22 Jun 2014: "Bow or Burn" (Daniel 3)

Lessons from Daniel chapter 1 & 2:

1) Daniel purposed not to defile himself by eating food & wine offered to idols

2) Daniel persevered because he knew God is sovereign

3) Because God revealed to him the meaning of a dream the king Nebuchadnezzar had, Daniel was promoted to be governor of a Babylonian region

“Surely your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you (Daniel) were able to reveal this mystery.”

- king Nebuchadnezzar

“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.”

Daniel 3:1

Daniel 3:8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 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, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

12 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.”

NO COMPROMISE!

If they would make a small compromise, they would be

allowed to live & go on enjoying serving God & serving people in

this foreign land. They refused

to compromise & placed their lives in the hand of God.

Daniel 3 16 “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 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. 18 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.”

Daniel  3  13  Furious  with  rage,  Nebuchadnezzar  summoned  Shadrach,  Meshach  and  Abednego.  So  these  men  were  brought  before  the  king.      The  three  were  given  one  more  chance.    Here  are  some  excuses  they  could  have  used  to  bow  to  the  image  &  save  their  lives:  1) We  will  fall  down  but  not  actually  worship  the  idol.  No  one  

will  really  know,  right?  So  in  our  hearts,  we  won’t  worship...  2) We  won’t  become  idol  worshipers,  but  just  once,  we  will  

worship  the  statue,  and  then  ask  God  for  forgiveness.  3)  The  king  has  absolute  power  and  we  must  obey  him,  God  will  

surely  understand.  4)  This  is  foreign  land,  so  God  will  forgive  us  for  following  the  

customs  of  the  land.  

Exodus  20:3-­‐5  3  “You  shall  have  no  other  gods  before  Me.  4    You  shall  not  make  for  yourself  an  image  in  the  form  of  anything  in  heaven  above  or  on  the  earth  beneath  or  in  the  waters  below.  5  You  shall  not  bow  down  to  them  or  worship  them;  for  I,  the  LORD  your  God,  am  a  jealous  God...”  

“The Lord is my strong Defender; He is the one who has saved me. He is my God

and I will praise Him.” - Isaiah 12:2

Daniel  3:19-­‐23  19  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...  22  The  king’s  command  was  so  urgent  and  the  furnace  so  hot  that  the  flames  of  the  fire  killed  the  soldiers  who  took  up  Shadrach,  Meshach  and  Abednego,  23  and  these  three  men,  firmly  tied,  fell  into  the  blazing  furnace.  

Daniel  3:25  25  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.”  

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Isaiah 43:2

“If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalm 91:9-12

Daniel  3:28-­‐29  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.”  

J_hov[h Go^ is still on th_ thron_. H_ h[sn’t fors[k_n us.

H_ promis_^ to \_ with His p_opl_ in th_ir furn[]_ of [ffli]tion wh_n th_y woul^ trust Him [n^ o\_y His will.

“All God’s giants have been weak men and women who did great things for God because

they reckoned on God being with them” - Hudson Taylor

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful!

Hebrews 10:23

God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:9

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not,

Thy Compassion they fail not. As Thou has been Thou forever will be.

Love the Lord, all his faithful people!

The Lord preserves those who are true to

him, but the proud he pays back in full.

Psalm 31:23

For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the LORD,

Psalm 117:2

N_v_r will I l_[v_ you n_v_r will I fors[k_ you. Th_ Lor^ is my h_lp_r, I will not \_ [fr[i^. Wh[t ][n m[n ^o to m_?

H_\r_w 13:5