Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Pet 4:12-13)
At the time I am putting together this message, it seems like the areas all around me are on fire here in Northern Alberta. Perhaps, because I had 50% of my body burned in a house fire, it all effects me differently than it does for most people. But I can’t imagine anyone not being concerned. One thing I learned from my personal experience is how we can draw life lessons from all such tragedies. I am reminded of one news story in particular where a lady led some other hikers out of the back country to safety from the fires. The courage, resilience, and heroism of people comes to the forefront in all of this fire and disaster we face. It gives us hope to carry on. To rebuild. And I like to think that God has a hand in that.
The love of Christ is not a fitful feeling, but a living principle, which is to be made manifest as an abiding power in the heart. If the character and deportment of the shepherd is an exemplification of the truth they advocate, the Lord will set the seal of His approval to the work. The shepherd and the flock will become one, united by their common hope in Christ. {AA 516.1}
Like Daniel and his friends of old, God’s people can pray the following prayer:
“I have suffered much. Preserve my life Lord. According to your Word. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.” (Psalms 119:107,112)
Centuries ago. Not far from the present city of Bagdad,a mighty Behemoth was seen rising on the horizon of an ancient Babylonian plains called Dura. From this site, our message for today unfolds, a story of intrigue, conspiracy, drama and excitement. These events of the past point to another statue that is rising on the 21st century plains of Dura. From the book of Daniel, the story I am about to portray has a deep, figurative significance. And very real implications for this our day and age. In The Book of Heaven, the prophetic Scripture foreshadows a future episode in the history of our planet. A time of envy and religious bigotry, a day when we may be personally tried by fire.
The scene takes place in the land of Iraq. The site of the ancient city of Babylon. Three actors walk across the stage. They face a fierce confrontation with a mighty monarch. An invincible general who never lost a battle. The heroes of the story are three Jewish youth whose master was King Nebuchadnezzar. Thirteen times their names ring out in this chapter. Sounding like the pealing of a mighty bell. Shadrach Meshack and Abednigo.
But today’s message is much more than just a children’s story. Today, we are discussing the revelation of God’s power to deliver his servants who put their trust in him.
The Book of Heaven says in Daniel 3:1
“Nebuchadnezzar,the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits and the bread thereof six cubits. He set it up in the plains of Durah in the province of Babylon.”
Twenty years before, in the second chapter of Daniel Nebuchadnezzar was given a powerful lesson through Daniel’s interpretation of his dream. So impressed was he that he declared
“Of a truth. It is that your God is a God of gods and a Lord of Kings and a revealer of secrets. Seeing you could reveal this secret.” (Dan 2:47)
In his dream, he had seen a mighty image with a head of gold. Arms and breastplates of silver. Thighs of brass. Legs of iron. Feet of iron mixed with clay. The image was a vivid representation, depicting the panorama of history yet to be. Each section of the image here represented a phase in the sweep of human history. The head of the image represented Babylon. The king had been pleased by Daniel’s words when he said, thou art this head of gold. (Daniel 2:38).
It was the remainder of the interpretation of the dream that bothered him. More and more, he became increasingly resentful of the words “After thee shall rise another.” Nebuchadnezzar decided that the dream needed to be reinterpreted. He decided to rewrite the prophecy. Daniel’s interpretation was to be set aside, to make room for his new theology.
Like many people today, Nebuchadnezzar decided to make God’s word fit his interests. Rather than to direct his life in conformity with the living word, he would make an image somewhat similar to the one he had seen in his dream. His image, however, would be a supposed improvement. It would not have feet of clay. It would not deteriorate in value from the head to the feet. It would be entirely of gold, suggesting that his kingdom would stand forever!
What would it cost to plate an image this side, this size, with pure gold? It didn’t matter. Pagans were often more generous with their religions than are many Christians today. We all know professing Christians who are miserly and give grudgingly to the cause of God. This monarch lavished an immense amount of wealth in creating his colossal image. The Chaldeans had never before produced anything so imposing and majestic as this resplendent statue. It was visible for miles around its gold plated surface. Blinding people’s eyes as the sun struck it. Nebuchadnezzar, the king, invited all the very important people in the then known world for the inauguration of his golden statue.
When the king said, come, people came by the thousands. He had no trouble drawing a large crowd. A herald cries aloud to you. It is commanded to all people, nations and languages. (Daniel 3:4) But no one can command or coerce worship. Certain things cannot be forced. You can’t command love, and you can’t command faith. I guess we can command performance. We can decide to pretend. But real worship is more than performance. Its not a show. It comes from the deep instincts of life. From the very soul of the worshipper. It’s more than standing up at the right time and bowing down at the right time. It’s more than bowing down in the direction of Mecca or Jerusalem or the rising of the sun. It’s more than cutting the throat of a lamb.
What was the message of the heralds?
Let’s read it there in Daniel 3:5
“at the time ye hear the sound of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sultry, the dulcimer and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. Listen to the royal symphony orchestra of Babylon. Or listen to the music that comes from God. Heavenly music belongs to the angels. The soul of the Christian overflows in gratitude and worship in strains of heavenly music.
Lucifer, one of heaven’s greatest musicians, fell from grace and from loyalty to God. In his fall, he has desecrated God’s beautiful gift. His off beat music is a prostitution of God’s gift. And to day it forms a background to permissiveness, darkness, folly and sin. It has become a part of the drug culture and many other horrible things.
The next verse says:
“and whoso falls not down and worships shall at the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace”
Now this is compelling language. How could any one differ with a despot, who could back up his arguments with a burning fiery furnace, or with a threat to cut you to pieces and make your house of dunghill?
All the people bowed down?
No, no, not quite. All the princes and the potentates of his world wide dominion gathered around the image, and they bowed down. But three men stood tall, ignoring the music, ignoring the dazzling image. Only they had the courage to be different. How conspicuous to be standing when every one else was bowing down. Three young men had learned from the history of their fathers, that disobedience to god results in dishonor, disaster and death, and that the fear of the lord is the beginning of the wisdom, the foundation of all true prosperity. They had been tested before. They had broken the laws of the court when they refused the king’s wine and the flesh. They had passed the test when at the end of their ten days of trial themselves, their countenance appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all of the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat. (Daniel 1:15) Having stood firm for the right before they were made bolder to face a more terrible ordeal, these three despised persons of the Jewish race couldn’t be coerced by the then master of the world.
Going back now to Daniel, the third chapter, verse eight:
“Wherefore, at that time, CERTAIN Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews.”
The word translated accused literally means ate to pieces. A metaphor of fierce devouring malice.
“Oh Mother! Johnny didn’t have his eyes closed during prayer” sister Mary complained. “Well, how did you notice if your eyes were closed?” asked Mother.
CERTAIN CHALDEANS?
Though they were supposed to bow down to the ground, somehow they noticed that three people remained standing? Evidently, they weren’t concentrating on their worship of the golden image either! Twenty years before, the prayer of these three men had saved their lives when king Nebuchadnezzar had pronounced a death sentence upon them. Smooth murderers as they were. They were now stabbing their delivers in the back. These jealous predators rejoice in pointing to these CERTAIN Hebrews. The foreigners these slaves imported from Judea now showing their sheer insubordination, their dark and heinous ingratitude. Certainly, their disloyalty deserves a severe consequence?
How did the king react? Just as they hoped? He would. He was in a fit of rage. He was furious. He was livid. He was out of control, intoxicated with power. He could not brook disobedience or contradiction, let his expressed authority be resisted on however good grounds. And he exhibits his weakness flying into a passion of rage, ruler of the world. He was not equal to the more difficult task of ruling his own spirit. Nebuchadnezzar calls the three young people on the carpet. Is it true Shadrac, Meshak and Abednigo, that ye did not serve my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up? He asks in disbelief. Can it be true that in this whole empire, there’s any one who dares to dispute my word or disobey my commandment? And of all people to defy him was his three favorites guilty of such? After all, Nebuchadnezzar was their despotic lord. Their employer. Their benefactor. Their friend. It was in their interest to please him. In his hands, rested their liberties and their lives. If they would prosper, they must earn his smile.
The 16th verse, Shadrack Meshak and Abednigo answered the king and said to the king:
“Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. The translation transmits an inaccurate idea. The word careful here means full of care. They answered carefully, but they weren’t anxious about the answer. They knew exactly what they were going to say. They did not deliberate. There was no hesitation. They were so calm and collected that they did not talk to him as king, but rather as Nebuchadnezzar, the man. It was a man to man conversation. In essence, they were saying, it’s not for us to answer you. There is another that will do that. They threw the onus unto God himself.
What grand language. What a noble resolve. What a marvellous example of faith in the living God. They rested their case with him more than 100 years earlier. The prophet Isaiah had penned the promise, when you pass through the waters, I will be with thee. When you walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2) Wrapped in such a promise, they could give their witness. Confidently never had any one spoken to him as these men did facing the threat of the burning fiery furnace. They had no excuses to offer, no fancy discourses, just a plain and simple avowal of loyalty to God. And they made it grandly with no sign of flurry or fluster.
They showed the very calmness and dignity that Nebuchadnezzar lacked. They had just talked to God Almighty. And when humans see the face of God, they’re not intimidated by the face of any person, no matter how important that person may be. They had been brought up to obey the ten commandments. They could repeat them by memory. Thou shalt not make unto thee any grave and image. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them. Exodus twenty verse four,the ten commandments are not negotiable,king or no king mandate or no mandate custom or no custom, furnace or no furnace,we will not bow down. They didn’t parley
with iniquity.
Now, in verse nineteen, Nebuchadnezzar is full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshak and Abednigo. Therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was normally supposed to be heated. Dressed in their trousers, shirts and mantles and turbans,they were picked up,and like living logs, they were hurled into the blazing furnace. The fire was so hot that the Book of Heaven says that the flame killed those men who took up Shadrak Meshak in Abednego (Daniel 32:2) Into the fire they went. And the king thought that he had put an end to the matter. But when man has done his worst, God can still do His best and lovingly add a final chapter.
And what a chapter it was. In his theory, Nebuchadenezzar had challenged Jehovah by saying, who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (Daniel 2:15), but he did not realize the power he was opposing in a matter of minutes, this autocratic king got the revelation of his life. He saw the God that he had defied walking in the fire with his faithful servants.
And now Daniel 3:24-25 – Then Nebuchadnezzar, the king, was astonished and arose up in haste and spake and said unto his counsellors,did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, true o king. He answered and said, lo, I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt. And the form of the 4th is like the Son of God. Here we have what theologians call a theophane,a pre incarnate appearance of the Son of God. He had come down to walk with Enoch. He had visited Abraham and talked with Moses from the burning bush. Now he came to walk with Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego in the fire to the Lord. Fire is nothing to God. He is the lord of heat and cold. For Jesus, and by extension to the three men cast into the furnace, that furnace was as comfortable as the Garden of Eden.
Those living coals were as soft as silk to walk upon the fire couldn’t singe a single hair of their heads. They came out of the fire without even the smell of smoke. How did the king know what the Son of God looked like here? The Hebrew captives filling the positions of trust in Babylon had in life and character represented before him the truth they had told him, of Christ the redeemer to come. And in the form of the 4th, in the midst of the fire, the king recognized the Son of God.
Now, the great colossus faded into insignificance. The authority and the importance of king Nebuchadnezzar was completely forgotten. Nebuchadnezzar descended from the throne, and going to the mouth of the furnace, cried out “ye servants of the most high God. Come forth and come hither. (Dan 3:26) Then Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego came forth before the vast multitude showing themselves unhurt. The presence of their Savior had guarded them from harm. And only their fetters had been burned!
All the multitudes who came from far and near to admire and worship the great image which had been set up with such foul pomp! Had there attention directed to the God of Heaven. The king gave his testimony,blessed, be the god of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednigo who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him. Dan 3:28, the king made a public confession, seeking to exalt the god of heaven above all other gods. It was a position that he would soon forget. Now, he repeated his mistake. Human beings don’t learn easily. He made a new decree trying to enforce the Hebrew religion.
It is on this very point that prophecy reveals that human despots will repeat. The mistake of the ancient king. Religion is not something that can be enforced. When those in authority attempt to legislate human conscience, they always raise the ugly head of persecution. That day on the Plain of Dura, two invisible Powers met head on, the power of earthly ambition, inspired by the prince of darkness and the power of love, as revealed in the lives of men dedicated to truth and righteousness.
The Book of Revelation tells of another image that will soon be raised in the final days of the history of this earth as we know it. It’s called an image to the beast. Rev 13:15 It’s another behemoth on the 21st century Plain of Durah it’s already standing, waiting for it’s appointed time, demanding the worship of the multitudes. It’s an image to the beast in that many of its teachings and doctrines are identical. In order to honor this image, it will be necessary to disregard the ten commandments. Once again, we face the test.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev 13:7-8)
We are told that God’s servants will be given over to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan are filled with envy and religious bigotry. Especially will the wrath of the disobedient be aroused against those who obey God’s commandments. Bible prophecy declares at last, and a universal decree will denounce those people as deserving of death. In earth’s final days before Jesus comes back again, God will have a people with a resolve to bear all consequences rather than to worship the idol of the hour as will be mandated by society. Defiance to the world’s threatenings from the burning embers of that fiery furnace by Shadrach Meshhak and Abednigo speak to each one of us today. Like Abel’s blood crying out from the ground, (Gen 4:10) their voices will cry out: “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” (Eph 6:10)
There will be a day when the question gets asked: CHRISTIAN! CAN YOU BURN?” What will our answer be? Whatever the future holds, burn Christians, if it comes to that, but never turn from the right way. Die, but never deny the truth. May God help each one of us to have that kind of courage.
John Chrysostom was one of the great Greek Church pioneers. Born in 347 AD. He was brought before the emperor at an early age to answer for his faith. The emperor said: “if you persist in being a Christian,I will banish you from your father’s land.” Chrysostom calmly replied “your majesty. You can’t do that. The whole world is my father’s land.” “Well, then I’ll take away all your property said the emperor. “No, you can’t do that either. My treasures are in heaven.” “Well, then I’ll send you to a place where there will not be one friend to speak to you.” “You can’t do that. For I have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. And I shall have my brother Jesus Christ with me.” Then Ill just take away your life” said the Emperor. “You can’t do that either. My life is hid with Christ in God” Chrysostom replied.
I included above in this message a picture of me and the burns I sustained in that house fire years ago. That picture is taken from 2 years after the initial burns that I suffered. I should not have lived through all that terror. 32 surgeries over 7 years. If anyone had a reason to doubt God, could it be me? I am forever grateful for the heroic kindness of a few good people back then who lifted me up until I could stand again on my own. After all that I suffered, I still say with belief and confidence that I LOVE JESUS.
That was not blind obstinacy. It was the faith of Jesus! The faith of Jesus will characterize the last witnesses of God’s true church on earth when times get really brutal again. Whatever you might face in the future, no matter how terrifying the experience,you need not face it alone. The same friend who walked with the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, the same Friend who was with me in the flames, will walk with you, through it all.
Will you join me now in prayer:
Dear Father of us all. Please, bless us to day as we go through the Christian pilgrimage, through the blistering, burning wilderness of this world, may we be strong and true. Help us to follow you all the way, in spite of trials or temptations. Help everyone who is hearing my voice to be a recipient of the crown of life that is promised to those who are faithful to the end. We ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.