Boys Will Be Boys!

“Boys will be boys”

Daniel 3 10/07/08

There is a saying that shares the title of my sermon, “Boys will be boys”. It is not that I disagree with the saying, but I do not believe it can be used as an excuse for the wrong doings that boys often do. I like to look at it rather as a reference of the differences between boys and girls. For example; I would never potty train a daughter to use the bathroom outside as I did with my sons. Let’s just say writing your name in the snow just would not be as fun.

But this morning I wanted to share with you a story we find in the Bible about some young boys who were different and who made a stand for God.

Let me give you a little introduction before we begin. In the year 605 B.C., the Babylons ruled by king Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem and took, among other things, some of the children. Among those where Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Now nothing is said about their parents or any other influences they might have had in their lives, but I would like to congratulate whoever had a hand in raising these boys before their capture. It just goes to show you what an impact you can make in the life of a child. It can be a positive impact or sadly a negative impact. How you are... what you are...molds the lives of the next generation. So with that in mind let me share with you how someone made the right influence on these three boys. First let’s look at...

The Challenge

We find that even in captivity these young boys remembered what they had been taught. We are not sure of their age, but it is believed that they would have been under the age of 12. The first challenge we find is in their diet. In chapter one of Daniel we find them being brain washed in the language and the literature of the Chaldeans. They were being raised to serve the king. As part of that training they were given food and drink from the kings menu. Quite a treat I may add, but due to the fact that food had been dedicated to idols, they made a deal with their trainer to let them eat only veggies and drink water for ten days and see how they faired against the others. They ended up in better shape then their other captive friends.

Then we read in chapter two about a dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. The king wanted the dream to be interpreted and when no one could, he got angry and ordered the death of the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his friends; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So Daniel asks for some time to give the king his interpretation. So Daniel went to his friends and they went to God with their problems. Can you see their wisdom already. Daniels shared his problems with some of his godly friends and they took their problems to God. Something we all can learn from them. God reviles the dream to Daniel and as the result, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all got promoted.

Now we get to chapter 3 and we find Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold about 90 to 100 feet tall and when the music sounded...EVERYONE...including Daniel and his friends were to bow down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And that is where we find the next challenge.

Daniel 3:10-15 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"