Fourth Man In The Fire

March 21, 1993

Every good Christian boy or girl, along with every good Jewish boy or girl, knows the story of the three Hebrew children in the furnace. We "get" the "lesson" we are "supposed" to get from it. BUT TWO THINGS WE JUST MAY NEED TO REMEMBER:

(1) THEY DIDN'T GET TO BE HEROES INSTANTLY! What happened then started when they were teen-agers!

(2) SOONER OR LATER, YOU AND I ARE GOING TO BE IN THAT FURNACE!

I. MAKING SOME LIFE CHOICES EARLY ON

It is possible to settle some things forever when life is mostly still "out ahead." Then whatever comes, good or bad, the important decisions fall in line with the most important decision.

A. Judah had been conquered by the dominant kingdom and ruler of the world, Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar. But the king was open-minded, and wanted to absorb the best of the various cultures in his far-flung empire.

[ONCE IN A LIFE-TIME OPPORTUNITY]

So he made a decree: If suitable Hebrew youth could be located, a full, all-expenses-paid scholarship was to be made available to the greatest school in the world. A three-year graduate study in government and upper-level management, with a guaranteed prestige job waiting. But there were very tough entrance exams.

The physical exams were unreal. Unfair, yes! But there they were:

[PHYSICAL GIFTS]

Applicants had to be in perfect health, and they had to be judged as very handsome. [That would have left me out!]

But the mental and psychological tests were even more rigid.

[EXCEPTIONAL MENTAL GIFTS]

These men had to have I.Q. scores off the chart! After rigorous testing only four young men from Judah were admitted to the program. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were IN! And they did go on to very illustrious careers in government!

This is where their "life commitment" first was challenged.

[THE "GOD-FIRST PRINCIPLE"]

Early on in their "graduate program" the four young men faced their first challenge.

It was the food! College people always complain about the food! [I like E.N.C. food!] Their problem was not what you might think...the food was too "good!" It was not how they had been taught to honor God.

They were not disrespectful. They talked it over. They prayed.

THEY DECIDED THAT BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THEIR LIVES!

They were faithful and God honored them!

The "God-first principle" was a source of contention all their lives— but also a source of witnessing power!

It helps if we can settle some things early on

1. God is good!

2. The Bible can be trusted!

Run (like you would from a snake) from anyone who tries to take away your faith in the Bible to speak with authority on all matters of your spiritual life. Settle it early that you will give God the benefit of the doubt, and that whatever the cost you will honor HIM!

3. God's people need to stick together!

Your bosom buddies, your "soul-friends" must be those who will pray with you and stand with you and support you in sorting out God's will from God's Word. You need the church!

4. Don't compromise on little things if God's will is involved!

You cannot be "selectively obedient" to God's known will!

II. LIFE'S COMMITMENTS WILL BE CHALLENGED!!

A. A king on an ego trip takes the place of God.

Several years later, these men were well on their way to a great career. (This is where "the story", PROPER, BEGINS.) The king decided that HE was not getting enough respect— so he made a statue "of gold" and demanded that all the known world bow down and worship the statue which HE had set up— in his own honor!

Everybody, but everybody was there at the great day of honor! The Babylonian Symphony Orchestra was there. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were there. Daniel evidently wasn't there. The Bible doesn't say where he was.

When everybody else bowed down, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did NOT! And they were hauled in before the king himself!

B. Principles under fire! SOME THINGS YOU DON'T "ARGUE":

(The respectful but at the same time BLUNT speech these three men made:)

1. We do not have to answer you, O king, in this matter. The argument is over before it starts in our minds.

Some things you don't "argue":

(Why were they so sure? Because they took literally the Ten Commandments, among other things: "Thou shalt not make any graven images ... Thou shalt NOT bow down and worship them!"

They had "bet their lives" on God!

2. A statement of CONFIDENCE IN ALMIGHTY JEHOVAH GOD. "Our God is able to deliver us from this unjust command of yours, O king!"

They were willing to die for the right!

3. A statement of (beyond CONFIDENCE!) Abandonment to the love of God! "But even if God does NOT save us, make NO mistake, O king, WE WILL NOT BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP THIS SHINING STATUE!