05.31.2015 Daniel 3 - Quiet Resistance to Conforming to the Culture of the World

Lord, thank You that Your Spirit leads us. Lord, this morning, there are things we don’t know and we want to be able to listen to what You have to say to us – even if it is hard to hear.
Daniel 3 – the story of the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace:
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Confrontation between two cultures, religions and gods – this will determine which god is more powerful – either the god of Nebuchadnezzar or the God of Israel. We live in a similar situation – similar confrontation – today. There are similarities to the time of Daniel – one caution: we need to be careful in who we are confronting and how we are engaging in this confrontation. When we draw lines regarding who is on each side – we can find ourselves on the wrong side of the line as it relates to Jesus!
There are things to learn about how to be involved in this massive change in our world – and all the confrontations that are going on – from Daniel.
This statue is 90 feet tall – and now he is escalating the conflict. It is meant to be a symbol of awe and power and fear and it is meant to intimidate everyone. He invites everyone to come and see what is going on – and one thing that is interesting – we are never told what this image looks like! But the point is – it is a representation of Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar. How often do people groups claim to be all-powerful in this world?
. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, 5 that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. 6 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”
He gathers everyone together throughout the land – and he is presenting a universal ideal – everyone will do this – throughout the land – everyone will think like this and will worship the same gods – the same power – and there will be great pressure on all to line up with what Nebuchadnezzar is asking them to do.
We live in a similar world – there are universal ideals that are being proclaimed and we are being pressured to line up with those narratives, and the sad thing is – we often don’t even realize that we are lining up.
This was a bad law that Nebuchadnezzar set up – evil! And yet, God will work through this evil law – to demonstrate His power. Like a Romans 8:28 moment.
In the end – you already know it anyway – because of Veggie Tales – everyone will worship the true God because of this.
No matter how it looks now, God’s ultimate purposes will always be fulfilled – eventually – at some point.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.
They have SPIES! – Whether it be like Hitler or Stalin – there are those who try to make everyone get in line – and there are spies to rat you out!
9 They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. 11 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
Who are you gonna serve? That’s what Daniel is asking. That’s what Bob Dylan asked – You gotta serve somebody!
We are all being pulled. There are powers – gods out there – not statues – but things that are pulling us away from full devotion to Christ.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do 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 hands?”
The god that Nebuchadnezzar set up was very overt – very obvious – but I suggest that the gods that we confront tend to sneak in – they are hard to see – hard to grasp – they come in the back door. They have shapes – money, wealth, sex, power, control – these are the images of the gods today.
Back then, the image stood for power. There are foundational realities – underlying - narratives that drive the motives of those things. By the time a child is 5-6, he is inundated with these things.
A few – Television – songs – stories – cinema, politics, culture – the business world – they can be summed up in commercials. The point is – it seems incredibly harmless –
Things make you happy – This is the god of consumerism we worship. We really believe – that if I only had THIS – it would add meaning to my life.
Another one – you are your feelings – feelings matter most.
Yes, they are important – but they are not to control our behavior. We try to teach young children to not act out those feelings, don’t we? This is the god of pleasure – if it feels good, do it.
Another one – I am the only one who can decide what is right or wrong for me. This sounds okay – but is it? Pay attention to commercials – You deserve a break today – have it your way – miller time – but we don’t see that they are affecting us.
These three in the story have quiet resistance to the pressure. The king did not know – until the Spies came and told. Their focus was on faith. It was a gentle non-conformity to evil. They were not confronting Nebuchadnezzar – they were called out by spies.
Sometimes we are tested in the things we don’t do. They refused to worship before this image. What should we refuse to get involved in?
14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do 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 hands?”
Nebuchadnezzar is going to lose…
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.
What a reply! Can you imagine? Coming before the king of the world – and saying – we are not going to answer – does that remind you of anyone? (Jesus!) – that’s always a safe answer in church! John 19:8 Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he entered into the Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate *said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above;

17 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. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

What this tells us – we do not owe the world an apology, explanation, or answer for our faith – all we owe them is a witness. THE GOD WE SERVE – give a witness by serving God – IS ABLE TO DELIVER – WILL DELIVER! THERE IS NO QUESTION WHO IS IN CHARGE – but even if He doesn’t – we will still be faithful. Just like Jesus – our witness is most powerful when we suffer because of our faith.
When people in charge get these kinds of responses – boy do they get upset!
Paul – when we are not alarmed – it is a sign of destruction for them – and salvation for you – and they are going to react – to get angry.
When you see on the news ISIS - persecuting/executing the Coptic Christians – it is amazing to see their silent walking and then death. We think they lost – but did they ever win! Where was the power seen? Not in the people with the guns!
So – he answers…
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.”
(now THAT Is how you answer the king when you want to be in his favor!)
25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”
They experience the presence of God in the midst of difficulty – when things are most difficult – that is when God enters in and we are able to best experience His presence!
Have you ever thought about the rest of the people who did not worship the image? It worked out okay for those three – but what about the rest – may have worked out not so nice! Even in the situation – Christians killed by ISIS – experience the power of the presence of God. Ps. 23 – though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, YOU ARE WITH ME!
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God (He answers his own question – there is a god – and it is not me!), and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around 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, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
Have you ever had a bonfire? You go in the house and have to wash the clothes – but not even that!
28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.
Nebuchadnezzar NOW does the witness!
How do we witness? We trust in God. It is evident? Can people see it at your work? They did not conform – remember gentle nonconformity – not this in your face stuff.
Romans 12:1 –
They worshiped only one God. Do our lives represent that? When we do – people will be drawn to that.
29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
Inasmuch as there is no other god who can deliver…
All of the promises of the gods of culture are unable to deliver what they are promising and what people are hoping from them – only God can truly deliver.