A Fiery Furnace and a Fiery Faith - Part 2

Undermined Christian lady asked if this is one thing to resist view pleasure when you're among the few friends as you fight strong enough to stay the load with a crowd of 300,000 today on Turning Point for David Jeremiah. She is the story of three faithful William previously stood up for the one true God, and refused to go along with the crown with the conclusion of this message by referring us and the fiery is dying and thank you for joining us today were in Daniel chapter 3, and one of the most famous stories in the Bible will be. Stories have such history for me because I grew up in the church.

My father was a pastor and we used to see these stories up on the final graph board in our Sunday school classes from the earliest time you can understand the Bible. We had godly teachers who brought us together in a circle in the classroom and told us stories of the Bible and I can still in my mind's eye see the cloud graph pictures Daniel in this story and then I read it and that I teach it and it's just a long blessedness in my life. Many of you I know identify with me as I say that today were going to finish up the part of the three Hebrew children, but we still have the intervention of the Lord in all of this and that will take place on Friday and Monday as we teach this important scripture right now we are going to finish up what we started yesterday fiery furnace and a fiery faith. This is Daniel three verses one through 18.

Open your Bibles open your hearts study together from the interesting usually measure like all false gods and all false religion is paid preacher here and he announced that when the leader got up and directed the orchestra was assigned to worship many women. This is nothing more than one of the early indications in the word of God, of the prostitution of music that's been the history of the world has it not the prostitution of music almost every major call and is in all of the major false religions have found some way to use music to their own in uneven in the greater Christendom. Some of the fanatics things that happen in the quote unquote greater Christendom music is used to hype everybody up so that they can get them to do what they want them to do. It's a kind of mind control, I want to say something to you, and I guess you don't have to ask me if I really mean this because I've been around here long enough for you to know I believe with all of my heart that music belongs to God belongs to the Angels belongs to the church belongs to God's people the world will take what belongs to God and prostituted for its own purposes, but it can never do what God intended to be done with music and here we are Christian people, and we have the joy of seeing music in its best possible way pleasing to God who created it don't have to condescend to the music of the world.

We can have God's kind of music and all sphere of its why acceptance even in our own congregation and know that were right in tune with the Lord when music is a part of our worship. Nebuchadnezzar decided to use it for his own purposes and went the orchestra playing everybody bowed, someone has estimated that in this royal family. There may have been as many as 300,000 people from the vast empire and all of them bowed down all of them but three. Can you imagine how they stuck out when 300,000 bowed down and they stood up. Now the Bible doesn't tell us how that happened but it had to be something like that. When we got married we had an interesting experience happen to us on the afternoon of our wedding. Believe it or not I had a 1961 red Chevy Impala with a white roof convertible.

It was the pride and joy of our lives. In those early days, and I knew someone get that car. I couldn't imagine what I thought I fixed I went to a shopping center near the church will really get married. I parked it right smack dab in the middle that shopping center must've been 2000 cars and that shopping center never find. Well, they didn't find it but I get what I found when I went back there that night after the wedding that shopping center close to 5 o'clock in the afternoon and ride out in the middle that parking lot was one car over a two or 3 acre there was only one car right smack in a red and white Impala convertible and it stuck out.

I want to tell you I think that's how the three Hebrew children stuck out in a crowd.

They just what everybody else was kneeling and it was obvious they were different than the rest. Well the plot begins to thicken.

We come to the devious conspiracy verses eight through 12 wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came here and accuse the Jews and they spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar is what they always say these guys, Nebuchadnezzar okay live forever now okay has made a decree that every man shall hear the sound of the hornpipe flyer side puts all the windows were all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image, and whoever follows not down to worship with that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Now that the Chaldeans there certain Jews allow settled the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach me shack and Abednego these men okay have not regarded me they serve, not by God's not worship the golden image which thou has set up these fellows are these Chaldeans you remember them. We met them back in the early verses of this book and we found out that the word Chaldean is not a technical word for Babylonian but it's a word for a wise man. It's the word from which we get the word Magi. These wise men and the wise men are the ones on Shadrach me shack and Abednego and said I can't help but believe it just plain old jealous because Daniel and his friends have been exalted over them. Daniel has been put in charge of the whole province in the Bible says that he brought in his three buddies any gave him a place of prominence to these Chaldeans who used to be the prominent ones were really mighty sick and tired of the Jews, and it taken their place. I also want to remind you that when the king said that he was going to kill all of his wise man if they couldn't tell them the dream that the Bible says in chapter 2 that one of the reasons Daniel was so excited about learning about the dream and interpreting it was because he didn't want these fellows to die and he literally saved their lives. Remember that now here they are. They got their shot.

Boy are they going to get Daniel.

You know when you do the Lord's work. There's always somebody standing in the wings waiting to watch, watching just for a moment for you to do something that they can catch you on and really sock it to you. And that's what the Chaldeans were going to do you know the three Hebrew children could have reason just as Daniel might have reason in the first chapter when in Rome do as the Romans do. I mean after all were only 3/300,000. Surely the Lord won't mind if we just sort of move in and try to conform ourselves. I mean after all, don't bring all your Jerusalem prejudices to babbling with you when you come.

What they didn't do it. They stood up when it was right to stand up and now they are being accused. The devious conspiracy verses eight through 12, we come to verses 13 to 18. Now when we see what we know is been coming throughout all the chapter and that is the direct confrontation notice, then measuring his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach me shack and Abednego and then they brought these men before the king Nebuchadnezzar spoken set up to them is below Shadrach me shack and Abednego do not see serve my gods know worship the golden image which I have set up now if you be ready that at that time that you hear the sound of the hornpipe flyer side puts open dulcimer and all kinds of music fall down and worship the image which I have made well, but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of the burning fiery furnace who is that God that you will deliver you out of my hands. Well, it's pretty plain and it now notice. First of all that you could measure doesn't repeat one of the accusations that the Chaldeans have made against the three Hebrew children. The Chaldeans said to the king that the three Hebrew children not regard the king, he knew better.

Certainly they regarded the king had great respect for the king so he doesn't repeat that charge, but instead of accusing them.

He brings them in before him, and he says I want to ask you question.

Is it true, almost incredulous.

How could it be that you would not obey my commands is a true I need to ask you to just put a partition right there and let me tell you something else is going on in the mind of these three children. These three Hebrews and let me tell you what it is going on in their mind, through all of this time is the realization that there's really no option for them. They know the Old Testament law in the Old Testament law is so very plain in this matter. The Old Testament law speaks clearly about idolatry in Exodus chapter 20 in verse four we read thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Those three guys in their mind and their heart coursing like blood or spiritual beings was the king's instruction. Here was God's word, the theologian Hodges has said that idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods.

But in the worship of the true God by images God's statement is very conclusive. Thou shalt not make any likeness of anything.

John Calvin, the great theologian is said true image of God is not to be found all of the world, and hence his glory is defiled and his truth is corrupted by the lie whenever he is set before our eyes in the visible form. Therefore, to devise any image of God is itself impious because by the corruption of his Majesty. It is adulterated and he is figured to be other than who you to the extent that your image fails to tell the truth about God, to that extent, you will fail to worship God in truth pretty strong and lot of idolatry goes on in our day folks, not just in the church out in the marketplace. God is not interested in being worship through something he wants to be worship in spirit and in truth these three Hebrew children knew that to worship an idol to worship the beast to worship some image created by a man would be to fly in the very face of an Almighty holy God.

And so the chance and the commandment under the direct confrontation leads ultimately to the confrontation.

Verse 50. The question that the king asks is most important at the end of the verse. He says if you do what I say. I'll give you another chance I would forget what's happened so far. I don't know that you didn't bow down before me. I just want to tell you guys give me another chance and when you hear the orchestra playing this time. If you do what you're supposed to do.

It would just forget about the whole thing. But if you don't the very power that you refuse to do it you're going into the fiery furnace, and then I want to ask you who is that God will save you. You can see the snare on his lips. Interesting question is who is that God will that God is the God who recently honored Nebuchadnezzar with a wonderful dream and that God had renewed the dream to Daniel and that God had graciously granted the interpretation and that God had made known the whole history of the world to him who is that God that God had created. Nebuchadnezzar had protected him had provided for him and called him and fed him and honored him with the rulership of the first Empire and he was so stupid that he had asked the question who is that God would take some we get to chapter 4 he's going to find out that God is not hard to recognize as you study the history of the church that the history of the church is been written in blood. There's always been warfare between the powers of darkness, and the powers of Lightner always will be. There will always be pagan Gentile rulers who will cry out in sarcasm. Who is that God's knowledge of the notice as we move out of the confrontation to the courage under this third thing.

Verse 18. Probably one of the greatest statements you find any place in the Bible it thrills me to read it for 16 first of all, Shadrach me shack and Abednego answered and said to the king all Nebuchadnezzar were not carefully answered in this matter.

I was there talking to the king. You know the guy that those people in the fire and when the king said you bow down or you go down. They said was not my first figure out what to tell you about that king means no matter now. It's very simple to get all wrought up and start calling him names or get involved in some dialogue with me to say we already figured out what to do about that.

There was no hesitation. There's no argument there was no reasoning, no parlay with CM the path of duty was playing. They had a word from God, and they were hesitating to do it and when the king said this is what's going to happen if you don't do what I say. Their answer was king when I think about that. We don't have to take counsel with one another. We already know what will see their principles were more to be regarded in his policies and they already knew. Acts chapter 5 it's better to obey God and man. So, notice what they said if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of my hand.

Okay, now there's a great part but if the okaying that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Take and is a little kind cockiness and that faith is not bad cocky but good. They knew where they were. They were on the ground of historic word of God word from God.

That's all they needed judge that situation right square in the face they solicit when I think about it when you talk about it. God said something we know what he said if you want to kill us. If God wants to build a sense find if he doesn't, that's all right to like Job in the Old Testament, though he slay me, yet will I trust him and I want to tell you something young people, men and women. That is what this world is crying out for men and women who have conviction of heart.

Do not change their conviction on the basis of their circumstance. Someone once told me that the definition of integrity was that you are consistent in your decision.

When the circumstances under which the decision was made of change. Here were three men who know what God wanted them to do weren't afraid of the consequences when the circumstances change. Then they were in jeopardy of their very lives said it doesn't make any difference to us what God has told us to do. We will do it and were not careful to answer the in this matter.

We are indebted theologically to one of our church fathers by the name of Athanasius.

I don't expect most of you know very much about him.

But if you study theology. You know the we are indebted to him for the purity of the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ. He thought many of the battles that we have one over the deity of Jesus Christ. And I'm told that when he was fighting this battle in standing up for the deity of Jesus Christ.

But someone came to him and he said Athanasius don't you know the emperors against you and the bishops are against you and the churches are against you and the whole world is against Athanasius and Athanasius replied that I'm against the whole world and I phrase was coined out of that little experience became rather famous in the early church Athanasius against the whole world. The kind of faith I'm talking about the kind of courage I'm talking about is the kind of courage. These men exhibited when they said if the whole world says God is wrong.

I cast my vote with God.

Let God be true and every man a liar. We need some people in the pulpits like that who don't vacillate with peer pressure who don't move when the circumstances change with find out the best they can. What is God said, stand up and say course, there courage was based on their conviction and the conviction was that there God was able, our God is able.

This may be where we got that song he is able he is able he is able to deliver the bog.

God is able to deliver the general in the New Testament.

There's a lot about that telling us that God is able to deliver us if we just put our trust in him.

That was the conviction of these Hebrew children not only conviction of the word of God, but the conviction of the power of God.

The okaying kept his promise and he threw them in the fire, and I know you know the story already but I can't wait to tell you the rest of it and how God preserved them. The okaying heat of the fire up seven times harder than it ever been heated and ended up killing all of his people and the three Hebrew children got through it. You know that because they were courageous to do what was right.

I have in my library. Some poetry written by a fellow by the name of Studdard Kennedy is sort of a interesting man who's written some rather simple poetic lines started. Kennedy was a chaplain during the world war because of his role as a chaplain. He was often thrust up to the front of the battle lines and places of danger, jeopardy.

One day while he was going through France. He wrote a letter home to his son, his young son. I guess about 10 years of age.

I have that letter to summarize everything we talked about. Listen carefully. This is what he wrote to his little boy. He said the first prayer I want my son to learn to say for me is not God. Keep daddy safe. But God make daddy brave and if he has hard things to do, make him strong to do them. Kennedy went on to write to his son son life and death don't matter what right and wrong.

Do daddy did, his daddy still but daddy dishonored before God is something too awful for words. I suppose you'd like to put in a bit about safety to and mother would like that. I'm sure well put it in afterwards always afterwards, for it really doesn't matter nearly as much is doing what is right. Oh God, how we need that in our families and our churches in our country and our world. People who are willing to put what is right before what is convenient and what is safe. We just been praying that maybe God would do something in one or two hearts to begin that process and you you vacillated all over the place when you're with one group you're one way and when you're with another group you're another way.

There is no stability to your life because you are not focused in on the truth you're trying to please your peers if you will stand up for what this book says courageously doing what God is called you to. He has made himself responsible for you and he is able to deliver you and give you courage to stand and questioning that you don't want to miss tomorrow is tomorrow were going to talk about being in the fire with the Lord as we finish up the third chapter.

Well, today we began to see the intervention that God undertook for his faithful followers and his champions of courage. This is one of the great stories I'm telling you one of the great stories in the Bible. Well, let's be reminded friends that we study the Bible, not just to be smarter. We study a change in the list praying as we study this, we will learn from the courage we see another's from their conduct. We will be challenged to live as they do back tomorrow to understand station the message you just came you from the Shadow Mountain Community Church and the Jeremiah missing would love to live and help Turning Point is touching your life so please let us point PO Box 3838, San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website Jeremiah/radio last meal company of David in this series on the singlets from the prophecies of Daniel handwriting also pushes the Jeremiah study Bible in the English standard version as well as in standard large print in the new King James available in your chosen and some cover options, go to David Jeremiah/radio join us tomorrow as we continue the series. The handwriting on Jeremiah for taking time to listen to the Friendly's in question