whe the state becomes God

Series: Living in Babylon

November 05, 2022
Michael Boyd

LISTEN ON MIXLR @ https://gbcsl.mixlr.com WATCH US ON YOU TUBE LIVE @ http://www.youtube.com/gracechurch-slus/liveE Join us on Discord at the Grace Baptist Church Hangout https://discord-gg/u9zt9dq Dan 3:8- 18 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared[b] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.[c] But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 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.[d] 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.”

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Episode Notes


  1.  How did these men have the courage to stand there and be willing to say, “Throw us into the fire, but we’ll not deny God whether we are delivered or not?”

    1. They were willing,

    2. They didn’t not judge God by their immediate circumstances.

    3. They trusted in God’s unknown purposes.

  2.  Three lessons that we can learn.

    1. Persecution should be expected.

    2. Most people will bow before the power of the state and its laws.

    3. The fire that purifies us is the fire that actually frees us.







Chrysostom


“Numerous are the waves and the great tossing of the sea, but we have no fear of going down for we stand upon the rock. Let the ocean rage, as it will. It is powerless to break the rock. Let the waves roll. They cannot sink the bark of Jesus. Tell me. What should we fear? Death? For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Exile? The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it. Confiscation of property? (That’s what was happening in those days.) We brought nothing into this world and it is clear that we can take nothing away with us. I despise what the world fears and hold its good things in derision. I do not fear poverty, nor do I desire riches. I am not afraid of death. I do not pray to live unless it be for your good. This is why I speak of what is now taking place, and exhort you to be of good cheer that when the water comes, the waves do not break the rock but are dissolved into foam.”



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