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Daniel #8

 (Daniel 3:16-25 KJV) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

This is the image of the born-again children of God. The born-again children of God do not fear death. This is a great testimony. They spoke with an authoritative voice, confident, unexcited, calm, yet fearless. This is because God is with them. Christians must bear this witness. Not a testimony of “I worked hard and God gave me a lot of money,” but rather a testimony of God’s power before people. When Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Who is the God that will save you?” These guys were bold before the king! Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty king of his time. How dare they speak like this in front of him? God allowed the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but he was too proud and arrogant, which later caused his great downfall. They didn’t hesitate but responded immediately but boldly proclaimed, “Even if you throws us in the furnace, God can save us. Regardless O king, we will not serve your gods.” We Christians, whether you live or die, just have to obey the word of God. Even when we pray for the sick, we just have to pray and leave it to God to heal them. There’s nothing to be disappointed because of God did not heal them, and there’s nothing to be proud of God’s healing powers. It is all up to God. People tend to believe God doesn’t have the ability when their prayers aren’t answered immediately. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego did not doubt God’s ability, whether God could deliver them or not. This is the attitude of those who rejoice in God. That is why people lose their faith and become afraid when something doesn’t go the way thought of after the prayer. It may seem the world is ridiculing them. But it doesn’t matter. God will take care of everything if you simply obey His words. If we pray according to God’s will, it doesn’t matter whether it comes true or not. It doesn’t matter if it happens right away, a month, or 10 years later. Pastor Song has been trying to lead people with the Word of God during his ministry, and some words took 20 years to be fulfilled. Therefore, if you hold on to the Word and pray, it will surely come true. Likewise, praying for salvation of our non-believing family members will definitely come true. It’s not because God doesn’t have the ability. When we pray, God does it in God’s time and in God’s way, never in our own way or our methods. Just as (Acts 16:31 KJV) says: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. It will definitely come true, so we just have to pray for it. We must always pray according to the scripture, not of my own will.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego did not doubt the power of God. But if not doesn’t mean God can save even if He has no ability. God has this ability. The question is, will God send them to heaven at that time, or will He save them from the furnace? It depends on God’s will. He told us to pray according to God’s will and not to doubt. Getting these men out of the furnace is not a matter of God’s ability, but of God’s will. If there is a problem for us Christians, it has nothing to do with God’s power. It’s not that God can’t solve our problems because He doesn’t have the ability to do so. But Satan tempts us. I prayed like this, but God didn’t hear me. Satan whispers deception into us. Just like in the Garden of Eden, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1 KJV) Didn’t God say He answers all prayers? Satan always deceives and discourages those who pray according to the Word. This is why Christians today are tempted and led astray. There is nothing wrong with God’s abilities. However all we need to remember is if that is God’s will, then that’s all we need to know. And even if it’s not a good outcome, even if our prayers are not answered, if it’s God’s will, then we just have to obey. In every thing give thanks: (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV) We don’t have to worry about the results when we pray. That’s all up to God to decide. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego decided not to commit the sin of bowing down to the golden image. Holding onto God’s word not to worship idols, they simply obeyed, believing God will take care of the rest. After all, people are appointed to die once. What is important is the judgment afterwards. The judgment is more important than death. That’s why people with this kind of faith have nothing to fear. There shouldn’t even be a discussion of about whether or not to visit the Shinto shrine during the Japanese colonial period in Korea. Every pastors and minister did it, as there were only a few, including Pastor Joo Ki-cheol, who was against it and did not visit the shrine or bow down. It’s the same today. Tolerance. It’s okay to bow your heads as long as we don’t acknowledge with our hearts. Even with the Japanese police threats and torture, Pastor Joo resisted. Since that didn’t work they tried to convince him not to bow down but simply meditate in the car as they passed by the shrine. This is how Satan deceives. Pastor Joo Ki-cheol did not do that either. If you are deceived like that once, you won’t realize it right then, but you will experience great agony later down the road. Here, the young prisoners speak boldly in front of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of kings of that time. They didn’t beg for mercy. Rather said bluntly, We won’t. Even if you throw us into the fiery furnace. This caused Nebuchadnezzar to become furious, and the form of his visage changed. His facial expression changed by someone insignificant defying his orders. The fiery furnace was so hot, the people who threw these guys were killed by the flames. Usually when people were thrown into the furnace, they were stripped off of their clothes and hats. But the king was so angry, he threw them into the furnace fully clothed. Anyone tossed into that furnace burned up instantly. Even iron ore melted instantaneously. Human flesh and bones are no big deal.

            Normally, people would raise all sorts of ruckus before execution, but these guys just went in quietly. Historically speaking, many Christian martyrs were set on fire alive on pyre during the Middle Ages. Realizing their martyrdom was for the Lord, these folks just laughed even they were turning into a pile of ash. Unfortunately, many people who go to church in our modern times are unlike Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego or Daniel. But if you have the Holy Spirit, you can do it. We can never do it on our own. But because the Holy Spirit gives power at the right time, the apostle Paul said, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV) Real born again Christians normally look weak. But when the time comes, with persecution they become stronger. Like the underground church members hidden in North Korea. Imagine how surprised Nebuchadnezzar must have been. Three people were bound inside the furnace, but they were all freely roaming around with another person with them. Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Many Revised Bibles say, like a son of a god or son of the gods. Jesus walked there with them. In the eyes of the theologians, He was the son of the gods, but Nebuchadnezzar said He was the Son of God. Theologians just could not fathom that the Son of God go in there. So they corrected the Bible to the son of the gods with lower case s and g. Unbelievable. They altered the words of the Bible. It is written as the Son of God in the King James Bible with the definite article with capital S and G. The is definite article referring to something specific. A is an indefinite article. Like one of the gods. A son of God. Bible like the NIV altered the words Son and God to lower case. Modern theologians are worse than Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar did not believe in God, but he at least acknowledged God and worshipped Him. He even worshiped Daniel, the man of God. When theologians didn’t understand something in the Bible, they altered it as they pleased. In the Old Testament, there are cases where angels are called sons of God. Then it’s lower case. But when the angel refers to Jesus Christ, it is capitalized. (Galatians 4:14 KJV) And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul had a physical illness. When he prayed for others, they were healed even as his shadow passed by, but the apostle Paul himself was sick. Yet the Galatians did not ignore or reject him, but received him as an angel of God, just like Jesus. (Acts 27:23 KJV) For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, This is also the Lord who appears like an angel. Therefore, it is very unlikely that Nebuchadnezzar knew about the Son of God. Theologians could not believe a king like Nebuchadnezzar know God. Actually, Nebuchadnezzar knows better than they do. He recognized Daniel as a man of God. Many theologians think they know God when they don’t compared to the ancient kings Cyrus, Darius, or Nebuchadnezzar. The god of the world has blinded the minds and prevented the light of the glorious gospel of Christ from shining through. In other words, many people hear the Word and learn it. But it remains in their heads and does not penetrate into their hearts. Because they don’t understand. Many people listen to the Word. Many young people listen to the Word. But what young people do not realize is that it is in their heads, and because the devil works in their heads and argues against the scripture, or because they argue with the worldly knowledge they learned in school, in the end words cannot go down to their hearts. No matter how many times they hear the gospel, they don’t realize that they are sinners as they ask, Why did Jesus die for me? How can He die for my sins 2000 years ago? Simply saying it’s just a nonsense. Therefore, in these last days, Satan is working hard to deceiving one more person causing them not to realize they’re a sinner, keeping them from believing in Jesus, and just have them receive Christ with their lips and not with all their heart. The people of the Old Testament era knew about God a thousand years before Nebuchadnezzar was born.

            (Job 38:7 KJV) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? The stars are called angels in the Bible. They are called sons of God. On the other hand, King Solomon knew 400 years before Nebuchadnezzar that God had a son named Jesus Christ. King Solomon wrote this proverb. (Proverbs 8:22-23 KJV) ¶ The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.  “I” here is not Solomon. That’s Jesus. Solomon knew through the Holy Spirit. He spoke the words as if Jesus personally spoke them. So did David. Here, you can quickly know me and I is Jesus Christ’. Who has been possessed by God from eternity and from the beginning? The on and only Jesus Christ. God who is the Word. Proverbs was written by Solomon 400 years before King Nebuchadnezzar. He knows about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is eternal, he can foresee the past, present and future. (Proverbs 30:4 KJV) Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? His Son is Jesus Christ. A person who can answer “yes” when asked if he can name his Son is truly a man of God. Jesus Christ is the Word of God. He was known to a man named Job a thousand years before King Nebuchadnezzar. It is said that only Nebuchadnezzar did not know the Son of God, who was known to Solomon 400 years ago. Theologians today say that they didn’t know because they were not born again. Without the Holy Spirit, you will never know. Theology is man-made. All we need to study is the Bible. Theology is the study of God. This is equivalent to ancient philosophy. In the eyes of Nebuchadnezzar, the fourth man was seen as the Son of God. Invisible because even though they have eyes but don’t see and with ears don’t hear. We know that it is Jesus Christ who appeared as the angel of the Lord.

            (Daniel 3:26-28 KJV) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. What a wonderful sermon! We learn a tremendous spiritual lesson from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. ¶ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12-13 KJV) Although we do not go into the fire like that, we are also subjected to fiery trials. Nevertheless, you must know that our Lord is with us, just as He was with those three when they went into the fiery furnace. Although there are many trials throughout life, once it is over, it seems like nothing. A reminder that the Lord is with us when we go through fiery trials. Had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not gone through such a trial, they would not have experienced walking with the Lord. We know that the Lord is with us when we are in trouble. That’s why He sometimes allows us to face trials. Therefore, it strengthens our faith even more. Gold becomes refined once it has gone through purification process inside the furnace. Job said: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10 KJV) Like pure gold. The reason we are given trials sometimes is for God to refine us further so that all the dregs can be destroyed and then give us assurance that the Lord is truly with us. Therefore we must always be thankful.

            (Daniel 3:28 KJV) ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Nebuchadnezzar knew God. An angel is a manifestation of God. When God appears, he sends an angel. An angel of the Lord appeared with a sword unto Joshua and Balaam in the Old Testament. But without knowing this, the Jehovah Witnesses say Jesus is an angel and not God. They are ignorant because they lack the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the appearance of the Son of God and the angel of God means that God Himself appeared in human form. Genesis 18:19 tells us that our Lord appeared to Abraham in the form of a man 2,000 years before Jesus came in flesh, that is, 4,000 years ago from today. Not many people have preached like Nebuchadnezzar did in verse 28. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego trusted God 100% as they completely believed in him and gave their body to God. God saved them. The reason being: First, they completely trusted God. Second, they were not afraid of people, but only feared God. Third, they gave their body to God. The apostle Paul said: ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1 KJV) We worship on Sundays. This is not really worship, but worship is giving our bodies unto the Lord completely. No matter how great a service is, if we don’t give our bodies, it’s not worship. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 KJV) Even in distress, we just give our bodies. Even in tribulation. That is when God’s good will will be revealed. It shows how God has been with us. It is to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego offered their bodies as a living sacrifice to God. That is proper worship. But these days, most worship services end with religious ceremonies. Many just sing only through lips without offering the body, and say ‘Lord, Lord’ only with their lips. We have to trust and depend on the Lord first. It has to be 100 percent. Afterwards, we have to offer our bodies. Just give up for the Lord even if it means death. Then the Lord will save you. Even if He doesn’t, we will meet the Lord immediately when our body dies. It was to the extent that they changed the king’s order because they trusted God. Again: Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the future Antichrist. During the future Great Tribulation, there will be people who will follow the footsteps of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These people will enter the Millennial Kingdom. These three young men are the model of the remnant during the Great Tribulation. They will be so bold when they come to know Jesus. God is currently planning to select these people, refine them through the Great Tribulation, and grant them entry into the Millennial Kingdom. The Great Tribulation is the final crucible for the Jews. The Antichrist during the future Great Tribulation will be more evil than Nebuchadnezzar. However, because the 144,000 Jewish youths, male virgins, received the Seal of God, they will never die during the Tribulation as they roam the earth preaching the gospel. Elijah and Moses also come down and preach the gospel. They rebuke the Antichrist, and they die and are resurrected on the third day. The final 70th week remains before our eyes, so we must be born again today and receive the blessing of meeting the Lord in the air when He returns on the Day of Christ. Therefore, now and today is the day of salvation and the day of receiving grace.

            Let us pray. You are correct Father God. You want us to fully trust only in you and offer our mortal bodies to you Lord. For that is when the Lord will save and be glorified. We want to trust you Lord 100%. Father God, therefore, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, we do not fear the ordeal even in our distresses, but even when such ordeal comes before us, we want to simply offer our bodies in gratitude and submit to God’s will. We want to no matter how stressful, painful, needy or troubled I am. Please give this sort of faith to all the saints who belong to this church and help us to be victorious. Please help us to become warriors of faith who can silently offer sacrifices of thanksgiving with patience before the Lord. Therefore, help us to praise the Lord when the work of Satan appears, just as the serpent who came by one way and flees by seven. Father God let us be purified before the coming of the Lord, so that all unbelief in us be eliminated, and so that we can truly worship by offering ourselves in the midst of 100% faith in the Lord. Just as the Lord said to the Samaritan woman at the well, God delights in those who worship Him in spirit and in truth], You want to receive the worship of such people who are born again of the Holy Spirit and fully obey the word of truth. Lord, help us that all who enter this place may truly worship in spirit and in truth and become true worshipers who go out into the world and offer their bodies to give true and proper worship. We thank and pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.