LIVING BY FAITH
Daniel 3:19-28
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
22 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,
23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, \”Weren\’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?\” They replied, \”Certainly, O king.\”
25 He said, \”Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.\”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, \”Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!\” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,
27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, \”Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king\’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
WALKING WITH CHRIST
A walk with Christ is a walk through faith with God getting the glory of
our lives.
100 years before the Babylonian captivity, because of their sins,
God spoke a word to Isaiah about His glory through their captivity,
Isaiah 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.\”
Isaiah 43:12. \”It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,\” declares the Lord, \”And I am God.\”
Prior to Daniel\’s captivity at 16 years old, he was taught by his parents to follow
God\’s commands. His walk of faith in Babylonian captivity honored God and
gave Him glory.
BUILDING A BLOCK OF FAITH
The illustration below is an attempt to show how Daniel built a block of faith as he
honored God with his obedience.
DANIEL\’S BLOCK OF FAITH (EVENTS THROUGH CHAPTER 3)
AGE EVENTS DECISION RESULT
——————————-
40 Fiery furnace Not to worship idols kings decree to worship
and bow to the Daniel\’s God
king\’s statue
Daniel\’s interpretation Prayer to God Saved the lives of
of kings dream With his friends king\’s advisors
19 Babylonian Education Not to defile 10 times smarter
completion himself by eating than kings advisors
king\’s food
16 Family training to Not to defile Influenced his three
worship God Himself friends not to defile
themselves
Faith in God does not eliminate trials in your life, but guarantees them to build
you faith.
God allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to burst with pride so that he would build a
gold statue of himself for all to worship. I believe God set up this situation up so
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the three high public figures would refuse
to worship the kings statue so He would be glorified (Isa 43:7).
BOLDNESS THROUGH FAITH
Look at what Shadrach, Meshach and Abennego told the king;
- The God we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace; Represented
their knowledge of God.
- Our God will deliver us from your hand; Represented their trust in God.
- We will not serve your gods; Represented their commitment to their God.
- We will not worship bow down to your golden image; Represented their
obedience to their God.
To Daniel and his three friends death by the king\’s hand was not an issue to consider. The issue to them was eternal life with God.
OUR TROUBLES GIVES GOD GLORY
As we mature as Christians, we must come to realize that we will face
trouble in our lives which are not the end of anything. God allows our
troubles so that we may glorify Him with our faith.
The King heated up the furnace 10 times hotter than normal. Even the
kings men who took Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego bound to the furnace
died.
JESUS IS WITH US IN OUR HARDSHIPS
God placed His Son in the fire to protect His servants. When the King
looked in the furnace, He saw four men walk in the mist of the fire.
I can only image in middle of their trouble, the three men of faith
was singing, praying and praising God. Jesus said where two or more
are gathered in may name, I am in the mist.
The King called Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the fire.
It was as if they had not been in the furnace because there was not even
a smell of the fire on them.
OUR FAITH BRINGS KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO UNBELIEVERS
As a result the king made a decree that no one should talk against the
God of all god. The King call the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego\’s
God the most high God.
A pagan nation who worshiped idol gods was introduced to the one
true living God. They became eye witnesses to the power of God.
This was because of the trouble Daniel and his friend faced serving
the one true living God.
GOD GETS GLORY WHEN WE ENDURE TRIALS
Verse 3:28 is the story of a pagan king\’s enlightenment:
\”Then Nebuchadnezzar said, \”Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king\’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. \”
God was glorified through the trial of the fiery furnace.
We must learn to thank God for our days, whether we see them as good or bad.
All things work to the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to
His purposes.
The events of our lives is not all about us. It is about building the body of Christ.
God in His infinite wisdom, allows us to experience trials , so that
others can be drawn to Jesus through our faith.
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
For more lessons follow me on facebook and my blogs
revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
