Nebuchadnezzar
made a golden image. The image of gold is described as being sixty cubits (90
ft.) high and six cubits (9 ft.) wide. He commanded all men in his kingdom to
bow down to this image whenever they heard the sound of musical instruments
played and whoever disobeyed would be thrown into a fiery furnace. But these
three young Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to bow down to
the image. They were brought before the king. What was their reply to the
king?
Read verse 16-18 and I quote from the English Standard Version (ESV):
Dan
3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king,
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
Dan
3:17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from
the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
Dan
3:18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve
your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
They
said they had no need to answer the king in this matter. I take it as mean: “O
king, isn’t it obvious? We are Jews and our religion forbids us to bow down to
any graven image” (Exodus 20:4). Their answer means there is no use arguing and
telling the king what their religion is all about seeing the king has knowledge
about it already.
They
said that their God is powerful enough to save them from the fiery furnace. If
they can survive, it will prove that their God is indeed pretty powerful and
the true God.
It
is their answer in verse 18 that caught my attention. They were saying that
even if God did not deliver them from the furnace, they would still believe in
this God. They would not waver in their faith; whatever may be the result,
their determination is settled. You may say that is redundant for they will be
dead anyway and it does not prove there is a God.
What
their answer actually means, come life, come death, we are ready; we would
rather die than sin against our God. Their answer shows their spiritual
fortitude and courage! They were willing to die for their faith. Even if they
had to die, it is gain to them for they will be in heaven: “For to me to
live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Do
you have such faith like those three young men? It is easy to believe in God
when He delivers you from your troubles. But what when God did not answer your
prayer the way you wanted; will you still believe in Him? For example, you
prayed for someone you love very much to be healed from his illness but he died
anyway. Will your faith in God diminish? Or, you love this sister in Christ but
she loves someone else. You pray to God but the answer is still NO. Will God’s
NO answer cause you to lose your faith in Him?
Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego said whatever the outcome, they would still believe in
God. It shows that their minds were made up, and that it was with them a matter
of “principle” not to worship false gods. Their attention was fixed on what was
“right,” not on what would be the result. They were resolved to die rather than
sin; the result doesn’t matter. When God says NO, He is still God. As Job says:
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).
True
faith conquers all fear. Indeed if God be for us, we need not fear what man can
do unto us (Hebrews 13:6). Let the will of God be done: God will deliver us
either from death, or in death: “Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them”
(Revelations 14:13).
True
faith abides regardless of the consequence because it trusts in God to do
right. It matters not what follows - wealth or poverty; honour or dishonour; life
or death; true faith remains steadfast: “Though he slay me, yet will I
trust in him” (Job 13:15).
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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