Hello
Friends!
Welcome
back
to our Encouraging Concepts Bible
study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book
of Daniel painted as a panoramic
landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in
ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…
“The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST,
PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 3: Verses 19-25)
19 Then was
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. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell
down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 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. 25 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 3:19-25
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: In our previous “study” of our great “God’s” wonderful “Word” we find the most sublime
statement any mortal “man” has
ever UTTERED and is
perhaps the greatest affirmation of true FAITH found
wonderfully “written”
absolutely anywhere in the whole of Holy “Scripture” itself:
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 3:17-18
WOW! In
other words: “Our great GOD whom we CONTINUALLY
serve is indeed ABLE to duly DELIVER us and He is far GREATER
than YOU and YOUR gods, O king. In that, we have absolutely
nothing ELSE to say!” That’s pretty DIRECT isn’t
it? – God IS Able!
Little children,
keep yourselves from idols. Amen – 1 John
5:21
These
ARE indeed for “us” today wonderful – WORDS of WARNING!
The MIRACULOUS Deliverance!
Earlier
in this Sovereign saga, we also “learned”
that “Nebuchadnezzar”
had much “rage and fury”
foisted within himself:
Then
Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king – Daniel 3:13
And here AGAIN in these poignant passages of solemn “Scripture” we can CLEARLY claim that
he was now utterly “full of fury” unfurled:
Then was 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 – Daniel 3:19
In fact, his visual “visage
was changed” adamantly “against” our three humble “Hebrew” hero’s “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” in such a way as to make a FOOL out
of himself. He
was so FURIOUS that he began to wrinkle up his
face in DERANGED disgust.
He is so DEMONICALLY thwarted in his egomaniacal
effort to have EVERYONE woefully “worship”
him, he is literally ENRAGED and begins making factious faces
at them! Then “Nebuchadnezzar”
corrosively “commanded” that
his hired henchmen “heat the furnace”
up to some “seven times more”
than it was normally “heated”
as such. This is FOOLISH indeed. WHY?
Because If he truly wanted to TORTURE his “captives”
appropriately, one would think to turn DOWN the “heat”
itself to purposefully PROLONG their suffering. Conversely, to “heat” up the “furnace” some “seven times” much HOTTER seems to relate to LESS trauma.
WOW! He does NOT even
realize what he is DOING here
and has completely lost CONTROL of himself. Here in this caustic “court” filled with spineless flatterers
and pathetic man-pleasers we find these “three” confident “companions” conforming to the excellent EXAMPLE of
this daring “Daniel” in
completely confounding, confusing and
confronting this nasty “King
Nebuchadnezzar” as unto an irritated – Insolent IDIOT!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: This particular “furnace” was most likely a deep pit
dug in the ground with an opening at its top into which “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” were carelessly
“cast” as the “fire” was fed and stoked
from below. The “King Nebuchadnezzar”
most likely built a type of balcony from which he could
look “down” through the
opening to WITNESS what was occurring. Thus, as the “fire” is being stroked HOTTER and HOTTER and HOTTER he calamitously COMMANDS his “most” menacing “mighty men” consisting of the BEST sordid
soldiers hand-selected from this assailant “army” and perhaps were even a PART of his own personal
bodyguard. They were caustically “commanded”
to belligerently “bind” these
“three” legitimate “Hebrew” leaders “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” and
carelessly “cast” them blindly
“bound” into the “burning fiery furnace” of fury:
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 heated. 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 – Daniel
3:20-21
It
is IMPORTANT to note that “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego” were all PROPERLY attired in
formal “Babylonian” garb
consisting of “coats, their hosen, and their
hats, and their other garments” for such a grand event. WHY? Because they were NOT at
all being rudely REBELLIOUS towards “King
Nebuchadnezzar” himself on a personal
level. Rather, they were RESPECTFUL towards him on a professional
level in their rigorous REFUSAL on a spiritual level through
overt OBEDIENCE unto their great “God
in heaven” above! And as a righteous RESULT they
were besettingly “bound” up in
a BIG hurry – Clothes and ALL!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: These “Hebrew”
lads no doubt keenly “knew”
that their “God” was most
likely NOT going to SAVE them from the flaming “fire” itself as they were “cast” on their way “down” into that dank hole. However, even IF they were NOT saved
from their “fiery”
fight, they could still HOPE
to get saved IN this “fiery”
fest. And that is EXACTLY what happened! Perhaps they were REMEMBERING the
very COMFORTING words spoken by the prophet “Isaiah” concerning their PROPHETIC plight:
When thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee – Isaiah 43:2
Therefore,
even though “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego”
indeed “knew” they were NOT going
to eagerly ESCAPE this fierce “fiery”
exposure itself, they were TRUSTING their grand “God”
in their suffering THROUGH this evil experience unto – HIS Great Glory!
Sadly, the soldiers
of the “king”
themselves did NOT have it so well! And “because” of this an unusually “urgent” upheaval urged on by “King Nebuchadnezzar” himself, these mighty “men” of whom had
been “commanded” to coarsely “cast” theses
unbelievably UNCOMPROMISING unison into the “burning fiery furnace” were instead
themselves CONSUMED by the “exceeding hot” fiery “flames” in full:
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 3:22-23
However, as the nebulous
“Nebuchadnezzar” looked towards the fiendish “fiery furnace” he was absolutely “astonished” at just WHAT he had witnessed
himself. He bequeathed of his “counsellors” in boldly BEHOLDING the full fact that not ONLY the
particular “three men” of whom were boldly “bound” and carelessly “cast” in
the “midst of the fire” were present…
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 – Daniel
3:24
Conversely,
the mounted “men” of this
nasty “Nebuchadnezzar” of whom
had “cast” these FAITHFUL few
“into” the bright “burning fiery furnace” were all BURNED to
death. They were all DEAD on the OUTSIDE while the “four
men” were found to be fully ALIVE on
the INSIDE having a grand and – Glorious Time!
And “they”
adamantly “answered”
their caustic “king” in kind “True, O king!” However, “Nebuchadnezzar” himself NOW witnessed “four men loose” of whom were wonderfully “walking
in the midst of the fire” together with “no hurt” to be found upon them:
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 3:25
No doubt the “king” is
really BEWILDERED by now! And as he begins
to PROCESS all that is happening before
his very eyes, he actually speaks with truth as he BEHELD this
unfamiliar “form” of
a certain “fourth man” of Whom was “walking” around in the miry “midst” of this ferocious “fire”
appearing “like the Son of God” as such. And little did he KNOW of
what he said or what he meant by his UNIQUE utterance. However, assuredly
he did surely “see”
within that “burning fiery furnace” the ONLY living “Son of God” as the possible pre-incarnate
appearance of our “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself! The faithful “Jehovah” had keenly KEPT His poignant PROMISE made unto His trusting sweet “servants” to be sure. And this powerful PROCLAMATION has been REPEATED throughout the trying “times of
the Gentiles” during the ruling REIGN of
the adamant – Ancient Roman Empire!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Years BEFORE
this “burning fiery furnace”
event, the Prophet “Elijah”
had been similarly HONORED by another pre-incarnate appearance
of our “Lord Jesus Christ” as represented
by “the angel of the Lord” to personally SERVE him
much “meat” and “drink” at a time he was terribly discouraged
shortly AFTER his powerful participation in
the amazing DEFEAT over the 850
wicked arch ENEMIES of the “God in
heaven” as such…
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and
came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he
might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord,
take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept
under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him,
Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals,
and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down
again. And the angel of the Lord came
again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the
journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in
the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of
God – 1 Kings 19:4-8
How
WONDERFUL it is to keenly “know”
that when we as “Christians”
proceed through life’s often very DIFFICULT journey,
our great “God” Himself is
there WITHIN us securely HELD
in Divine companionship!
And the HOTTER our fiendish “fiery”
trails become, the SWEETER our fine fellowship is enjoyed
– IN
Him!
For nearly 1,200 years pagan
Papal Rome purposefully PERSECUTED the true “believers” our glorious “God” and as a real RESULT mass multitudes
of true ”Christians” sordidly SUFFERED severe martyrdom
under this sadistic SATANIC system. There we find the immense “images” and the maniacal “music” coyly cloaking the pathetic
prostrations and pragmatic political
power ENFORCING a false UNITY foisted
made up of wicked “worship” unfeigned. The “fiery furnaces” were there too. HOW? In the form of a stake
as the most awful TORTURES were immensely imposed
upon those who were FAITHFUL unto our great “God” and
His perfect “word” alone. The Waldensians and Huguenots people
groups of centuries past were noble martyrs
for our “Lord Jesus Christ” and for them came NO physical
DELIVERANCE as their bemoaned “bodies” were completely CONSUMED by the “fiery” flames. Yet, the “Son of God” Himself was indeed “with” them and IN them as their PRAISING hearts were singing a sweet SONG as He
had caringly CARRIED each of them – THROUGH the FIRE!
Similarly, during the PROPHECIED coming of the “great
tribulation” period to “come” upon
the waning “world” at large, a fully FAITHFUL remaining REMNANT of joy-filled “Jews” will severely SUFFER under
the coming “man of sin” just as these “three”
heroic “Hebrews” had experienced. Only – MUCH Worse…
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of
God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with
you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he
who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that
Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is
after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness – 2
Thessalonians 2:3-12
And “they” that boldly “believe” in
the “truth” of the ONE and the ONLY true
“God” Almighty WILL likewise be – Delightfully DELIVERED!
More to follow… STAY tuned!
In
closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44
And
our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will
rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD
some 2,600 years ago could
possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
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