Thursday, May 05, 2005

 

 

Dear Family,

 

I have been considering the verses below for sometime. There are a number of lessons in these verses that I want to share, but sometimes it is hard for me to put the message into words to deliver to others. These messages just keep coming up like God is trying to drive home the message to me so I can share them with whoever he has selected to receive them.

 

In giving these messages to you I just want to stir up your thoughts so that you will be prepared to receive the message that God is going to give just to you.

 

First let us look at the story. King Nebuchadnezzar had created a golden image of some sort and issued an order that every one would worship only this false God and none other. When it was brought to his attention that some were not obeying his order he was furious and had the dissenters brought to him. He then ordered that they be bound and thrown into a fiery furnace.  

 

Dan 3:22-28

22). Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

23). And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24). Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

25). "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

26). Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.

27). And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

28). Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! (NKJ)

 

Too many times the trials I find myself facing are due totally or in part to the golden images I cherish and honor in my life. Too many times I find justification for my golden images but the justification only pleases me not Him. The worst part is the difficulty I have in recognizing my images. It is easy enough to see yours but so difficult to see mine. Nebuchadnezzar thought he had the power to insist that the people do what pleased him but quickly discovered that only those who were not loyal to God honored his command. Be careful who you listen to or who you follow. If their civil and individual rights do not include the principles taught by the one true God then their goal is probably self serving.

 

In verse 22 the men who bound Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were themselves consumed by the fire and the three faithful men were not thrown into the furnace but rather fell into it. Notice that the ropes furnished by the king were consumed but not one thread of the clothes or hairs of the heads of these three were singed.  The king couldn’t even get these men into the furnace and was powerless to get them out. God permitted them to be in the flame and it was God who made it possible for them to walk out of the furnace. Notice who it was that was in the furnace with them.  If this was indeed Christ (the Son of God) it shows Christ’s deity for he had not been born as a man to the world. Further notice that he was in the flame with the men and gave them the victory over the flame and they were able to come out unharmed. The king recognized who the forth person in the furnace was. It took drastic measures for God to show King Nebuchadnezzar and his counselors who the real God was.  Sometimes it takes drastic measures for God to get our attention and for us to see Him and His plan.

 

One of the most inspiring thoughts of this story is that God permitted the three faithful men to be in the furnace. The three seemed to be unphased by the heat or flames and notice that the ropes were even removed by the flames. The lesson here seems to say that when we are faithful to God we can be in the midst of the furnace but not only will we be protected from the harm the flames would bring but He himself will indeed be in the furnace with us. Even more encouraging it that he makes it possible for us to walk in the furnace and to walk out.

 

This story shows us the miraculous power of the God and creator of the universe.  It shows us that this God will deliver from the fiery furnace of life and even death those who remain faithful to him.

 

Now I do not know what binds you as the ropes did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego but I do know that God has the power to free you from those ties. I do not know what the fiery furnace is that you may be in the midst of at this time but I do know that God can see you through the flames unharmed. It doesn’t matter how you got in the furnace, what matters is how you get out. 

 

Sometimes God has to permit us to be put in that furnace to humble us. A diamond is simply mud in the river bottom until it is put under the extreme heat and pressure of centuries of change. It is first mud then it becomes septic, then coal and finally the diamond. But even as a diamond it is not a beautiful valuable object until it is broken by the master gemstone cutter.  Only then is it worthy to adorn the hand of the bride.  

 

Love ya,

 

Dad