Jump Start # 616

Daniel 3:16-18  Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. “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.”But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

This is an amazing passage of courage, faith and conviction. Many of us grew up talking about this in our Bible classes and VBS. This wasn’t written for kids, it’s for all of us. There are several interesting things about this passage.

First, these three Jewish men were young. Chapter 1 tells us that the Babylonian king took youths from Israel. They may have been teenagers. We often don’t expect much from young people. Staying out of jail and staying awake during church is about all that most older folks hope from them. How sad. Young people are awesome. They bring great energy and enthusiasm to all that they do. They ask incredible questions. Some are challenging to answer. They bring a freshness to prayer and an eagerness to learning. Don’t sell the young people short. Expect much. They can do it.

Second, they were away from home. This wasn’t by their choice. They were captives taken to Babylon. Today we may call them hostages. Kidnapped would be another word to describe them plight. Their names were changed to Babylonian names. They were taught the Babylonian language and the Babylonian way of things. The king was trying to change them from the inside out. He didn’t bring their parents. They’d resist. The future, he hoped, were in these new Babylonians. Away from home a person is often tempted to do what he’d never do at home. Away, without parents, it’s easy to slack off and not be what you ought to. These three demonstrated that they were believers in God. Parents or no parents. In Israel or in Babylon, they were believers. College students need to take this to heart. It’s easy away from home to not connect to a congregation, to let your spiritual life die and to become “Babylonian.” Not these three. They refused. They believed in God. Great lesson for all of us.

Third, they were alone in their convictions. It’s one thing to stand with thousands, but it appears that it was just these three. I don’t know where Daniel was at this point. It seems that the entire nation was poised to bow. The pressure was on to bow. There would be serious consequences if they didn’t. Young people face things like this. It may cost them a job. It may mean not passing a class. For these three, it meant life.

Have you ever thought how these three could have easily faked it. They could have bowed at the right moment and tied their shoes. It would look like they were in compliance, when they weren’t. They didn’t do that. They could have stooped half way, not fully bowing and not fully standing. They may have gotten away with that. They didn’t do that. They could have bowed and prayed to Jehovah. They didn’t. They stood. They were defiant. They would not compromise. They would not leave any doubt.

Even if God would not rescue them, they would not bow. They knew. The 10 Commandments forbade that. It was wrong. Completely. There is no way that bow to an idol could be right. Never! Such faith. Such assurance. Such confidence.

They stood and the king fumed. They stood and the furnace burned hotter. They stood and they were condemned. That same spirit is found years later in the apostles. They were told not to preach Christ. They defiantly said, “we must obey God rather than man.”

We need more folks like that today. Folks that stand with God. Folks that are willing to take the lumps instead of bowing to the wishes of others. Stand up to wicked and corrupt bosses who feel that they are beyond the law. They are not. Stand up to those who want to water down the message of God. Stand up to those who are make wrong a sport and love to put others down. Whimpy Christians won’t make it when a furnace is blazing hot. Those who are afraid of hurting the feelings of others, will only hurt God by their compromising ways.

We are not going to serve your gods…we are not going to lie….we are not going to cheat customers…we are not going to fudge the numbers…we are not going to be abusive and rude…we are not going to take advantage of others. We are not going to…

The king could throw those three Jewish men into the furnace, but he could not make them bow. They stood with God. How about you? Who are you standing with? Have you bowed down and sold yourself to keep a job…a marriage…a lifestyle…a reputation. It’s time to stand up, first for yourself and then to God. No one can make you bow. They can put you in a furnace but they can never make you bow.

That spirit drove the flames of reformation throughout Europe and the spirit of restoration throughout early America. It is the spirit that changes hearts, families and congregations today. What those three Jewish men did was brave. It was scary. It was the right thing to do.

Roger