Believers must stand for God regardless of the potential costs. A Bible study lesson for “Demonstrate Allegiance” from the Lifeway “Explore the Bible” series.

 

Today’s Bible study is on Daniel 3, and the title is “Demonstrate Allegiance.”

This series started in Ezekiel and we’re continuing in Daniel this week. Both the books of Ezekiel and Daniel are considered major prophets. Five books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel) written by four men. (Jeremiah wrote Lamentations.) They are considered “major” prophets because of the length of their books versus the 12 other books of prophecy that are considered “minor.”

When we were studying Ezekiel, we were discussing his intense visions and I wondered what it was about him personally that God chose him to have such vivid visions are kind of crazy experiences. Ms. Barbara pointed out that Ezekiel was a young man and was very intense, he was fiery. She said that older people would be less likely to say something and risk their position and the things that they had. And I think she is right about that.

the four major prophets in the bible

Thinking about it afterward, it occurred to me that is true of all four of the major prophets … they were young when they were called.

Not only did they choose to follow and obey God in spite of pressure, but they had a heart after God. They cared about the things God cared about. They cared about the poor and the oppressed. They were sickened by the corrupt rulers and the hypocritical priests that were taking advantage of their position and exploiting others … those that were only there for the show.  Sounds a lot like today doesn’t it?

That heart was evidence that they were truly seeking after God. While the world was a whirlwind around them, in the middle of the collapse and destruction of their society and for some of them, their removal from everything that they knew and they were taken into exile … They kept their eye on God and his word. They didn’t yet have the witness of Jesus, but they still did what the writer of Hebrews tells us to do, which is to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Today’s lesson is in the book of Daniel, but it isn’t specifically about Daniel. We are going to be learning about a story about Daniel’s three friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

We know a little bit about them from the beginning of the book of Daniel. Daniel and his friends were taken into exile in Babylon in the first deportation which were of the nobility. Their families had position, and they were taken into a foreign land to be trained in a foreign culture. What we know from the first chapter is that Daniel and his friends determined that they would follow after God. That they would be obedient.

Daniel and his friends refuse to eat unclean food

There are a couple of things that I want to point out about this. The first is that it would have been very easy for them to just follow the practices of the Babylonians. The food they ate seems like it would be such a small thing. All of the other youth taken went along with the Babylonian diet. Only those four stood apart. Also, consider this. The Jews weren’t being particularly observant themselves even in their homeland. That is part of what got them in to trouble. But these young men … these teens … stood firm.

The second thing I would like to point out is that, at the time, none of them had any special revelation. They were just following the law given to Moses at Mt. Sinai. They were just doing what they knew God had told their ancestors to do. After they had commit and followed through in that obedience, that the further blessing and revelation came. We are told in Daniel 1:7 that

God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

They were accountable to what they knew and God blessed them. Barry Wilson once said, “Don’t ask God for a revelation if you’re not doing what he’s already told you.”

So here’s a question to ask yourself when you’re in a time when you feel like you’re not hearing God … are you doing what he’s already told you?

trials come in waves

But back to the three friends. They were in the Babylonian court, and they were favored. They had come from being captives to having a position. When you read a book, there Is a problem, it comes to a head, and a resolution. The end. Sometimes we feel that life should be that way too. We solve a problem, we come through something, and we should be done. But that’s not the way life works. There will be waves of opposition intersperse with periods of calm. Some of those waves, the trials, will be bigger than others, some times of calm will be longer. But we have to remember that as long as we’re breathing, we are living in a corrupt world. Trials will come. We always have to be on guard and we always have to decide who we will choose to follow.

Sometimes, the very victory we had can become a trap if we put our trust in ourselves or our position. That is what happened with Gideon. He had a great victory by putting his trust in God, but that very success became the downfall of his family.

We always have to keep our eyes on God and determine to follow after him. We put our trust in God alone, not in ourselves, not in our position, and not in the people around us regardless of their position.

The fear of man is a snare

Solomon writes in Proverbs 29

25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but trusting the Lord means safety.

26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but justice comes from the Lord.

27 The righteous despise the unjust;
the wicked despise the godly.

This is the dilemma the three friends are now facing. In a commentary on Daniel on the Bible Project, they write

“Shinar” is a term used for Babylon with the nuance of a place hostile to faith. It is associated with Nimrod (Gen 10:10), became the locale of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:2), and is the place to which wickedness is banished (Zee 5:11).

They have been taken essentially into the middle of the den of wickedness.  Try to imagine and put yourself in their position. We are going to start reading in Daniel 3.

the statue of Nebuchadnezzar

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Daniel's three friends

In one of the commentaries that I read, the author noted that the problem wasn’t that the friends were worshiping Yahweh. Babylon, as well as all the other cultures of the time, were polytheistic. They had chief or main gods, but there were many that they worshiped. Nebuchadnezzar just wanted to be worshiped as a god among the others. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused.

And I think that same pressure is still here today. In fact, I know it is. I’m just going to say it. There is a huge pressure particularly here in Texas to make an idol out of your political party. Politics has become an idol, and there are positions that many professing Christians say that are actually in complete opposition to God’s word and God’s heart. They aren’t following God, they are following man made positions and their ideas are shaped by corrupt politicians and propagandists rather than the word of God.

But let’s continue with Daniel 3

13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew the cost. They knew that refusing to flatter Nebuchadnezzar would enrage him. They had confidence that God would deliver them, but even if God didn’t, they still determined to follow God.

integrity is always a choice

This week was Holocaust remembrance week and so there’s been a lot of discussion about it: stories from survivors, commentary on the rise in anti-semitism, comments on social media. I came across this comment on Twitter in one of those discussions.

In the 80s,our Jewish family hosted a German HS exchange student. The girl said her grandfather was a Nazi; “there was no choice,” she explained. My Mother took me aside and whispered fiercely, “Remember!  There is ALWAYS a choice!” She was never rude. The memory is seared in me.

Yes, there is always a choice. Potential consequences may not be what we like, but we choose whether we will go God’s way. When we think following God will bring an outcome we don’t want or put us at a disadvantage, we are making a choice. We are choosing evil. We are being evil.

We have this sickness right now in the U.S., it is a mind cult. Thousands of people have bought into this idea that there is this hidden elite, this Illuminati, that is the cause of all the evil in the world that have been pulling the strings. No, that’s not it. They don’t need to go searching on 4chan or Telegram for hidden clues about this group. They just need to look in the mirror.

Albert Einstein on evil

Evil is the absence of God. Evil is where he is not. And when we choose a path that is not in God’s will … we are the evil ones. We are the problem.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abenego were facing that choice. Their lives were on the line … so what happened.

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

So the friends had had favor with Nebuchadnezzar, but that changed in a moment. Nebuchadnezzar turned on them. It is like Solomon warned, “fear of man is a trap.” If you put your trust in people, you will always be disappointed.

shadrach, meschach, and abednego in the fiery furnace

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

God didn’t save Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the consequences of their decision, but he preserved them and walked through it with them. This is one of the theopanies in the Bible. A manifestation of Christ before the Incarnation.

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

Nebuchadnezzar realizes that the one protecting the friends is greater than not only himself, but all the other gods of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar speaks to the friends

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

Sometimes we ask ourselves, why did God allow me to go through this situation. Why did I experience this trial. What happened because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace. God was given glory because his power and presence was shown in the situation. That the friends went through the situation was about more than just them. Their trial had an impact on the king and the entire nation.

The next time you ask yourself that question, ask God how his glory can be shown in the middle of your trial.

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

So how did this end? This began with the three friends being favored among the exiles by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar turned on a dime and wanted to kill them. But God turned it around and the friends were exalted. They were given positions of authority. God blessed them once again because they continued to be obedient. Their focus was on following God and walking in obedience the best they knew how.

Defying the king is not a strategy you will find in any self-help book or advice on how to advance your career. You won’t find it in “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” It is not man’s way, it is following God in spite of what the cost may be.

counting the cost

And our costs are pretty cheap in the U.S., and it seems that the faith of Americans can’t even stand up to that. We say nothing in the face of wrongs because someone might not invite us to their next BBQ, it might cost us a contract at our job. Jesus gave his life for us, but we go along with the crowd because someone might unfriend us on Facebook. If we can’t even stand up to weak peer pressure, who are we serving?

persecution of Christians in Pakistan

Just this morning, Pastor Barnabas sent me a message that two priests were martyred today in Pakistan. They were shot as they were leaving Mass.

I’m sure the parking lot is packed at church today, but I wonder how full it would be if people knew they might be shot as they left? Food for thought.

Each of us decides daily what we will choose. In our everyday actions, we choose if we will go God’s way or our way.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a reminder of how we are to continue to go through this life, not only through a single trial, but until the very end.

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.


This Bible lesson was originally taught by Carla Alvarez on January 29, 2022 in the Kingdom Citizen Bible study Class at the Second Baptist North campus in Kingwood, Texas.