Tonight, we’re beginning a series on Old Testament Bible Stories. These are the stories your parents may have read to you before bed, or you may have learned in Children’s church, and stories that may have molded the faith that you now have. It was probably easy for you and I to see when we were kids that these stories were fantastic, and we believed them. Just like the Chronicles of Narnia-an allegorical tale of Aslan and the kids—they were easy to believe. But, I wonder how many of us still believe things like this took place. Tonight, I’m going to challenge what you believe, and invite you to a new faith in the God of the Old Testament.
Let’s take a look at the story of Daniel’s friends-Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. In the first chapter of Daniel’s book, it says that Daniel and his 3 friends were sent into exile in Babylon. The people of Israel in the old testament were God’s chosen people. Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego were all Israelites in the service of God with a commitment to God. Yet, their faithfulness to God was always being tested, and they would be tempted with worshiping Baal repeatedly. So, these 4 are taken to Babylon-and exiled from their people. They were all even given new names. Daniel’s Babylonian name would be Belteshazzar, Hananiah would be called Shadrach, Mischael would be called Meschach, and Azariah would be called Abednego. From the beginning of their involvement in Babylon, they were tempted to follow the culture—they were educated in the Babylonian literature and language, and were expected to serve the king. The challenge was ahead of them—what would they do when tempted to follow the Babylonian religion? We’ll take a look at Daniel’s challenge next week, but tonight, let’s focus on his 3 friends and the fiery furnace. Chapter 3 tells us about King Nebuchadnezzar’s Idol.
The King built this image of gold—90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, which probably resembled the king himself. This statue could probably be seen from anywhere in the city at that time. So, the king issues a decree—a newsflash—that states anytime there are the sounds of horns, flutes, harps, and other instruments all at the same time, then everyone in the city must bow down and worship the image. At that time, there were a lot of people who didn’t believe they should bow down, but many of them did—because they were scared of what would happen to them---the fiery furnace. Others—shadrach, meschach, and Abednego didn’t bow down, and they were caught.
It’s kind of like this. You remember in elementary school, it used to be every morning after the bell would ring that the whole class would have to stand and put their hand on their chest and say the pledge of allegiance to the flag. We all knew that was what we were supposed to do, but let’s say there were a few kids in the class who didn’t believe in this country, and they didn’t stand, or say the pledge. There would always be a tattle tale who would tell the teacher on them, and they’d have to sit in time out.
This kind of thing happened to the 3 amigos. They heard the sound of horns and such; they knew they were supposed to bow down to this image, but they didn’t. They were being obedient to their God. There were also some tattle tales who told the king on them. So, ultimately, they had to stand before the king and give a reason for why they didn’t bow. So, they did. Vs. 13-16, “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 Abednego, 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?’ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.’”
So, here they are, before the king, and the king gives them a second chance. Ok, guys, when we blow the horns again, you’ll have another chance to bow down….or else. If you don’t bow down, we’re gonna throw you into the fiery furnace—and who’ll save you then?
So, the guys retort back—we don’t have to answer to you, our God will save us…and even if he doesn’t, we’ll never serve your gods, or worship your gold image.
I. Stand Up
So, what do we learn up to this point? I guess the moral is to stand up for what you believe in. There are going to be times in your life when you are faced with something that is going to go against everything you believe in. It may be that cute girl you met at Water World—you wanna date her, but she’s not a Christian…so you have a choice to make. Are you going to follow God or the world? Or, you may be offered some drugs, or alcohol, by your so called friends—You have a choice to make. Are you going to follow God and forsake your friends, or the world. You may be invited to join some friends in making fun of someone less fortunate than you, or that doesn’t look like you. You have a choice to make. Follow God-or follow the world. You will be challenged to stand up for what you believe in. There were many people in Babylon that went along with this whole idol worshipping thing. They went with the flow—because they were scared. Maybe they were scared of what others would say; maybe they were scared of what would happen to them; maybe they just liked fitting in with the crowd. But then there were those who didn’t follow the crowd. The stuck out—they stood up for what they knew was right. These are the people you hear stories about—rebels, if you will. People who start revolutions; people who don’t follow the crowd.
II. The Rebel Revolution
So, what happens to people who don’t go along with the crowd? Well, maybe they get beat up. Maybe they get thrown in jail. Maybe, they die. What happened to these 3, and many other stories in the O.T. is probably the most original MindFreak there is. You’ve all heard of Criss Angel—he’s an illusionist with a show on A&E. Well, he’ll do this amazing illusions and tricks that just freak people out. I can imagine Nebuchadnezzar being mind-freaked at what happened to these 3 God Freaks. So, the kind is furious at their response. He has the furnace heated up seven times hotter than normal. He has the fellas bound, and tied up, and then thrown into the fire. If this were an episode of MindFreak, you would probably see Shadrach telling the people to wrap them in rope, and douse them in lighter fluid so they’d catch fire more easily. So, it happens that they are bound, and then thrown into the fire. The guards who threw them in were immediately killed by the flame because it was so hot. And after they were thrown in…the king exclaims that he sees 4 men walking around in the fire—so he calls the 3 amigos out, only to find that they’re clothes weren’t burnt, no hair on their heads were singed, and they didn’t even smell like smoke. The king was mindfreaked, and everyone that saw it. Some of us wouldn’t believe it if we saw it on TV, or read about it the newspaper, but the King believed. In fact, right then, he issued a new decree saying that people are to worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—the true God.
So, what happens to people who don’t follow the crowd? Sometimes, they mindfreak their friends. Sometimes, they go through some pain, and difficulty following God. But they realize their need for a Rebel Revolution—an obedience to God that never falters. These guys came to the understanding that God wanted them to be obedient to Him. To stand up for what they believed in. To have faith that God would protect them.
III. Discover God in the Furnace
They also realized that God had a choice. They told the king they wouldn’t bow down, and that God would deliver them, but even if He didn’t, they still wouldn’t worship. For these guys, God showed up to save the day, and proved His faithfulness to them, after they proved their faithfulness to Him. There may be times for you that you have a choice. You either choose to follow God, or follow the world. If you follow God, you HAVE to stand up for what you believe in. You MUST be obedient—otherwise, you may miss out on something incredible for your life.
There also may be times when God’s choice is not to rescue you from some situation-where you may be one who goes through the pit for standing up for what you believe in. Hebrews 11:32-40 says, “ 32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
No matter what circumstance you are in. If you choose to stand up for what you believe in, you can be assured that you WILL meet God in the furnace. Just like the 3 amigos—when Nebuchadnezzar looked on in the furnace, he saw 4 men walking around—and one looked like the Son of Man. In the O.T., the son of man was a reference to the Christ. Nebuchadnezzar saw Christ in the fire with them. The guys knew God would be with them, and so it will be with you. When you choose to stand up for God and what you believe is right, God WILL be with you. His name is Immanuel—God with Us. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Isaiah 43:1-2 says, “ 1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 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. “
IV. Invitation
God promises to be with you wherever you go. He never promised us it would be easy. He never promised bad things won’t happen. Even when we stand up for what we believe in, that doesn’t mean things will always go our way. What it does mean is that as you are obedient to God, He will prove faithful. The reality is that following Jesus isn’t easy sometimes. Sometimes we’re faced with trials, and faced with the furnace even when we make the right choice. I don’t want to trick you into thinking that when you accept Christ, things will be easy. But I will promise you that even when they are hard, you are not alone. God promises to be with you.
