Daniel 3:13-14 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true …

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God created man and woman to worship Him. We were not created so that God could serve us. We were created so that we can serve God. This is why we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). Were were made in His image – but we were NOT made gods. There is but one God (Malachi 2:10; Mark 12:32; Romans 3:30). This God made us. He is not the God of our imaginations, but the God of the Holy Bible, the Scripture written by his hand. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God” (2 Peter 1:21). We were made to worship God. God has set ETERNITY (“world” in the KJV of Ecclesiastes 3:11) in our hearts. We know there is more than we are. We know there is One greater than us. God the Father created the Angels to worship God the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord:

Hebrews 1:6 … {the Father said} And let all the angels of God worship Him.

God is God, and we are not. We are created to worship God, to love and adore Him, to serve Him, to please Him. Satan – from the Garden of Eden until now – constantly seeks ways to keep God’s creation from worshiping the Creator.

If Satan can get us to worship a thing, an idol, money, a function like sex or eating, if he can get us to worship the adoration of man or the acquisition of power, if Satan can get us to worship ANYONE outside of God our Creator then it is the same as worshiping Satan himself.

Satan uses many tactics to draw us into worship outside of God. Though he knows that at the end of time God will triumph in Christ, for our Lord has said:

Romans 14:11 … As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Though Satan knows this he wishes to bring as many people to hell with him as he can. He and his demons – the rebellious angels – never stop offering another way of worship, another god to love, another thing to put in the Almighty God’s place. The unbeliever, just like the Samaritan woman Jesus spoke to at Jacob’s well, think that any worship or any god is acceptable to the Creator. People proudly point to their local church and say, like the Samaritan woman:

John 4:20 …Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

“My denomination believes this, BUT YOUR denomination believes that.” Even the so called “non denominational” churches do the saDaniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.me. But Jesus tells us:

John 4:22-24 … Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jesus Christ defines the truth. The God of our Holy Bible defines the truth. His Word is truth (John 17:17). What has our God said? What does the Bible clearly say? What does Jesus Christ our Lord say? This is what matters. Jesus Christ. The One Who saves us is the One Who leads us. Jesus! The Jesus of the Bible. Not the Jesus of our imagination, but the Jesus of Scripture!

What Are You Going To DDaniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.o When
You Are Given A Choice?

If you are indeed a Christian, you are going to be tried.
If are indeed a human, you are going to be tested.
The devil will put choices before you.
Will you worship the Lord, or Satan?

If you choose to worship the Lord, the God of Scripture, you will be persecuted. This is a promise from God. It will happen. Light and darkness do not mix. Good and evil cannot blend. The Apostle said:

2 Timothy 3:12-14 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

Religion has always been the tool of Satan. God calls us to a RELATIONSHIP in Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus was ALWAYS persecuted by whom? The Gentiles? No! The PHARISEES. Who else? The SCRIBES. The copiers of the Scripture, who never had a relationship with God.

King Nebuchadnezzar created a religion.
Why? Because he was lifted up with pride.

In the previous chapter the Almighty God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream that Daniel interpreted. After the interpretation Nebuchadnezzar said:

Daniel 2:47 {Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel} … OF A TRUTH IT IS, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.Daniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

The same Nebuchadnezzar who asked the Hebrew Children “Is It True” just one chapter before says “OF A TRUTH IT IS”. The worldly have no true faith in God. The worldly base their lives on “feelings”.

Nebuchadnezzar previously said that our God – the God of Scripture – is a God of God, and a Lord of kings, but what he SAID was based on feelings not on faith. Nebuchadnezzar was much like the Pharisees, whom Jesus indicted saying:

Matthew 15:7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah {in Isaiah 29:13} prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

There are many who pay lip service to God, but do not truly worship Him. Nebuchadnezzar was of this sort. That is why he …

Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits (90 feet tall), and the breadth thereof six cubits (9 feet wide): he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

This was not just a statue to put in a park for the birds to sit on and the children to ooh and aah. The King James calls it “an IMAGE of gold”. The word translated IMAGE is the Hebrew צֶלֶם tselem, (pronounced tseh’-lem) which means “an IDOL”. The value of the idol is shown in it’s makeup. First of all, the idol as of GOLD. It is 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. To put this in comparison the Statue of Liberty – from heel to top of her head – is 111 ½ feet tall, just 21 feet higher than Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. I tried to find out the value of such a statue to no avail – it appears that there has never been such a thing made before or after this creation. Considering that one pound of gold today costs $17,987.00, this statue would have been unparalleled in cost. Nebuchadnezzar had the statue set up in the capital city of Babylon.

Daniel 3:2-3 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

At the dedication of the gold statue Nebuchadnezzar gathered all of the politicians, all of the leaders were gathered in place. This started out as a “dedication”. When the devil wants to draw us away from God he always couches his requests in a sly way.

It is “dedication” not “desecration”.
It is “freedom of choice” not “abortion”.
It is “love” not “lasciviousness”.
It is “alternate lifestyle” not “defiance of God’s standard”.

As they stood at the proposed “dedication”, suddenly the truth was revealed.

Daniel 3:4-6 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sack but, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Now we have a choice before us. The leaders all have heard the choice. Fall down and worship the idol. Only God shall be worshiped! Only the Creator is to be so treated.

Psalm 95:2-10 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

“You shall worship no other god, for the LORD, Whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). Jesus told Satan “Get away from Me, Satan! You shall worship the lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10). The devil says “Worship other than God”. Nebuchadnezzar said “worship my statue”. The world worships the wrong thing. It bows down to that which is not God.

Daniel 3:7 Therefore at that time, when ALL the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, ALL the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

ALL the people complied. The darkness was great, for ALL worshiped that image. When you compromise with the darkness, you ARE in league with the devil. When you sin without repentance, you ARE advancing the devil’s darkness. When you are quiet when evil is, then you are aiding evil!

Light MUST be light.
Be the Light!
Worship God only!
Serve the Lord.

Children Of God Must Set
The Standard And The Tone

Have you ever wondered why DANIEL
isn’t mentioned in Chapter Three?

Daniel is tested in Chapters 1 and 2, and Daniel passes the tests. Daniel is the leader and the mentor of three other young men named Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. You may better know then as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. These three young men are hardly mentioned in Chapters 1 and 2, but are now focused on in chapter 3. Why?

I believe it is because Daniel mentored these young men. As the elder in faith he taught them the ways of the Father, and now these young men are being tested. One area that the Church is America is woefully deficient in is DISCIPLESHIP. We who are believers in Christ are to, as we grow in faith, mentor other believers in Christ. Beloved, all will be tested. All will be tried. Peter tells us:

1 Peter 5:5-9 … ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Believers are to disciple believers, to teach one another to submit oDaniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.urselves to God and resist the devil. You will be tried. Daniel chapter 3 is the trying of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo.

Daniel 3:8-12 Wherefore at that time certain CHALDEANS came near, and accused the Jews {Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo.}. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo.; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The Chaldeans were the priests of the state religion, the followers of the idol that Nebuchadnezzar set up. They came to the King and reminded him that he promised whosoever does not fall down and worship this god will be cast in a fiery furnace. They told the King “there are some Jews YOU – O King – set over the affairs of your Kingdom. They are rulers by YOUR decree – and these three – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. – have refused YOUR command.”

The King was beyond angry. The Bible says that:

Daniel 3:13-15 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Nebuchadnezzar gave these three believers a choice. “You have a choice. You can fall down and worship the image I made, or you can go into the furnace alive. And WHO is THAT God that shall deliver you out of MY hands.”

Shadrach said,

“Give us a minute to confer, O king, while we decide what to do.”

No, no he didn’t say that. All three young men were ready with an answer to the King. The reason that many young people leave the Church and never return is because they were not mentored in the faith. They were not taught the truths of Scripture by other believers. Too many people have placed the entire burden of mentoring on a select few we call “Pastors”. Pastors should mentor – but so should every elder Christian. That is why we have meetings every week. WDaniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.e meet to encourage one another, to teach one another, to help one another grow in our faith.

Hebrews 10:23-25 … Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We as Christians are to “provoke one another to love and good works”, to teach other believers by word and example to follow the One True God. These three young men were prepared. Notice there was no hesitation in their response:

Daniel 3:16 … O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

ALL THREE – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. – were UNITED in their answer. A divided Church is not a Church. We are together to serve our Lord and Savior – especially in the midst of the darkness. When we unite together Jesus promises us:

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered TOGETHER in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

God calls us to “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith we received by the Gospel. Do not be frightened – God will deliver you” (Philippians 1:27-28).

The Hebrew Children spoke the same thing – glorifying God – in love! They said “We’re not careful to answer you in this manner!” They were not worried about pleasing an errant king. They were more concerned with pleasing King Jesus.

Daniel 3:17-18 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 thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

These Children of God didn’t say “God will save us”, but said “Our God is able to save us”. But they also went on to say “Even if our God does not save us, we STILL will not worship this god”. They absolutely REFUSED to compromise. Their eyes were firmly fixed on Jesus.

This is the test of genuine faith. Like Job we who believe in Christ declare:

Job 13:15 …. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

If the believer in Christ, the Child of God passes from this life we have hope even in death (Proverbs 14:32). God is with His Children. We must never compromise with the darkness.

Daniel 3:19-23 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo.: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., FELL DOWN BOUND into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. FELL DOWN BOUND in the midst of the fiery furnace. They would not fall down and worship the golden idol. They would not fall down and compromise before the King and all his brainwashed leadership. You had to tie them up to get them to fall down. THEY FELL DOWN BOUND in the middle of the fiery furnace. And there they met Jesus their Lord.

Jesus Never Leaves Us Nor Forsakes Us

Daniel 3:24-25 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Jesus Christ stays with His people. He loves us, and gave Himself for us. He stays with us in the valleys of life, and stays with us throughout our days. What Nebuchadnezzar saw so impressed him that we read:

Daniel 3:26-27 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo., came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

The Children of God came out of the flame unsinged, with not even the smell of smoke on them. Jesus Christ will take you through the fire of trials. Jesus Christ will lift you out of the fire of sin and hell. He will take you into the palm of His eternal hand and hold you there – forever – if you will be give yourselves to Him. May God touch your hearts with His Word and his Spirit. Amen and Amen!