Jump Start # 2647

Daniel 3:17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”

In our Sunday video studies, I am teaching the book of Daniel. Our verse comes from a recent study. Nebuchadnezzar built a mighty statue of gold, likely a statement from his dream of chapter two. In that dream, the statue was of many different materials, representing coming kingdoms and nations. The head in that dreamy statue was gold, Babylon. But it wouldn’t remain. Other kingdoms would replace Babylon. In the real statue that was built, chapter three, the entire statue is gold, likely meaning that Babylon will always rule. Babylon’s perpetual future is guaranteed. There would be no other coming kingdoms. So, the powerful, violent and misguided king thought. His rule was through fear. Whoever did not do what he wanted, was executed.

This was more than a statue in the city park. This was an idol intended to be worshipped. Whoever did not worship was to be put to death. Zero tolerance here. The Jewish three, refused to bow. Rather than being executed immediately, which the king declared, they were brought before him. He gave them a second chance. Nebuchadnezzar boldly proclaimed, “What god is there that can deliver you out of my hands?” He positioned himself even above the gods. Greater and more powerful than anyone is what vain Nebuchadnezzar thought.

Our verse is the reply from the Jewish trio. Our God. The God we serve. Not your gods, but our God, He is able to deliver us. He is able to deliver us from the furnace of fire and He is able to deliver us from you. Our God is greater than your fire and our God is greater than you. Those words smoked Nebuchadnezzar and sent him into a rage. The furnace was heated up even more. Into the fire the three went and in a moment the three came out. They came out without any evidence of even being in a fire. No singed hair. No burnt clothes. No smell of smoke. God delivered. God triumphed.

A few lessons here:

First, all the Jewish trio had to go on was faith. It is very unlikely that they had ever witnessed a miracle before and even if they had, the miracles are being done by prophets. They were not prophets. How did they know God could deliver? He saved Israel from a Red Sea and an angry Egyptian army. He saved Gideon when out numbered in a battle. He saved David from a bear, a giant and an crazed King Saul. God has delivered. And, now, how do you know God will help you? It is by faith. It is based upon His word, His promises and your faith.

Second, God did not keep them out of the fire. In fact, from the text it looks like God did not stop the fire. Unlike Daniel, where God shut the mouths of the lions, these three were protected from the fire, but the fire raged on. That’s a lesson for us. We want God to put the fire out. We don’t want ugly consequences that follows our convictions and our faith. We want everyone to like us, tolerate us and let us be. But in fact, there may be fiery trials as Peter put it. And, going into a fire does not mean that God has abandoned us or ignored us. The three in Daniel did what they should have. They were respectful to the king. They didn’t trash talk him. They didn’t stir up the crowd and cause a big commotion. They didn’t rush the king and try to take him out. They put their trusts in God. Let God handle it. Let God deliver us. Because of your faith, you might lose a job, be defriended on Facebook or in person, not be included to family events. That may be your fire you go through. Convictions come with consequences, especially from those who do not accept your stance. Compromise always looms in our minds as a way to escape the trouble and have some conviction left. But for this Jewish trio, compromise doesn’t enter the picture. They weren’t bowing and tying their shoes. They didn’t bow and pray to God. They stood. They were noticed. They were reported. They had to answer for what they did. They had to encounter the consequences.

Third, they had no assurance that God would spare their lives. After our verse today, comes, “But even if He does not…” The “He” is God. The “does not” is deliver us. Even if God does not deliver us, that means they would die. Even if God allows us to die, we will not bow down. Faced with saving their own skin or holding on to what they believe, they’d sacrifice their lives. Putting these things in order, their faith and conviction came before saving their lives. Facing a fire is not near as bad as facing a God whom you let down, denied and disappointed. Bring on the fire, is what they would have said.

I wonder, in these days, which is greater, our faith in God or Covid-19? Has the fear of a sickness caused some to walk away from God? Has faith grown these past few months or has it dried up and died? Fire or faith? Save your life or stand with God? It was easy for these Jewish three. No question. No discussion.

Finally, conviction is often not what others have. It’s easier to just lean the direction the wind is blowing. Not believing in anything in particular may make you get along with others but it is not the fiber which forms faith nor does it impress God. The conviction of these three is sprinkled throughout the Scriptures. The parents of Moses were not afraid of Pharaoh’s edict. Peter was not moved when he was ordered to stop preaching Jesus. Conviction stands upon principle and when that principle is right and founded in God, it cannot be swayed. Families have started congregations in their homes when the leadership and preaching where they once attended left God. Steadfast and unmovable is what the Corinthians were told. Stand firm is what the Ephesians were told. In our times of so many voices and so many opinions and so much social information and misinformation, it’s time to get to that Bible and stand upon something that is real and lasting. Storms come and go, but God’s word remains. Nebuchadnezzar’s statue of gold is gone. However, the divine dream he had about that rock becoming a mountain, that became true. Today, we are part of that everlasting kingdom of God. Powerful. Large. Enduring. Divine.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus. That song is not about our posture in church. It’s about our conviction and our heart in this world. All in for Jesus, that’s where we need to be. Willing to give all, give up all, including our lives, if necessary.

Hard to imagine what we’d say to this Jewish trio when we run into them in Heaven. The only words that come to my mind are, “Thank you. What you did, helped me.”

Roger

Jump Start # 1889

Daniel 3:17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”

The amazing faith of the three Jewish youths, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego is a story that has long been used in VBS and in children’s Bible classes. This was written not for that sole purpose. This is not just a story, but a real historical account. This is what happened. This is for us. We need to learn from them.

There are several background stories that we forget when reading about the fiery furnace.

First, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego are Babylonian names given to these Jewish youths. Their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

Second, they were taken captive during an invasion of their homeland. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down. The Temple was ransacked. Many citizens were killed. In the aftermath, many of these young men were taken captive. Their names were changed. They were taught the Babylonian language. The Babylonian culture and religion was impressed upon them. They were being turned into Babylonians. Nothing is ever said about their parents. Did they survive the invasion? Were they killed? Were they left behind? Were they taken to Babylon? Would they ever see their parents again? What about brothers or sisters? This is an important understanding. Their faith and their words were not whispered into their ears by their parents standing besides them. They were on their own.

Third, the reason they were in Babylon was because of God’s punishment upon the nation. Prophet after prophet had warned the nation. Those words were ignored and the patience of God ran out. It is easy to conclude that God would not help them, hear them or do anything for them since the nation was being punished by God. These three didn’t hold that view. They knew that God would help.

Fourth, there is no indication that these three had ever seen a miracle. It had been a long time since God had done something miraculous in the land. Yet, they believed, somehow and someway God would deliver them.

Fifth, their confidence was not in themselves but in God. Our God is able. They did not have an escape plan. They did not consider a compromise. They were all in with God. It was God who would pull them through this. And, if for some reason He didn’t, which meant that they would die, they still would not bow to the image. Idolatry was wrong. They knew that. Nothing would make them disobey God. Nothing was worth disappointing God, even if it was necessary to save their lives. Why live if they forsook God? What was there to live for if they turned their back on what they knew was right? If they bowed once, it would be hard to refuse the next time. Either they were all in with God, or they were not.

Certain things are right and certain things are wrong. Always. It doesn’t matter where you are or who you are with. There is no way that a wrong can be made right. A wrong can be forgiven but it was still wrong. This absolute trust in God and knowledge of what is right and wrong is so refreshing to read. In a day in which people are wishy-washy, always finding the middle ground of compromise, of not wanting to offend anyone, what these three did was to put a stake in the ground for God. Here is where we stand. Live or die, we stand here. We are not changing. Give us a second chance, which the king did, and our answer remains the same. Give us a thousand chances and our answer remains the same. We will never bow to your image.

You can just hear the progressives of today screaming about how insensitive these three were. They offended the king of Babylon. He was furious. By refusing to bow, they were making a statement that the king was wrong. Oh, how could they do that, some would cry today. But in all the progressive mumble jumble, what we find is that many lack a spiritual backbone and many, if called upon to stand by themselves, could not and would not.

It wasn’t easy for these three. This was a life or death situation. They stood out. Everyone saw. The king intended to make a point with them. The king intended to save face by showing that their God was unable to stop him.

Today, our fiery furnace may be nothing more than a student away from home in a college dorm. Instead of bowing, the pressure may be to take a swig of alcohol. He may be challenged. He may be mocked. He may be ridiculed. All eyes may be upon him. Mom and dad are not there. What will he do?

Our fiery furnace may be at a boardroom meeting at work. The numbers do not look good and management wants to make them look good. Ethics are tossed. Inferior products are considered as a solution. Fudging the numbers is proposed. And there you sit. Everyone is all in but you. This isn’t right. You know it. All eyes are upon you. And now, before everyone, you are told to go along or walk out and never come back. What will you do?

Pressure. Alone. Serious situations. These all melt when we have unbelievable faith in God and understand that He is able to deliver. It won’t be through a miracle but He can open doors. He can change hearts. He can protect. These moments are scary. They seem to last forever. Often we wonder what will we do? How will we survive?

Just bowing down seems so easy. Just do it and everything goes back to normal. That’s the pressure. But to bow is to kill a part of your faith. To bow is to sell out to Satan. To bow means how can I ever approach God again? How can I praise Him in worship, when I let Him down? How can I count on Him to hear me when I didn’t stand for Him? How can I trust Him when He can’t trust me?

A bow. A furnace. A decision. A choice. A faith. In many ways, we all face what these three Jewish boys faced. Bullied at high school for not bowing. Ignored at work and passed over for promotions for not bowing. Unable to get a date because you won’t bow. Honesty. Ethics. Faith. Courage. Doing what is right. These things come with a price. The situations are most times uncomfortable.

And there we stand, told to bow or else. Our God is able to deliver. That’s what they knew. That was their answer. That was their resolve.

Faith, trust and courage in God. We need more of it today. We need more who will do what is right, even if it costs them and even if it hurts them.

Our God is able…

Roger