only true God. He also rewarded the trio by giving them promotions.

Some questions to think about as we leave this evening.

Where do you struggle to be faithful in the face of peer pressure?

How might the Lord be challenging you to be bold in your faith in this area?

The three men’s faith was not dependent on God rescuing them from their circumstances. How does their statement challenge your faith?

Where do you need to trust God’s character no matter the outcome of your circumstances?

How might you share the gospel with others this week using this account from Daniel?