His Presence Brings Perspective
(Daniel 3 – NKJV)
This chapter opens with:
• The king making an image of gold (90 feet tall and 9 feet wide)
• King sent word, when the music is heard, everyone is to bow to it
• Not just bow to it … “fall down and worship” – verse 5
• If you don’t – right to the fire
• So when the music played, everyone complies, except …
v.8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
v.9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
v.10 "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;
v.11 "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
v.12 "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."
v.13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
v.14 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?
v.15 "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?"
v.16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
v.17 "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.
v.18 "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
What a story!
So many themes to preach on here:
• Commitment to worshipping/serving God alone
• Not following the crowd
• Not submitting to the pressure of others
• Willingness to boldly proclaim the righteousness of God
• Faith in God to deliver – and to speak of this faith
• And an allegiance to God … even if He doesn’t come through the way we ask
In this one chapter alone … about 7 or 8 sermons, easy!
When I first started preparing this message, I went through very predictable themes (a combination of 2 or 3 of these). But then, I came to a small part of this passage that has always spoken to me.
• The boys tell the king they won’t bow
• The king gets furious and has them bound
• And then thrown into the fire
• The flame was so hot, it killed a couple of the guards standing by
• They fall down in the furnace
• The king looks in …
Daniel 3 (NKJV):
v.24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
v.25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
v.26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.
In the midst of your deepest and most severe trials, the thing you need the most is the presence of God!
• His presence brings a relief
• His presence brings a sense of calm
• His presence can bring an ‘ok’ feeling
• His presence can help you focus on HIM, not the SITUATION
As the psalmist said (psalm 23), how many know that many of life’s trials and painful situations – you walk through, not around!
• They don’t all go away
• They’re not all taken away
The blessing is that, in the midst of the fire, His presence makes things more than bearable … He brings joy.
• They were bound up … why?
• The king didn’t want people running out … why?
• Because they would … who wouldn’t?
• But when the king looks in … they are loose
• Why didn’t they run out?
• The king comments … I see four (one looks like God)
• He has to call to them and tell them … come out
God was with them in the fire. He made the fire more than tolerable … they were so focused on Him, they were so NOT focused on the trial, running out didn’t seem to matter so much.
• Many times, in our trials, all we start to see … is the trial
• We can’t see anything or anyone else around
• We loose sight of God
• We stop being able to hear Him
• We can no longer worship Him
Many would think, well … remove the trial and we can focus on God again. Uh-uh! Our greatest need in those times is not the removal of tough situations … it is to regain our focus. Because focusing on Jesus will help you regain … perspective.
We need to declare our uncompromising commitment to God
We need to be willing to receive persecution for standing up for God
We need to proclaim our allegiance to God no matter what
• … and we need to cling to Him in midst of any fire
• … and we need to hold on to His presence through all the pain
• … and we need to look at Him when every distraction rises around you like flames
Daniel 3 (NKJV):
v.27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
• No lasting affect of the fire
• Nothing was burned
• Not even the smell of the fire
That what Jesus can do for you! You may go through the fire … but the fire doesn’t have go through you.
• Jesus gave them something else to focus on
• He does the same for you and I today
• The problem is NOT all there is
• The lack of money is NOT all there is
• The cruelty of others is NOT all there is
• The unjust treatment from those close is NOT all there is
There is Jesus! Don’t ever forget that in the midst of all these things going on there is Jesus.
So … the questions becomes, what will you focus on?
• Don’t misquote me – not saying be blind
• Deal with your situations
• Correct things where you can
• Most of our fires … we help start anyway
• But in the midst of them, He can still be seen
And His presence will bring a perspective. When all you can think about is, “I would do anything to be out of this situation” …
• Seek His presence, desire it passionately
• Look to Him and He’ll bring you through
• He’ll bring you out unharmed
Daniel 3 (NKJV):
v.28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
v.29 "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
“… His servants who trusted in Him, …”
“… not serve nor worship any god except their own God!”
“… there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
The world can’t believe this until we believe this … and live it! I never want to minimize any trial or difficult season you are going through. But the beginning of it ending is our ability to focus … on Him in the middle of the fire – not waiting until we are out to see him.
