Faith Through The Fire

Introduction

Oh Father, draw me close to you now, my fear and peace ring you and yes, I know you give more you are for you have promised and I be the praise your name forever. I’ll give you thanks and magnify your loving favor, and I will talk of your salvation for all your promises are true and I lift my hand to reach your face finding your wrong place to be involved in them when in your care for you and promise and I need me.

Your name forever I’ll give you thanks and magnify your bloody favor and I will tell of your salvation for all your promises are true, and I believe I speak your name is true, seek your name your name, and then I will not do more you are you have promised and I then I will pray your name forever. I’ll give you thanks to magnify your loving favor, and I will tell your salvation for all your promises are true, and I believe my heart make sure I trust my all you want with you all lies before you have promise and I need your name forever. I’ll give you thanks tonight by your loving favor, and I will tell of your salvation for all your promises are true, and I need Well, all of those songs were perfect for tonight’s lesson.

How did you do that? Did you have a copy of my outline? That was really good, all of those thoughts, and they’ll fit nicely with our study tonight in the Old Testament. Something happened to this group last Sunday night. Our singing was extraordinary last Sunday night, and it has carried over to this week. And we’ve had some help today. And it’s been good to have the Lee clan from Fort Worth, though Castleberry’s probably wondering where they are. But somebody get Daniel a job. Maybe we can entice him to come down here. Like we did Trevor and Julia, you know. Just pick that’s our new membership recruitment program. Nice having these young folks, you other young folks from Fort Worth with us today. Great blending our voices with yours.

It is the story of Hananiah, Meshael, and Azariah. Now you know you get extra credit if you remember these names. Because these are the Hebrew names given to them by their God-fearing parents, ending, as we said in our Bible class in the auditorium, IAH, which is in honor of Jehovah’s name is involved in that, and then Mishael E L, the name of God. But we most likely would remember more their Chaldean names, their Babylonian names. These are the names I grew up hearing all the time. And they are mentioned by these Chaldean names more in the book of Daniel than their Hebrew names, though it doesn’t work that way for Daniel, whose Babylonian name was Belteshazzar. He is still more commonly called Daniel in the book of Daniel.

Don’t ask me why. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three young friends of Daniel. We are introduced to them in chapter one, when it says Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine. And so he and his three friends are given different things for their diet, and yet their faces were the better for it. In Daniel chapter 1, these were most likely handsome, intelligent, strong lads. Thus they were among the cream of the crop taken from the city of Jerusalem into Babylonian captivity. And so God immediately protects them and rewards them as He does Daniel in chapter one. But we are probably more familiar with these three lads and the story that unfolds in Daniel chapter 3.

You might remember that in Daniel chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar has a large, a huge golden image made. And everyone was to bow down and worship the image. The moment they heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, and whatever that is, the trigon, the psaltery, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. And the consequences were no secret either. In verse 6, it says, Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. And most everybody did what the king commanded. They would bow down to the image and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Apparently, some time elapses before the rest of the events of this chapter unfold. But it’s interesting that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego again, preferable their Hebrew names. Hananiah, Mishiael, and Azariah, their faith has not abated or diminished or decreased as a result of their captivity and the fact that they’re in a strange and foreign place. In verse 12, there are certain Jews whom you, Nebuchadnezzar, have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon. They have advanced as Daniel has.

Nebuchadnezzar was enraged that these young men, not Chaldeans, but captive Jews, would have the audacity not to follow the king’s edict. But the spotlight changed nothing. As they are brought before Nebuchadnezzar, and he gives them another chance. Okay, let’s see what they do in my presence. Now, if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of all those instruments, fall down and worship the image that I have made. But if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. And what God is there who can deliver you out of my hand. That little question sort of sets the stage for what follows, doesn’t it? God is going to respond to that little question, much like Pharaoh when he said, Who is God?

That I should obey his voice. But then we’ve noted many times the response, the faithful, courageous response of these three young men. They said to the king, now remember, this is the greatest power. This is the greatest king in all the world. Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. I want you to notice their confidence that God has the ability to deliver them even from the fiery furnace if he so desires. But they have no guarantee and no word from God that is going to occur. But they believe it’s possible.

But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Even if he doesn’t deliver us, that’s not going to change anything. We’re not going to do this. And he was again filled with wrath, and he heats up the furnace to seven times the heat. Now I want to suggest when it was just normal, it was hot. When you heat it up seven times, that’s really hot. And how do we know that it was really hot? Because the men who were throwing them into the fire perish. That’s how hot it was. So they fell into the fire because those who carried them, the fire slew them according to verse 22, because it was extremely hot.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste and he responded and said to his officials, was it not three men? We cast bound into the midst of the fire. And they answered and said to the king, certainly, O king, and he answered and said, Look, I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without heart. And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods. Apparently, whoever the fourth figure was, he was distinguished from the figures of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They could tell even in the midst of this seven times heated flame that this was an unusual person who was accompanying these three men, and this fire wasn’t affecting any of the four. Now we can debate as to who that fourth person was, and I personally just think we’ve had that debate before.

And so we’ll just call it the celestial visitant. Who is with Shadrach? Well, you have to come up with some great title for someone like this. In the furnace of fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So Nebuchadnezzar comes near to the door of the furnace, but not too near, apparently. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out. You servants of the most high God and come here. He knew this was a divine deliverance. And he knew that if he left him in there another hour, that there wasn’t anything going to change. If they weren’t burnt by now, they weren’t going to be. And he is convinced that he has seen the supernatural. And he bids them come out. And the satraps and the prefects, the governors, and the king’s high officials in verse 27 gathered around.

It probably gathered a crowd of anybody who was close. And saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their head singed. Guys, you ever been too close to the fire or started the grill and you were too close to it and burnt your eyebrows? And they were like, well, maybe it’s only happened to me. They’re sort of like crispy. Okay. Their eyebrows were not even crispy. And it goes on to say, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. Have you ever noticed when you’re around a bonfire and you go home, you smell the fire. You weren’t even in the fire, but you were near the fire, so you smell it.

They don’t even have the smell of fire on them. Now they could have had the smell of fire on them and still be delivered from the furnace. But God is further declaring the awesome power that He has. That He can not only preserve them from the flame, but even the smell that would go along with it. Not even the smell is upon them. Well, this is an amazing story of faith and conviction, but what application are we to make from the story? Is anybody expecting this week to be thrown into a fiery furnace because of your faith? Do you think at any point in your life not to rule out the possibility, especially as we continue to stand against the evils of homosexuality and other things that go against the will of God, don’t rule out the possibility that we could be bodily persecuted at some point in the future for taking the stand for righteousness that we do.

1. Called to Face Fiery Trials

But seriously, do you expect it to happen in your lifetime? And so the question is, what kind of application are we? And let’s just say that we’re going to meet some form of execution. Do we expect, like in the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that God is going to perform some kind of miracle and to cause us to be able to escape the judgment, whatever it is. So, what is the application? Let me suggest that it is this. God’s people are called to face fiery trials for the sake of putting God first in their lives. And I base that on a statement in the New Testament in the book of James, chapter 1. In James chapter 1, and there are various other New Testament passages that we can look at.

When early Christians are admonished, consider it all joy, my brethren. When you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance, yeah, that means sticking to your faith all the way, all the way to the end. Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. You know that.

Revelation 2 and verse 10. You know, that’s the one after hear, believe, repent, confess, and be baptized, be faithful unto death. Revelation 2 10, that’s step number six that we sometimes teach. But what we don’t think about is that he’s not saying, be faithful until you die of old age.

As antipas in verse 13 of Revelation chapter 2, my faithful witness died because of his faith. Concept is about being a martyr. But yes, to be faithful all the way to the end, the endurance, let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered miraculously in this awesome testimony to the power of faith and the power of God. But not everybody receives deliverance. James, the apostle, is beheaded by Herod. John the Baptist is beheaded. Peter was released in Acts chapter 12. Another amazing story. Paul.

Peter, it seems, was crucified upside down. We know at least he gave his life as a martyr. Jesus predicts that in John 21. We read of those who were dragged out of their houses in Acts chapter 8. Jason, a member is identified by name. In Acts 17 is dragged out of his house. Stephen is stoned. Christians facing tribulation in an ungodly world. You and I are tested by difficult trials. I want to talk to you tonight briefly about faith through the fire. And I would say we should not be surprised. When the fire of whatever nature comes our way, as Peter talks about the fiery ordeal that would come upon believers as a part of their testing, and he says, Don’t think something strange is happening to you.

Whatever the fire is, don’t think it’s strange. But this is happening to you, he says. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exaltation. Now don’t suffer as an evildoer, he says in verse 13, 14 and 15. But he says in verse 16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name, let him glorify God. And he says in verse 17, for it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it first begins with us, what will be the outcome? To those who do not obey the gospel of God. And so there’s a judgment that begins with the righteous.

A testing that results in our judgment. But then he says, What will be the outcome for the godless man and the sinner? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved or scarcely saved, the King James Version says, that doesn’t mean if you make it to heaven you did it by the skin of your teeth. You just so happen to just barely be good enough to get in. That’s not the idea. The idea is that you will not make it without struggle, without complication, without trouble, without rejection, without difficulty. That’s the idea. Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah indicates these things to be so that we read in 1 Peter and in James chapter one.

And all of that says as we face the fire, there are things that we cannot say because we are believers. There are places that we cannot go. There are things that we must refuse the eyes and the sensations of the flesh. And as we do that, people will not understand nor appreciate the stand we have taken. And perhaps even who claim to be our friends will turn on us or consider us intellectually inferior or foolish. But when the Lord returns, and when our time of judgment comes, the question will be did my people face the fire and put me first. We’re going to talk first about something that was non-negotiable with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abandonegh in Daniel chapter 3. And we’re going to look at verse 28.

2. They Put Their Trust in God

And the last part of verse 28 is where we’re going to start when it says, so as not to serve or worship any God except their own. That was non-negotiable for them. Long before Nebuchadnezzar ever set up his image, that was off limits. They were not going to serve any other God but Jehovah God of Israel, so as not to serve or worship any God except their own God. We need to make that same determination. Little children, keep yourselves from idols, 1 John chapter 5 and verse 21. And there are three things in this text in verse 28 that indicates the stand that these men have taken. And I want you to look at them briefly with me. The first, they put their trust in God.

Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who put their trust in him. Doubt is vanquished. God is watching.

They had every confidence in God’s presence and that he was watching them, that he was observing this particular incident, and that he was able to deliver them. That is a confidence and trust that we need to have.

In Hebrews chapter 11, that great chapter of faith, when it speaks about those who by faith conquered kingdoms and performed acts of righteousness and obtained promises. And look at this, Hebrews 11, verse 33. They shut the mouths of lions. Hmm. That sort of sounds like Daniel chapter 6, doesn’t it? I don’t know anybody else that shut the mouth of lions other than Daniel. And look at this, quench the power of fire. Did you know Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are likely in Hebrews chapter 11? That could be them. They escaped the edge of the sword, and from weakness were made strong. They became mighty in war and put foreign armies to flight. Now jump down to verse 36. But others experienced mockings and scourgings, chains, imprisonment.

They were stoned, sawn in two, which history attests that Isaiah was tempted, put to death with the sword. Not all of them died, but they went about in sheepskins, in goat skins. That is not the finest raiment, not the coat of many colors that Joseph had before he was ill-treated and sold into slavery. Sheepskins, goat skins, destitute, afflicted, ill treated, men of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. I don’t know what it’ll be what it will be for you and for me. I don’t know where our circumstances will ultimately lead us. But we need to have the determination of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that whatever it is, I’m going to put my trust in God.

You know, when they were brought before the king, I don’t believe it was one of those cases where they said, okay, guys, where are we going to stand? What are we going to do? This is a tough one. We’ve really been put into crisis mode here. Where are we going to stand? What are we going to do? You see, the decision for these three men was made long before they ever came into the presence of the king. Long before you have to make that tough decision about your friends, your job, your recreation, your priorities. Long before you get into crisis mode, am I going to do this or not? You see, you make the decision long before then. And you put your trust and confidence in God that while I may have to say no here, while my flesh may be wanting to say yes here, you believe that his will is best for you, that he is watching you, and you must have the confidence that he will indeed reward you ultimately.

The problem with that confidence is that in the moment of our testing, we’re offered temporary relief, temporary pleasure. And that seems so inviting because the long-term offer of reward seems so very far away, but that’s where we need to have trust and confidence that it will be worth the investment. Well, what is the fire that we sometimes have to face? If not physical persecution, perhaps it’s a health problem, or the pain that is associated with aging, I wouldn’t know anything about that. Financial concerns, persuasive peers, unfaithful family members, a troubled relationship, appealing temptation, responsibilities and stress of various kinds. Oh, it’s nothing compared to the fire that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to face, but sometimes we go through some of these and we think nobody’s suffering like me.

It may not be fire, but it hurts a lot.

3. They Violated the King's Command

Because I know it does. But in the midst of the crisis. Are we going to shine brilliantly in faith? Putting our trust in God. Are we going to chunk it? Secondly, they violated the king’s command. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who put their trust in him, violating the king’s command. Oh, this is where it gets tough. They said to the king, absolutely not. They said no. We’re going to have to learn to say that word when the time of testing comes. Not, well, we’ll see. Maybe this once. God will understand. No, we need to say no. And the no was simply understood. Oh, Nebuchadnezzar. We don’t need to give you an answer concerning this.

We’ve already decided where we’re going to stand. Even if no one else does, I don’t need to give you an answer.

Are we emphatic? In the time of testing and trial. I’ll tell you, when you say no, there’s a lot to lose from an earthly point of view. Some of you can talk about on your job when you were encouraged to do what you know is not right and having to say, I’m not going to do that. And the potential consequences of such a stand. Some of you have been through that. Or the peers who want you to behave in a certain way or do something, and you know it puts you in harm’s way spiritually, and say, you know, I can’t do that. That compromises my convictions. And no matter how persuasive and tantalizing it may be, the answer is no. Even to the extent if I have to violate the president’s command.

4. They Yielded Up Their Bodies

We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5, verse 29. And then they were willing to go all the way and yield up their bodies. What a marvelous example Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are to us who are called to be living sacrifices. Holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. We must yield up our bodies in the service to Christ. And that may eventuate in the actual laying down of our lives physically, but we have already laid down our lives for Him. That’s what our baptism meant. I’m laying down my life for you. And as you do that, and all of that, all that is involved in that, sometimes, you will grow very weary.

5. Who Said These Words? King Nebuchadnezzar

If need be to advance Jesus’ cause in the world. Well, I wanted to look at verse 28, but I’m not done with it. I’ve got one more thing. And this is the final part of this that I want you to pay close attention to. And I’ve overlooked this to this point intentionally. These three things about these three young men. Who said it? Well, Daniel wrote it. The Holy Spirit, by inspiration, delivered it to Daniel. But these are quotations. Who said these words? King Nebuchadnezzar did. Blessed be the God. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who sent his angel and delivered his servants who put their trust in him, violating my command, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies, so as not to serve or worship any God except their own God.

I don’t know how it all played out for old King Nebuchadnezzar, but you would think, with the dream and Daniel in chapter 2, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 3, also known as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And then the pride issue in chapter 4, where God humbles them and he ultimately is allowed to recover and remain as emperor of the world. Wow. No emperor of any world empire ever got so much spiritual teaching as Nebuchadnezzar. And every time Nebuchadnezzar comes through this, he is impressed with the God of Israel. And he was impressed with these three men. These are the words of Nebuchadnezzar. So let’s think about this on the day of judgment. Let’s suppose that when it comes time for God to deliver the verdict about you and about me, that he says, I’m going to let someone else decide your fate.

Not your brothers in Christ. You know, we’re going to be there rooting for each other. Yeah, let Mike in. Go ahead. I’m going to let your friends render the verdict. Your coworkers. Your family members who weren’t Christians. Your relatives, your neighbors. And here’s the deal. Will they say you were different? Or they were just like me. What does the world see in you and me? Do they see people who are living by a different standard? Oh, it may indict them. They may not like what they see. And they could well tell God, you know, I really didn’t like them very much because the way they lived and died at me. Fine, you’ll get in with that. But what if they were to say, no, they weren’t any different than I was?

What do you think the judgment will be?

Conclusion

So, not what I see and what these people see who are in this building tonight, but what would your co-workers say? Here was a king of the world who said, I want to tell you about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And let me tell you, is there not great power in the example of a righteous life in the midst of an ungodly world? Look at the impact these three men had in their decision that could well have eventuated in their fiery death. But God had other plans. So what do your friends say about you? Are we different? May the Lord help us this week to think about the impact we can have on the world by being loyal to Jesus and putting our trust in him regardless of the consequences.

And if there’s someone in this audience tonight who has not yet put your trust and confidence in him, I want to tell you that a lot of times that is the issue. Whether people obey the gospel for the cleansing of their sins, or they don’t. Bottom line, it is do I believe I need this? Do I believe this is going to be something positive in my life? And a lot of times people aren’t convinced of that. They think this is restrictive and limiting and gonna have a lot more fun doing my own thing out there. And they don’t have confidence that Jesus will teach us the best way to live. To be able to say, my citizenship is somewhere else. It’s not here. My citizenship is in heaven.

And so if you’d be a Christian and place your confidence in your creator and redeemer and the judge of all the earth, you’ll be blessed by such a decision as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego work. So if you’re subject to the call of the gospel, come now as we stand and sing.

It shines to like the shores of home, where the soul of man never dies. Dear friends, there will be no there’ll be no tears and dies where all be says no, and the soul has never dies. I’m on my way to that, where the soul has never dies, where there will be no party, and the soul can never dies.