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!
C. THE MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE ... natural destructive power of fire abated ... a mysterious Presence walking with the three in the midst of the furnace ... a pagan king both alarmed and convinced, if not converted.
III. STATUES AND THE FURNACES TODAY
Perhaps it is harder to walk with God and live for Him right now, in our time, than it was for Daniel and Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego!
It is NOT a simple thing to sort out the truth from the garbage!
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STATUES?
Today's "Golden Images" are unchallenged popular slogans that "everybody" says, and "everybody" is expected to give agreement with:
There are a lot of these "statues hanging around, like "Look out for #1 first!" and " The bottom line is the bottom line." and "The one with the most toys ..." and "Personality is more important than character."
"If you are famous then surely you are important." "If nobody knows you then surely you are NOT important."
But the one that troubles me the most as a Christian Pastor is "Religion is private!" This is the one that says, "You worship your God in your way, and I'll worship mine! 'My God wouldn't do this .. or that!' as if we own God .. and create Him .. as if there is no One True God who has a right to own us and make demands on us!
Think about it! Religion is PERSONAL! God loves YOU! But religion is NOT PRIVATE! It effects the way you live in the world! You can't love God and serve Him and act as YOU please!
Whatever you do, don't bow down and worship these lying, damning idols!
But we belong to God! He tells us what to do!
RECOGNIZING THE FURNACES
The KING wasn't the enemy ... he was the tool of the enemy! Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 "We wrestle not against flesh and blood!" When you are in the furnace ... and it burns and you know your next breath is going to be your last ... look around! There is Someone who will be right there with you in the midst of the burning fiery furnace!
The enemy is the devil, the accuser of the Family of God— the force behind the evil in our world.
Turn in your HYMN BOOKS to #549 and read the Scripture lesson (Ephesians 6:10-18) with me:
1. Do YOU have on this armor of God?
2. Have you settled it that you belong to God, and not the other way around?
3. Are you RIGHT WITH GOD just now?
This world needs some heroes! People who won't bow, and who won't burn, and who will mind God and take this world for Him!
