Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 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. 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 3:16-18
This story might be familiar to us but I just want to pause and look at a few elements of this passage. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were about to get thrown into a fire that was heated up to seven times hotter than normal. It was so hot that the men throwing them into the fire actually died from the heat.
The penalty for not bowing down and worshiping king Nebuchadnezzar was death and these three brave men were willing to stand up against this mandate. In Daniel 3:12 the astrologists told the king that “some Jews are not willing to bow down” and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were turned in to the king.
This shows that many Jews were bowing down and disregarding the command from the Lord saying ‘You shall have no other gods before me.’ Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were part of the ‘some’ Jews that were not bowing down.
I wonder if they were the only three who stood against the king in opposition?
I wonder how many Jews were choosing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar forsaking God and His Truths?
We don’t know the answer to these questions, but we do know these three mentioned were standing in opposition to Nebuchadnezzar. These three men were brave enough to face the consequences of saying this is against the commandments of God, there is a one true God, and you Nebuchadnezzar, are not Him.
So they stood against Him. They boldly declared that God would deliver them from his hand and spare their lives. They knew inherently and by faith, similar to Paul who said that for me to die is gain. These men did not know Jesus as we do, but they knew it would be better to be saved by God physically and/or spiritually than to die a coward and forsaken in separation and judgment. When they said God would deliver them I believe they had a heart of faith and that deliverance would come ultimately, even if not physically, which shows a faith-based belief in God in the Old Testament, (it’s not just a New Testament thing). But I want you to notice what they said next EVEN IF HE DOESN’T we still won’t bow.
Even if he doesn’t spare us, or in others words, even if God allows us to die, even if today is the day we take our last breath, even if we are not spared at this moment- we still they will not break the law of God.
What are some Even Ifs that we need to state out loud:
Even if we get Covid, Even if they mandate vaccines, Even if our church buildings get closed, Even if pastors are arrested, Even if the truth is silenced on social media, Even if our freedoms are taken away from us, Even if there are wars and famines, Even if we face difficult trials of addiction, death, loneliness, Even if our jobs are threatened, Even if we face death ourselves,
We still will not bow down to the false gods this world has to offer us. We will not break the law of God and worship the false gods of self-preservation, government, climate control, money, power, companionship, fear, sex, alcohol, drugs, body image, self-exaltation, worldly knowledge, unBiblic mandates and laws.
Even if our life is on the line we cannot bow down because we emphatically know that we will be delivered and sin and evil will be vindicated. For Shadrach Meschah and Abednego their lives were immediately protected and spared as they were thrown into the fire. God protected them as they were thrown into the blazing furnace and not a hair on their body was singed. They had been thrown in tied up and they left unbound. Nebuchadnezzar witnessed what looked like an angel in the furnace standing in the fire with them.
Who the Son sets free is free indeed. When we put our faith and hope and trust in Jesus, God unbound us from a life of sin and despair and separation. Our destiny and every humans destiny is a fiery furnace bound and trapped with no hope of life because it is seven times hotter than hot. But before these men were thrown into the furnace they declared their faith in God. Instead of being singed and scorched and killed they were untied and freed and spared from death to then continue glorifying and praising the name of the Lord openly and publicly. When the King called them out of the furnace, with amazement in this miracle, he acknowledged who God is and the power He has.
Guys we need to live as if we have been spared death. Because we have. Why cant we see this? Why cant we see that we are them? We are people who have been removed from the fires of hell without a hair on our head being scorched.
We have been freed and redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Maybe we have not died a physical death, because I’m assuming everyone reading is still alive…. But we have already been brought from death to life in Christ’s death and resurrection. So lets stop living bound, walking around like our hands our tied and we can’t speak or share. Or we are timid and scared that we may offend someone. The war has been won. The battle has been fought. The bondage was broken, your ties were cut off and Jesus says that it is no longer us who live but Christ who lives in us because of the Holy Spirit. The fire of this decaying world, the evil people, cannot touch us.
If we live with the mindset of ‘Even if you try to destroy my life, you can’t’ because I am ready to face my eternity no matter the cost. How would that change your life today? I have already been brought from death to life so for me to die a physical death is no longer a threat. We do not need to fear Covid, cancer, the government, persecution or any other false god, trial or threat to our lives. Our lives have been bought with a price and we can confidently say that no matter the earthly cost, we have been delivered and we will be delivered if not physically, then eternally and spiritually.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28
There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus so we no longer have to fear if our faith and hope is in Christ because when we die it will be a death to oneness with God, a death until life.
But if you haven’t yet turned to Him. Please don’t wait. The fiery trial of this world is going to get harder and harder. Jesus is coming soon to judge. Anyone who has broken even one law of His will be punished eternally. I want you to put your faith in Him today, the one who saves souls, who has saved my soul and who can save yours. Then you do not need to fear any part of the future judgment or fiery trial coming to earth because He is a rescuer and deliverer.
“There was another in the fire,
Standing next to me,
There was another in the waters,
Holding back the seas,
And should I ever need reminding,
Of how I’ve been set free…
There is a cross that bears the burden,
Where another died for me,
There is another in the fire.” Hillsong
The Lord Bless you and Keep you,
Kara
Faith, hope, encouragement
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