Jeff Schreve - Facing The Fire
- Watch
- Audio
- Buy this sermon
- Donate
- Store
And today’s message is on the three Hebrew boys: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were three young men who refused to compromise, and they made such a difference for the Lord because they would not bow even in the midst of immense pressure put upon them. Daniel chapter 3: «Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits,» 90 feet, «and it’s with six cubits,» 9 feet, «he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up…»
And when he gave the invitation, really the command, everyone came, «Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up,» now you’ve been to some dedications maybe before, a new school opening, a new business. Hey, we’re gonna have a ribbon cutting and a dedication. This is a little different.
«Then the Herald loudly proclaimed: 'To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.' Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up».
I wanna share with you three insights from Daniel 3, three insights that deal with true faith, with being a person of true faith and strong conviction. Insight number one: True faith will always be tested. Daniel and his friends were tested in the Book of Daniel. Now, Daniel is not here in chapter 3. He has been elevated to probably a position similar to prime minister, and he is away at business. How do we know that? Because Daniel would have been right with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He wasn’t gonna bow either. Daniel was the leader of these guys. He’s the one that they got strength from, and so, he’s gone. And it’s just the Lord’s way of saying it wasn’t just, they weren’t just riding on Daniel’s faith. They, too, had faith, but true faith is always going to be tested. A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.
Now, Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 12, «Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you». Sometimes we get the idea that, «Man, if I’m walking with God, if I’m right with God, why are these problems coming into my life? This is so weird! It’s so strange». Lord says, «No, don’t be surprised that those things happen. Those things come upon you for your testing». Now, the devil will tempt, and the Lord will test. God doesn’t tempt us to do evil, but He does test us. The Lord tested Abraham. He tested Job, He tested David, He tested the apostle Paul, He tested the disciples, He tests all of us. Tests are just part of the deal, and small tests prepare us for big tests.
So don’t ever get the idea, when you have a test, don’t get the idea something must be wrong, because «maybe I’m not right with God, maybe I don’t even know God, because there’s so many things coming into my life. There’s so many fiery ordeals». Well, you gotta look to see «am I causing these? Am I doing something that’s creating these? Or are they just outside of my control»? Job didn’t do anything that caused the test to come his way. They just came his way, and the Lord was testing him. Now, I like what it says in James chapter 1, verse 12: «Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him».
And so God uses a little test to prepare us for big tests, and in Daniel chapter 1, there was a little test. They weren’t gonna eat the king’s choice food, and Daniel made up his mind. «I’m not gonna do that». And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, «We’re with you, Daniel. We’re not gonna do it either». And so the guy that was in charge of them said, «Well, wait a minute, the king’s gonna give you this and if you’re gonna look skinny and haggard and everybody else looks full and healthy, I’m gonna lose my head before the king 'cause it’s my job to make sure you’re healthy». And Daniel said, «Give us a test, ten days, check us out. We’re just gonna eat water and vegetables. They can have all the fancy food and the wine with the king, but we’re just gonna eat water and vegetables».
And so he gave 'em water and vegetables, and what did God do? God provided for them, and they looked healthy and strong. And they had convictions that held them, and they handled the small test that prepared them for the big test. And remember this: The goal in the Christian life, it’s not to be winsome, it’s not to be ingenious, it’s not to be creative, it’s not to be popular, the goal of the Christian life is to be faithful to the Lord. Be faithful to the Lord. Now, these guys are in for a big test because Nebuchadnezzar had said, «Okay, when you hear the music, I’m gonna strike up the band, it’s mood music to prepare you. It’s gonna get you ready to bow down and worship, and if you don’t, you either bow or burn».
And he had, in the plain of Dura, where this was set up, near to that is a furnace, and it’s a big, open-mouth furnace where you throw things in the top, and it’s got some height to it, and you fall down in there, and they can throw the fire in there, and there’s some holes in it, no doubt, where they can blow and get oxygen in there so that they can make it hot. And if you don’t bow, then you’re going to burn.
First insight, true faith will always be tested. Second insight, true faith cannot compromise with obedience to the Word of God. It just can’t. If it’s gonna be true, if it’s gonna be faithful to the Lord, you know, we talk about being true, and we talk about «true» means «genuine,» and true means, like, «true-blue». You are faithful. So it’s genuine, and it’s faithful, and true faith can’t compromise with the Word.
Now, what’s the issue with the guys not bowing? Because everybody bowed except three: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they didn’t bow. Why not? Because as we studied just a few months ago, the Ten commandments. Exodus chapter 20: «I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved 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. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments,» black print on white paper, very clear.
And this is not something that was written in pencil, you know, in the sand with a stick. This was etched in stone by the finger of God, and those guys knew that, and they knew, «Hey, we can’t bow down to an image. We can’t worship his golden image. There is no way». So, verse 8, they didn’t bow. Everybody bowed in verse 7 except three. «For this reason, verse 8, at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews,» brought charges literally means they ate the pieces of the Jews. They were wanting to tear them up like a ravenous wolf in little pieces. They hated these Jews because, in chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had elevated them.
And the Babylonians and the Chaldeans, that’s kind of, those are synonyms. And all of a sudden, you have these Jews from the outside, these exiles, that are above them, that are put in positions above them. They got the promotion, and the Chaldeans didn’t get the promotion, and they hated that, and so, this is all fueled by jealousy. Well, they come to the king, and they said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, «O king, live forever»! Kings like to hear that, you know, and so, «You yourself, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image».
Isn’t that right? Yes. «But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire». Isn’t that right? Yeah, that’s right. «'There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.' Then Nebuchadnezzar,» Nebuchadnezzar has a serious pride issue. We’re gonna find out about that in chapter 4. He’s got a serious pride issue, and these guys are facing him. I mean, they’re telling him, «We’re not gonna do this».
And so, the Chaldeans make that clear, «Hey, they didn’t bow like you said they had to bow». «Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, 'Is it true? '» «I mean, are they telling me the truth? Surely, this is a joke. This isn’t true». «Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well,» I’m giving you another chance, «But if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast in the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands»?
True faith can’t compromise with obedience to the Word of God. Now, when we are put in positions of testing, how do we handle that? And this is a major test. This is a big-time test. This is bow or burn test. This isn’t «Jeff, you wanna see the test that I stole from the sociology department»? And you know, if you go on your own, maybe you get a C, but if you get the test, maybe get an A. You should get an A. You have the test. What are you going to do? That was a small thing compared to this. This is major, major, major.
So, true faith never looks for loopholes, never looks for loopholes. Doesn’t look to see, «Well, let me rationalize this, let me compromise this, let me just look at this from another angle, let’s nuance this a little bit, let’s noodle on this, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, because listen, I mean, we know that there’s no power in this, this golden image. I mean, we can bow as Nebuchadnezzar wants us to bow, and we can be praying to Yahweh. We know there’s no power in this, and so we can just do that. We can go along to get along. And after all, I mean, what kind of a witness can we be if we’re dead? I mean, 'cause he’s gonna throw us in the fiery furnace, and now he’s giving us a second chance, and this must be coming from the Lord. The Lord is saying, 'Listen, here’s another chance for you to get it right 'cause I don’t want you to die because that would be terrible. That would be the worst.'»
Hey, when you have true faith, when you’re true-blue to the Lord, you’re not looking for loopholes. You’re not playing these games in your head. «How can I rationalize this to where it’s okay and I’m doing God’s will by not bowing»? Obviously, God has spoken. The first two commandments: You don’t do that. God is one. He is one God, and you don’t bow to the idols or serve the idols. True faith never looks for loopholes, and true faith, now watch this, true faith never presumes upon God. It never says, «God, You have to do this if I do that».
So, Nebuchadnezzar the king, who is a powerful, intimidating guy, as I said, he’s the most powerful man on the earth at this time, and he’s the one, he’s angry with these guys 'cause he’s promoted them, and all of a sudden now, they’re dissing him. That’s the way he interprets it. «How dare you? I told you to bow». And your three young Hebrew guys before this king, and these guys were probably in their 20s when this took place. And so he says, «I’m giving you another chance. What are you going to do»? Verse 16: «Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, '» they didn’t do the «O king live forever thing». «O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this,» we don’t need to make a defense to you, king, «If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king…»
He’s able to deliver us from the fire. He will deliver us one way or another out of your hand, but then he says this: «But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up». What did they… did they know beyond any shadow of any doubt that the Lord was going to take them out of the fiery furnace? Well, no. You know, it’s just like when somebody is sick, somebody has some disease, and the doctors say it’s terminal and you say, «Well, it can’t be, because God has promised that He is going to deliver me from this sickness». Well, you have to have chapter and verse for that. You have to have a specific Word from the Lord.
Remember we talked about name it and claim it? Name it and claim it is not in the Bible. That’s presuming upon God. Name it and claim it says, «What do you want? What do you desire»? You just name it, and by faith, you claim it. No, you can’t do that. God names it, and when God names it, then you can claim it, but God has not named for these guys that He was going to deliver them from the fiery furnace. They knew that He could. Our God whom we serve, He’s able to deliver us, and He will deliver us. We have faith that He will, but you know He might not. 'Cause He’s God. His ways are not our ways. But even if He doesn’t, we’re not going to bow to the image that you have made. True faith never presumes upon the Lord. Well, they said that to Nebuchadnezzar. He didn’t really like that answer.
Verse 19: «Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Mesach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated,» so you blow in the bellows, you get the oxygen in there, and you get the heat up, «And he commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes,» they didn’t put on the prison garb, you know. You would tell somebody take off all those clothes, you put on the orange jumpsuit before we kill you, so it can be part of your humiliation. They didn’t do that. It was just right then.
Take 'em just as they are, «and they were cast in the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,» now remember, it’s a big opening at the top. There’s a big hole where you can throw things in there, and so, these guys are taking them, and when they’re taking them, the flames are just coming up, and they consume the poor slobs that had the job of taking up Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego. And they threw them in.
«But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,» verse 33, «fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded,» he was alarmed. He was amazed, «and he stood up in haste; and he responded and said to the high officials, 'Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire? ' They answered and said to the king, 'Certainly, O king.' He answered and said, 'Look! I see four men loosed, '» we tied them up, «'but these guys are loosed, and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods! ' Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, 'Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here! ' Then Shadrach, Mesach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around them and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them».
Insight number three: True faith will be rewarded and bring glory to God. True faith will always be tested, and true faith can’t compromise with obedience to the Word, and when you don’t compromise with obedience to the Word of God, God will always reward you and God will be glorified, «Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life». Now, remember this: The Lord will be with you in every fiery furnace. And He will be glorified when we are faithful. Now, this is so cool. So, big day for Nebuchadnezzar, his golden image, all the people that he gets together to bow down. He’s the head of gold. This is my big day. God flips it to where it’s the day for the Lord to be glorified.
Verse 28: «Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any God except their own God. Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.'» He praised God because of these guys.
Here’s the thing you need to remember. They weren’t the only three Jews there that day. We don’t know about the other guys. You know why? 'Cause they all bowed. We know about these three 'cause they stood tall. Because they said, «I’m not going to disobey the Lord. He has spoken, and we have said, 'Yes, Lord.'» And know this: when you live like that, the Lord will use you to encourage and strengthen others. This story took place in the 6th century BC. True account, this isn’t some fanciful story. This isn’t some myth, some tale. True account, took place in the 6th century BC. We don’t know exactly when, but we know it was during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, probably somewhere around 590 or so BC, and we’re still getting encouragement and strength from it today.
Romans 15, verse 4: «For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope». This encourages me to stand firm, to not bow, to not compromise, to not rationalize, to say, «Lord, I want to be faithful even until death, knowing that You will give me the crown of life, knowing that I’m gonna have to stand before You one day and give an account of my life». And I don’t wanna say, «Well, yeah, but Lord, they put pressure on me at work. I had to lie. I had to do this. I had to do that because I was gonna lose my job». Well, they were gonna lose their lives. They weren’t gonna bow. They were gonna stand firm for the Lord. «Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life».