Daniel Chapter 3

we will not serve your gods

8^th March 2007

In Daniel Chapter 1, we saw how God improved the physical health of four of His people who acted with integrity, and used that to demonstrate that He rewards obedience and vindicates the righteous.

In Chapter 2, we saw how God supernaturally gave Daniel knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation. It showed us that God is the Lord of history, in control of the future.

In Daniel Chapter 3, God produces an even more remarkable miraculous deliverance for those who trust Him, and again proves His Sovereignty over us all.

Daniel 3:1-7
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. 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. 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.
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 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. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." 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 worshipped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then - as now - the government of the day actually thought they had the right to determine the beliefs and consciences of the people. King Nebuchadnezzar decided to created an object of worship, and then commanded everyone to worship it. The same thing, albeit much less severely, is happening today. We are required to accept a political and social philosophy dreamed up by the thinkers and rulers of our generation. This philosophy is not Biblical. It's not even traditional. It's brand new - conceived in our generation, just like Nebuchadnezzar's statue. And yet we are required to respect it, bow down to it, worship it, as they do.

Daniel 3:8-12
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live for ever! 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, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 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."

The astrologers - the educated people of their day - were very happy to report to the authorities anyone who acted in accordance with Biblical teaching, rather than the current political orthodoxy, and to see them punished for political incorrectness.

Although we're not likely to be thrown into a blazing furnace, this story is relevant for us today. Already, it's becoming illegal to teach Biblical truth and to live according to it. We need to wake up and realise that the first signs of persecution of Christians are already with us.

Daniel 3:13-15
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 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? 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?"

The government - in this case, Nebuchadnezzar - was furious that anyone would dare to take a different view of right and wrong, of what's worth worshipping and what isn't! This despite the fact that no previous generation worshipped what they worship, and require us to worship!

Although we currently have a Labour government, and that government is currently passing anti-Christian legislation, the challenge we face is not just from the left of politics. Recently, Michael Portillo, one-time Conservative minister, published a column in the Sunday Times entitled "If God speaks to you, Mr Cameron, don't listen". How insane is that? If God speaks to anyone, they'd be idiotic not to listen. And how disrespectful to God!

Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 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."

The reply of these young men sets a wonderful example to us:

Firstly, they made it clear that God is able to save anyone from any situation.

Secondly, they made it clear that their obedience to God's ways was not dependent on Him helping them. They would serve God, whether or not they were persecuted, whether or not they were killed. They would serve God because He's God, because it's right to serve Him.

Thirdly, they said plainly that they would not obey the government when the government requires them to break with Biblical teaching.

Fourthly, they spoke respectfully and moderately to the king.

Do we have the same principled attitude to life, and to God? Do we have the same courage? Or are we planning to co-operate with those who are legislating to make it illegal to live Godly lives?

Daniel 3:19-23
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude towards them changed. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 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, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

I suspect Nebuchadnezzar was genuinely shocked that there were people whose first allegiance was to God. People who would not obey his laws just because they were anti-Biblical. He was furious. And, when the church takes a stand by refusing to kow-tow to whatever political correctness holds sway in the imaginations of the chattering classes, we can expect them to be furious, too. And we will need to be ready to accept the consequences.

Daniel 3:24-25
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." 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."

God is with all of His people all of the time. But He's most obviously with us when we need Him the most. Jesus - truly the Son of God - was with these three men in the furnace. And he'll be with us in ours.

Daniel 3:26-30
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, 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.
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. 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."
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego behaved with gentleness and politeness throughout. The only thing they did that caused such fury and persecution to break out was to obey the Bible. And God protected them. And - eventually - the government saw they that were right, and gave honour to God. But if they hadn't stood firm for God's ways, or if they hadn't behaved respectfully, this wouldn't have happened.

May God grant perseverance and faith to His church in our land when the persecution grows.

And may God grant our governing classes insight and repentance, as He did for Nebuchadnezzar.