BEFORE YOU CONDEMN, CONSIDER THIS – GOD HAS PLANS (3)

Post date: Sep 15, 2020 11:22:00 PM

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, despite what they saw constructed by men waiting to destroy them; despite what they heard the people said concerning their lives; despite the expression of fear in the hearts and eyes of all the people waiting and watching; despite the treat and boldness of king Nebuchadnezzar; despite the increase in heat and the fierceness of the burning finance; despite the knowledge that they will not be spared in any way except they compromise their faith by falling down to worship the man-made-god of Nebuchadnezzar; despite the knowledge that they were in their last hour seeing and living on earth; despite the fact that their earlier decision had brought them face-to-face with death, these three men did not condemn themselves even though they were condemned by the accusing mob and the king; they did not condemn their earlier decision not to bow to pressure or compromise their faith; they did not condemn the king or condemn the mob for condemning them or condemn the construction of the burning furnace; they did not speak condemning the King’s action or god; they did not condemn the action of God for allowing them to openly face the mob, openly face the king, openly see the fire burning in the finance, and they did not condemn their faith, but rather they spoke with confidence expressing their readiness to die.

“There are some Jews whom you put in charge of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who are disobeying Your Majesty's orders. They do not worship your god or bow down to the statue you set up. At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the three men to be brought before him. He said to them, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you refuse to worship my god and to bow down to the gold statue I have set up? Now then, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, oboes, lyres, zithers, harps, and all the other instruments, bow down and worship the statue. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Do you think there is any god who can save you? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then He will. But even if He doesn't, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.” Daniel 3:12-18

That was boldness on display before King Nebuchadnezzar, the accusers, and the mob waiting and watching even at the point of being burnt alive in the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar’s fire. How bold have you been before men for God’s sake? How bold have you been on resisting attempts to compromise your faith? What are the pressures seeking the compromise of your faith? What are the issues seeking for you to change what you have believed in Christ Jesus? What are the offers seeking for you to forgo your obedience to the word of God? What are the threats to your job, your finances, your income, your marriage, your profession, and your current position seeking you to forgo spiritual discipline and godly self-control? God did not tell these three men in a dream or word of knowledge that He had a plan to rescue them; all they did was to trust in Him and surrender their lives to Him alone. Unlike them, we have been told in the scriptures that God has a plan with our name on it and His plans will not fail; we have been told in revelations and dreams and word of knowledge that God will help us, He will defend us and He will deliver us from all afflictions. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, king Nebuchadnezzar and others in the scene waiting and watching did not know that God has His plans to deliver them, and on that very day, in that very place, before the king and the people, God delivered these three men. The God who delivered them will deliver you. Like Daniel, standing up to their faith, these three men told Nebuchadnezzar, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then He will. For prayers, Click here