HIS GLORY WITNESSED: THE HEBREW BOYS CHANGED A NATION!

HIS GLORY WITNESSED: THREE HEBREW BOYS.  CHANGED A NATION!

 “... Then Nebuchadnezzar came [again]… near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, 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 Abednego, 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. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort… Then the king PROMOTED Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon…” (DANIEL 3).

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The Hebrew Boys TEACH bible students that when you CHOOSE to willfully OBEY God’s instructions, there is NO room for compromise. “... [They]... yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. …” (DANIEL 3).

Many of God’s people will, voluntarily, COMPROMISE God’s instructions in a heartbeat or a bleak of an eye. “…Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer ...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides ...Ye fools and blind ...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith ...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess ...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous...Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:13-33 KJV).

“…He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me...” (Mark 7:6 KJV).   

When it comes to STANDING for GOD’s TRUTH many of God’s people will make ADJUSTMENTS to FIT INTO the STATUS QUO even if it CONFLICTS with or totally OPPOSES their Christian principles. “…my people ...kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts...” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).  “…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  “…for thy heart is not right in the sight of God…” (Acts 8:21 KJV).

ALL people have weaknesses, faults, fears, and the NEED to fit it. Some of God’s people BELIEVE God on the inside, but FAIL to demonstrate they BELIEVE him on the outside.“…If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person IS A LIAR and is not living in the truth…” (1 John 2:4 NLT). 

For some believers, the DESIRE to be LIKED and ACCEPTED, by the status quo,  is GREATER than their desire to OBEY God. “…If we “SAY” that we have fellowship with him, and WALK IN DARKNESS (compromising the truth), WE LIE, and DO NOT THE TRUTH…” (1 John 1:6 KJV).

Many believers will SACRIFICE or SELL-OUT their STAND for God’s TRUTH whether than RISK losing FACE (reputation, not fitting in, etc.) or being REJECTED by the status quo. “…They …serve ….their OWN belly (self)…” (Romans 16:18 KJV).  “...We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires...” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

When believers SACRIFICE or SELL-OUT their STAND for God’s TRUTH they end up misrepresenting themselves and the GOSPEL. The bible talks about particular deeds that insult and offend God. “... The person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he (she) has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him...’” (Numbers 15:30-31 NASB).

“... Those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community. Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt (disrespect) and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt...” (Number 15:30-31 NLT).

If you DON’T believe in sex outside of marriage, but you pretend you CONDONE it in the present of others, are you compromising God’s truth in exchange for fitting in or being accepted by the world? “…They …serve ….their OWN belly (self)…” (Romans 16:18 KJV).  “...We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires...” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

There is a term in psychology called “cognitive dissonance,” which describes this kind of compromise. Cognitive dissonance is when what you BELIEVE, in your heart, CONFLICTS or OPPOSES what you actually do behavioral-wise. .“…If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey (follow) God’s commandments, that person IS A LIAR and is not living in the truth…” (1 John 2:4 NLT).  “...We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires...” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

In order to be REAL or AUTHENTIC and not a PHONY or HYPOCRITE it is important for a person’s belief to MATCH a person’s behavior. “…If we “SAY” that we have fellowship with him, and WALK IN DARKNESS (hypocrisy, phoniness, etc.), WE LIE, and DO NOT THE TRUTH…” (1 John 1:6 KJV).

REAL and AUTHENTIC Christians want to BEHAVE consistent with their BELIEFS. However, when PUBLICLY or PRIVATELY challenged, what they DO does not LINE-UP with what they SAY they believe. “…their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6 KJV).  “…for thy heart is not right in the sight of God…” (Acts 8:21 KJV).

A psychologist named Leon Festinger came up with “cognitive dissonance.” This theory basically focuses on how people NEED to have their internal beliefs consistent with their external behaviors.

Cognitive dissonance is HARDER to achieve than most people think and therefore most people STRUGGLE with it in one area or another. It is a POWERFUL struggle.

Many believers CLAIM to VALUE their Christian principles, but FAIL to behave, accordingly, in many situations or circumstances in their lives.

The believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit to HELP them STAND for God’s TRUTH. Their desire to STAND for TRUTH, is personal, and they willfully chose “truth” over self (reputation, identity, etc.). “… The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26 NLT).  “… The Sovereign Lord helps me…” (Isaiah 50:7 NLT).  “…He helps me…” (Psalms 28:7 NLT). “…Blessed are those who wait for his help…” (Isaiah 30:18 NLT). “…You are my helper and my savior…” (Psalms 40:17 NLT).

“…. if any man (woman) be in Christ, he  (she) is a NEW creature: old things are passed away; behold, ALL things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV). ^“…Christ liveth in [you]…” (Galatians 2:20 KJV). “... It is God (the indwelling Holy Spirit) which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV). “… the God of peace… that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in [you, through the indwelling Holy Spirit]… what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV). “…He helps me…” (Psalms 28:7 NLT).

Cognitive dissonance is POWERFUL and heavily INFLUENCES the CONFLICT between one’s Christian beliefs and one’s behaviors or actions. Whichever one is STRONGER (belief or action) you will COMPROMISE the weaker one (belief or action) for it.“…The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the [Holy] Spirit wants. And the [Holy] Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These TWO FORCES are constantly fighting each other, so you are not FREE to carry out your good intentions… …” (Galatians 5 NLT).

In the situation with the Hebrew boys, their BELIEF lined-up with their BEHAVIOR. They STOOD for God’s TRUTH and did NOT compromise. “...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...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

They VALUED God’s truth and proved it by willingly SACRIFICING themSELVES (reputations, identity, etc.)  for it. “...we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

There was NO CONFLICT between what the Hebrew boys SAID they believed and how they actually BEHAVED. The Hebrew boys voluntarily and willfully engaged in behaviors and actions that lined-up and supported what they BELIEVED. “...we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

They HELD onto their BELIEF by making a public CHOICE against the STATUS QUO or in spite of the KING, the entire NATION, and the threat of being thrown into a fiery furnace.“... the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?..” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

Whether than sell-out or sacrifice their beliefs, the Hebrew boys allowed themselves to be thrown into the fire.  “...the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

Even though they were not sure if God would rescue them, they KNEW he could and they were willing to STAND for God’s TRUTH nonetheless. “...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...” Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

“…Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace…“…Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, 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...” (DANIEL 3). “…God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). “…Behold, I am with… [you] and will keep… [you] whithersoever [you]… goest…I will not leave [you]…." (Genesis 28:15 ASV).

The BIBLE says: “... God spake all these words, saying,  I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

What two TRUTHS did the Hebrew boys STAND upon? “...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV). “...Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

The Hebrew Boys were willing to be thrown into a fiery furnace WHETHER than to worship a graven image or any other god, except their OWN. “… [King] …Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: 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 Abednego, 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 flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace…” (DANIEL 3).

The Hebrew Boys cooperated with and followed God’s instructions. “...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

They trusted in God and depended upon his POWER. “...Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

“...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV). “...Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

“... Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up...” (Daniel 3:13-18 MSG).

 What happened when they STOOD for God’s TRUTH? “Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, 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...” (DANIEL 3). “…God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). “…Behold, I am with… [you] and will keep… [you] whithersoever [you]… goest…I will not leave [you]…." (Genesis 28:15 ASV).

The Hebrew boys were IN the situation (fiery furnace), but it DID not prosper over them. “…No weapon that is formed against [YOU]… shall prosper…” (Isaiah 54:17 KJV). “…WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED…" (ROMANS 10:11 NASB). “…TRUST in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). “…The LORD will accomplish (take care of)…that which concerns [you]…” (John 14:31 NASB).

“... Then Nebuchadnezzar came [again]… near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, 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. …” (DANIEL 3).

The Hebrew Boys trusted in God, they depended upon his POWER, and they cooperated or followed his instructions. “...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV). “...Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

 “..Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, 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...” (DANIEL 3). “…God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). “…Behold, I am with… [you] and will keep… [you] whithersoever [you]… goest…I will not leave [you]…." (Genesis 28:15 ASV).

The Hebrew boys DID not compromise their BELIEF in God’s TRUTH to appease King Nebuchadnezzar or the STATUS QUO. “...Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded ...if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, ... be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up...” (Daniel 3:13-19 KJV).

AS A RESULT, they changed the entire NATION and got PROMOTED. “...Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort… Then the king PROMOTED Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon…” (DANIEL 3).

GOD’S GLORY IS WITNESSED IN OBEDIENCE AND IN “HIS” GLORIOUS REWARDS FOR OBEDIENCE!

GOD’S GLORY WAS WITNESSED IN THE WAY “HE” EMPOWERED THE HEBREWS BOYS TO REMAIN OBEDIENCE IN SPITE OF THE PRACTICES OF AN ENTIRE NATION.

GOD’S GLORY WAS WITNESSED IN THE WAY HE PROTECTED THE HEBREW BOYS AGAINST THE WEAPONS OF THE ENEMY (FIERY FURNACE), AND DELIVERED THEM AND PROMOTED THEM!

THIS IS A “POWERFUL” TRUTH!