Sermon Central
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Trust Series
Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Feb 13, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Three Hebrew exiles stand up and stand out for Jesus and find themselves in a fire but they were not alone
They would not bow. [Slide]
Don’t you hate tattle-tales?! These wise men had been passed over in favor of these Jewish teenagers and they wanted a chance to get back at them.
As little children, these Hebrew heroes were taught the Ten Commandments, and the admonition to not make or worship idols was drilled into their heads. Now the choice is clear. There is no way, after all, that God had done for them, that they would give their worship to anyone or anything else.
They would not bend. [slide]
After being spotted, they are brought before the king and he explained the whole thing to them again. He gave them a second chance.
"Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” (Daniel 3:13-15)
The king doesn’t just take the wise men’s words but asks the three Jewish kids Himself - is it true?
He then gives them a second chance with the same warning as before.
But listen to his mocking question - “…then what God will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
They would not break [Slide]
Their response to the king is one of the boldest declarations of trust in God in the whole of Scripture.
“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
When given a second chance, they did not fall victim to doubt or waver in their faith. They felt no need to defend their selves in this matter. The king could threaten all he wanted to; they were resolute in their stand.
They understood “but, if not.”
They depended on God’s omnipotence (He could save them) but trusted in His sovereignty (He may choose not to). Whether God saved them from the fire or not was irrelevant.
They had different priorities and feared God more than the king.
Well, let’s look at the rest of the story. So far, these guys have stood out, stood together, and stood up. Now, in one of the most intense miracles in the Bible, Jesus stands with them in the midst of the fire.
They would not burn [Slide]
“So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.” (Daniel 3:21-23)
