When Things Get Hot Around Us

O. T. #1981  "When Things Get Hot Around Us"

July 13, 2021

Daniel 3-Part 5

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. (verse 26)

LET IT GLOW

The king who sent the three Hebrews into the fiery furnace called them out. The king who attempted to break and remove their confidence and faith in their God, was unsuccessful. What a testimony of faith and obedience those guys had in Babylon. The princes, governors, captains, and king's counselors gathered together and saw the three men after this event.

Upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. (verse 27)

Those officials were eye witnesses of the miracle Jesus had performed before their very eyes. The three had previously given all of themselves to God, including their body and soul, yielded to the True Living Savior. What was a deadly fire proved to be nothing but a walk in the park, so to speak, and a walk with Jesus. I think it was Jesus Himself who showed up instead of sending His angel.

Do we walk and talk with Jesus while we are in the fire of affliction? Do we fear God more than a furnace? Even if God has decided to let us burn or carry scares, He is always with His children. Do we prefer to serve the Living God than to bow to a dead idol?  Will we prefer death over being unfaithful to God? Are we prepared to do so? Are we willing to violate laws and risk our life rather than serve a pagan god?

LET IT GROW

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.  (verse 28)

In verse 25, the king declared the fourth person in the fire was like the Son of God. Now he calls it an angel. Either way, the king changed his law, making a new decree found in verse 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: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

The king prohibited anyone from speaking against the Hebrew God throughout his empire. Those three men were rewarded with advancement in the administration of the province of Babylon. (verse 30) What an advancement for the Hebrew community.

It has been estimated that more Christians have been killed for their faith during the last one hundred years than in all the other centuries combined since the time of Christ. One reason is the great expansion of Christianity in the last few centuries-often into places of great unbelief and hostility. Another reason is the rise of militantly antireligious political systems. (Billy Graham)

In Revelation 2:10 (NKJV), Jesus told us to Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown if life.

We may face the furnace of opposition that is heated 7 times hotter and pressure to conform will become stronger. It will take a great deal of grace, prayer, courage, and faith for God's people to stand tall for Christ while others bow a knee to the gods of this world. (Wiersbe)

The LORD saith, Them that honor me I will honor. (1 Sam. 2:30)

No matter how hot things may get in this world for believers in Jesus, our God is with us in the furnace, and will ultimately defeat our enemies and establish His New Kingdom here one day.

LET IT GO

Let God burn off those things that bind us to sin and set us free. No human can bind us if God wants us to be free.

Trust God in every situation.

Thank You God that our destiny is in Your hands and not in human hands and only You hold the power over life and death.