“Refuse to Bow”Devotion In Motion
Monday Inspiration
08/16/21
Daniel 3:16-18
Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
I Love what Corrie Ten Boom said
“Faith is like a radar that sees through a fog; the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see”
That’s the kind of faith that these 3 Hebrew young men had. They had a radar that saw through the fog through their eyes they could not see. They , along with all the people of the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar were ordered to bow down and worship this grotesque image of Gold, when they heard the music play. All but these 3 men bowed and because they refused to bow down to conformity, they were chosen to take the full brunt of that decision.
Nebuchadnezzar was boiling with anger – a tyrannical, egotistical King, isn’t used to being disobeyed. Usually, he would’ve never given out a second chance. But he must’ve liked Daniel and these Hebrews. Now if you were Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego; What would you do? I can hear the rationalizing, “It’s a sign from God, He’s showing us mercy… We’ve made our point. This time, we’ll still stand, and just hunch over a bit.” But not these guys! They’re determined to obey God. The first two of the Ten Commandments forbids idolatry.
Compromise never entered their minds! Understand, these three Hebrews weren’t out to pick a fight. The fight came to them… They hadn’t logged a protest, or staged a demonstration… they just knew what they wouldn’t do… They’d never bend, let alone bow, to anyone or anything other than the true God. We need to Realize, the Babylonian beef with these Hebrews wasn’t that they worshipped their God. It was their refusal to fall down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image.
Christians are usually judged by what they are for but Sometimes faith is measured by what we’re against. This was why Christians were persecuted in ancient Rome. Do you realize that Not a single Christian died for loving Jesus. The Romans didn’t care if you loved and worshipped Jesus, just as long as you pledged allegiance to Caesar. And All you had to do was take a pinch of incense, toss it on the fire, and confess three-words, “Caesar is Lord.”
As simple as that was, the Christians refused. There was only one Lord, Jesus! They wouldn’t betray Him! And this remains the issue today! Nobody cares if you love Jesus. In fact, most people say they love Jesus – then go and do as they please. A recent Barna research poll found that over 62% of Americans claim to have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. That’s a tough one to believe. But out of those 63%, only 52% believe that Jesus is God, Many adults believe, however, that they will go to heaven as a result of their good works. Broadly speaking, this is the most common perception among Americans who have never made a commitment to Jesus—and it is also quite common among self-identified Christians. In this category, people believe they will go to heaven because they have tried to obey the Ten Commandments (5%), as a result of being basically a good person (8%), or on the grounds that God loves all people and will not let them perish (7%). But the real question is do you love Him enough to follow Him and obey Him exclusively?
Real Christianity refuses to yield to the gods of any age. It marches to a heavenly drumbeat! It pleases God, not appeases men. This is the stand taken here! Listen to them in verse 16, “Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.” In other words, our minds are made up. Remember in 1:8 Daniel “purposed in his heart” that he would not be defiled by the king’s food. Obedience makes up its mind ahead of time.
The person who waits to decide might just buckle under the pressure. 1 Peter 4:12 tells us, “Do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you…” Peter is saying that there’s a fiery furnace in every believer’s future. That’s why we all need to purpose in our hearts ahead of time to never bow to anyone other than God.
Verse 17-18 continues their response, “If that is the case (if they are thrown in the furnace), our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
This is real faith! God will deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar – if not from the fire. Even if they burn, they’ll be free from his tyranny.
They’ll enter their heavenly reward, and be taken to a place where he can never touch them again. Remember the worst thing that can happen to a christian is that he will die and go to heaven. God will deliver them from the fire or through the fire either way. So often we make the mistake of trusting in a particular outcome – rather than trusting in God, and letting Him determine the outcome.
Our faith is not really in God – it’s in God working in the way we desire. This is why real faith is a “but if” faith… I believe God can cure my cancer, but if He doesn’t, I won’t deny Him… I believe God will turn my child around… or save my marriage… or ease my financial woes… or stop the foreclosure… but even if He doesn’t, I’ll not deny Him! That’s a furnace-facing faith! Remember It’s not God who is tested in our trials. It’s our faith. And Real faith cares more about maintaining my witness than saving my skin.
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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