How to deal with life problems, trial and tribulation is a continuation from Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and music. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and present a picture of how to deal with life problems, trial and tribulation.
That at what time your hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. And whoso falls not down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace (Dan 3:5-6).
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not bow down and worship the image when the music played. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up (Dan 3:12).
Then Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they be brought before him so that he may command them to bow down to his image before him.
Dan 3:15: 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 music, 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?
Nebuchadnezzar was telling Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that since he has allowed them worship their God they should also bow down to his god. This is the way of the enemy.
He tells you and me that we can go to church on Sunday but on Saturday and Friday nights go to clubs, drink a little alcohol, get drunk, fornicate and commit adultery etc. He tells you that you can worship your God but also sin a little (worship his god).
Wake up people and see this devils snare.
Faith in God not in our faith
Shadrack, Meshack and Abedinego answered, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter’. Why? They were not going to bow down to this image in any way.
And they added, ‘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’ (Dan 3:17-18).
They trusted and had great faith in God not in their faith reason they said ‘if not so’. Not that God is unable to deliver them from the burning fiery furnace but they trusted in His will.
Many people today command God not allowing His will be done. You will hear someone say, ‘God will deliver me from this sickness, God will deliver me from poverty, God will deliver me from this and that, God will do this and that’. Where is God’s will in all this?
Instructing, commanding and dictating God what He will do is not allowing His will be done. We must have faith in God’s will not faith in our faith.
Nebuchadnezzar cast the three in the fiery furnace but looking inside the fire, he saw four men walking freely.
Lo, I see four men walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God (Dan 3:25). The fourth man was Jesus Christ.
Inside life problems trial and tribulation
Shadrack, Meshack and Abedinego were bond before being cast into the fiery furnace but only their bonds burned to set them free. Dan 3:21: 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.
Nebuchadnezzar saw them walking freely inside the fiery furnace. Fiery furnace or troubles or tribulations in our life are not there to burn us out but burn away the bonds which hold has captives to set us free. Christianity is freedom.
Inside troubles or tribulations (fiery furnaces) Jesus Christ is there with us. He protects us that we are not burned out but the tribulations (fiery furnace) burns all bonds which hold us captives to set us free.
Not even a single hair is burned out in troubles but all bonds are burned that we may be free to have a relationship and experience Jesus Christ.
Many people, even Christians, faith start deteriorating when inside troubles. They start asking and doubting if God is there with them. Their faith weakens instead of growing strong and strong.
Trouble will never burn you out because Jesus Christ is there with you and when all is over, the Nebuchadnezzar’s will see the power of Jesus Christ in what you have experienced and proclaim that He is God.
Job went through troubles but He stood strong to God never loosing his faith and through his troubles many people saw the power of God. Through the troubles you are facing many will see the power of God and acknowledge Him as God.
Like Nebuchadnezzar they will say, ‘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. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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’ Dan 3:28-29.
Be faithful and stand still.
The three, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, represent the children of Israel inside the tribulation when God pours His wrath to a disobedient world and to the Antichrist as seen in the Book of Revelation.
They will be in the tribulation (the fiery furnace) but Jesus will be inside there with them. He will protect them, they will never be burned but instead they will walk freely inside the tribulation.
Jesus will only protect the Jews not the gentiles. Therefore the gentiles will be burned by the wrath of God and the wrath of Antichrist. We will see more in the coming full study of the Book of Revelation.
Stand strong Jesus is with you inside life problems, trial and tribulation.
We talk of the three friends of Daniel who were cast into the fiery furnace but where was Daniel? I will answer this later in another article.
Peace be with you.
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