Bible Ballistics: BBs #708 A Testimony Of Truth???
As we continue our look at Daniel chapter 3 and our friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we find that as they stood fast to their God and His truth, God proved Himself faithful. We never have to prove God’s faithfulness, but when we are faithful to HIM and HIS Word, God will prove Himself faithful every time. One of our problems today is that many who claim the name of Jesus have compromised, watered down and tried to change God’s truth—the ultimate truth of the Gospel and its total sufficiency to save and deliver! Daniel and his friends knew that God was The Lord God Almighty and that HE would do that which was right, and they would stand fast in HIM and in HIS ways, leaving the results to GOD—not man! Do we have that kind of faith today? We can have that kind of faith or we can settle for the imitation version—which is empty and vain. The kind that Jesus describes in Matthew chapter 7, and while I’m printing a lengthy portion for our consideration today, I pray that you will ponder the truth of what Jesus is telling us. Just “saying so, doesn’t make it so”! Are you a doer of “the word” or just a hearer and pretender? Our friends in Daniel 3 were a most powerful example of the “real deal”! Have you entered in at the “strait gate”? It’s a question with eternal import!
“Enter ye in at the strait gate:
for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be
which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life,
and few there be
that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly
they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them
by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes
of thorns,
or figs
of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied
in thy name?
and in thy name
have cast out devils?
and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you:
depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:13-23
What do we find in Daniel and his friends? We find faith in action not just words. They trusted to their God—and their GOD was, is and ever shall be faithful GOD of all creation! Let’s pick up with the fiery furnace and see what God can do! We begin with the fate of standing fast for God before an angry king—and there is no record of their fear and pleading, only their faithful walk of faith into that fire.
“Then was Nebuchadnezzar
full of fury,
and the form of his visage
was changed against
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego:
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 Abednego,
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 Abednego.
23 And these three men,
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego,
fell down bound
into the midst
of the burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:19-23
Do you get the picture here—Nebuchadnezzar in his fury had them heat the furnace hotter than it ever had been—in fact, so hot that the men who took them up to cast them into the furnace died from the heat coming from the furnace. What fires are you facing today—we all have our fires—but these precious children of God were facing a real “fiery furnace”, yet they had faith that triumphed over fear. You can have that same faith too, if you’ll but exercise it! And how do we do that? We dig into God’s Word to know Him better, we pray to draw close to His heart, inviting Him to “be at home” in my heart, and fellowshipping with like-minded Bible believers in a church where you can hear HIS Word and grow in grace and truth, with a heart of gratitude!
“And let the peace of God
rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called
in one body;
and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly
in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing
one another
in psalms
and hymns
and spiritual songs,
singing
with grace in your hearts
to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do
in word
or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks
to God
and the Father
by him.” Colossians 3:15-17
Praise God He is ever faithful, and our three friends found out just how faithful HE was—and so did the angry king, whose countenance “changed” again. Let’s look:
“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied,
and rose up in haste,
and spake, and said unto his counsellors,
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.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near
to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace,
and spake,
and said,
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego,
ye servants of the most high God,
come forth,
and come hither.
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
came forth
of the midst of the fire.” Daniel 3: 24-26
Not only did our friends find deliverance “IN” the fire, but they had the very presence of God with them (I believe a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ)! And who was affected by this miracle? Let’s see!
“And the
princes,
governors,
and captains,
and the king’s counsellors,
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.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said,
Blessed be the God of
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego,
who hath sent his angel,
and delivered his servants
that trusted in him,
and have changed the king’s word,
and yielded their bodies,
that they might not serve
nor worship
any god,
except their own God.
29 Therefore I make a decree,
That every people,
nation,
and language,
which speak any thing amiss
against the God of
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego,
shall be cut in pieces,
and their houses shall be made a dunghill:
30 Then the king promoted
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego,
in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:27-30
You talk about a “turn-around”! Consider all that we see here, and we don’t have time to go into detail, but I want to mention just a few of the highlights:
The tattletales were shown up and silenced—
The raging King was awe-struck with this GOD—
There was “NO” evidence of fire upon their person—
The King’s question of “what God” was answered—
God was recognized for HIS unique power!
Even the King had to acknowledge the might of The God of these three young men:
“because there is no other God
that can deliver after this sort…”!
What sort of testimony do we live before the world? Are we willing to not “worship any god, except their own God” or are we selling out to the ‘loudest liar”? I pray that you will look at this account with new eyes and a heart like our friends—for God rewarded their faithfulness in HIS time and in HIS way. And because of their faithful stand in humility, integrity and respect, they were also rewarded by the king. May God make my heart ready to be found faithful when the fires come. May you find Him faithful today—and today—and today—! HE IS still the same.q
“Let your conversation
be without covetousness;
and be content
with such things as ye have:
for he hath said,
I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say,
The Lord is my helper,
and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.
7 Remember them which have the rule over you,
who have spoken unto you the word of God:
whose faith follow,
considering the end of their conversation.
8 Jesus Christ
the same yesterday,
and to day,
and for ever.” Hebrews 13:5-8
Amen and Amen!!!
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