This Week\’s Sunday School Lesson, \”The Elevation After The Storm\” Daniel 3, 8/8/2021

THE ELEVATION AFTER THE TRIAL

Daniel 3

PRIDE ,THE TOOL OF SATAN

V:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

1. When we began to think of ourselves better than others, we lose sight

Of our plan and purpose and become selfish and the tool of Satan.

1. Our thinking becomes foolish and logic becomes destructive.
2. We lose fellowship with the Lord.
3. King Nebuchadnezzar was commissioned by God to destroy Jerusalem

     And take the Israelites captive for 70 years as chastisement.

     Jeremiah 25:8-11

1. Nebuchadnezzar was made steward of the Israelites while in

Captivity.

• His pride was elevated with the building of a 90 feet tall

Statue of himself

• He became an advocate of idol worship when he commanded

Everyone to bow down and worship his statue at the sound of

Musical instruments.

• God uses our ignorance and evil plans to bring Himself glory.
• God allows the foolish to survive to call attention to their

Foolishness.

• God allows evil to call attention to His righteousness

UNGODLY COMMAND

V:4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, \”This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.\”

7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

1. Those who don’t know the Lord are slaves to the world’s ideas.
2. Those who don’t know the Lord follow blindly after the commands

Of men.

• When you don’t know the Lord, your thoughts become the standards

You live by.

• Without God, your thoughts lead to destruction.
• Those who are placed in leadership positions can corrupt whole

Nations by their evil decisions.

1. Nebuchadnezzar a servant of God, forgot his position.
2. He sought to be served and esteemed in his position.
3. His act of pride put nations in jeopardy of being destroyed

Or chastised By God.

• Our acts of pride can adversely affect our families.

FOLLOW GOD NOT MAN

V:8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, \”O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.\”

1. When you follow God, you can expect Satan and his demons to

Plan to destroy you.

1. Ungodly leaders enact all kinds of laws that go against the will

Of God.

• As Christians, our job is to ignore any command that goes

Against the commands of God.

• It takes courage to stand for God when the whole crowd is

Going in a different direction.

• When you follow God, you will stand out like a sore thumb.
• Agents of Satan will seek you out for destruction.
• When you take a stand for God, He has already elevated your

Mind to a heavenly level.

1. When you stand against the devil, you are a role model for

All who believe in God.

• God has placed you on a platform to point to His glory.
•  When agents of the devil point you out, stand firm and watch

       God works.

MEN RAGE AT BEING REJECTED

V:13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 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? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes 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?\”

1. When you are in a rage, logical thinking goes out the window.
2. You are no longer in your right mind.
3. Nebuchadnezzar failed to realize that he had been select by

God to be His servant.

• The king forgot that the men he was scolding for not worshipping His statue, had served him faithfully.
• The king forgot that these Hebrew men were proven 10 times smarter

Than any Babylonian.

• His pride overruled common logic.
• King Nebuchadnezzar held himself more powerful than the living

God.

• When you stand for God, threats from the devil are just that “threats”.
• You cannot let Satan get into your head under pressure.
•  

FAITH IN ACTION

V:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, \”O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve can save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.\”

A. When you have experienced the glory of God in your life, you know

What He did yesterday, He can do today.

1. When God is in control of your mind, you say what needs to be said

Proclaiming your faith in God so others will understand.

• God is your defense against the army of kings.
• It is up to you to claim victory in the Lord before the enemy.  

B, You must realize that when you stand for God, He may allow you   

     to die so his plan of redemption is realized through your sacrifice.

1. God did not give us commands to ignore when we are troubled.
2. God is able to protect us under any circumstance.
3. We must let the enemy know, that we are willing to sacrifice ourselves to obey God’s commands.
4. We can follow leaders as long as they follow God.
5. When leaders ask us to disobey God, that is where we draw the Line in the sand.

WITH GOD WE CAN STAND THE TEST OF FIRE

V. 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.

A.  The devil and his demons are no match for God.

       1.  Men controlled by Satan will go to extraordinary measures to

             Fight against the will of God.

       2,  To show his power and authority, Nebuchadnezzar heated the    

             Furnace  seven times hotter than normal and used his strongest

             men to Bound and Throw Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego    

             into the fire.

• God\’s power and authority showed up immediately.
• The king’s men died throwing  the Hebrew men into the fire
• Nothing happened to the servants of God.
• God can protect you in ways you cannot imagine.
• The Hebrew men feared God more than the fire.
• When this life ends, God has another that is glorious.
• Faith faces death with joy and confidence.

THE GLORY OF GOD

V: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.

1. God has angels surrounding those who serve Him.
2. God can create an air conditioner in the middle of the fire.
3. Notice the angel was walking in the furnace with the

The three servants of God.

• When you serve God He releases you from the powers of the

World.

1. When you serve God, He frees you from all unrighteousness
2. When you serve God. You become the storm in the middle

Of the fire.

• When you serve God you become the stage that world

Observes.

• When you serve God you become the testimony that encourages others.
• Think about all the other Israelites families that were

Given hope because of the decision of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to trust God with their lives.

THE PRAISE OF GOD

V: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. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.\”

1. The enemy became a believer in God because three men stood against

his ungodly command.

1. Whole nations came to know the God of the Israelites in

Captivity.

• God allows us to go through trials so others are drawn to Him.
• Notice God turned the hate of the enemy to praise.
• The king declared the praise of God to all the nations he controlled.
• Notice, the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the living God

Save their lives.

• The king amazed at the miracle of God, humbled himself before the all-powerful living God
• In every situation, you can trust God to work in your favor.

ELEVATION AFTER THE TRIAL

V:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Trials come before elevation.

Those who persevere will reap a reward.

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst. Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North Houston, T