Messed-Up Theology

Daniel 3:12-19

There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Oh yes, King Nebuchadnezzar is very angry, alright. He is not the most emotionally stable person, is he? He seems to vary between fits of rage and being overwhelmed to the point of falling off his throne in gratitude for Daniel's services rendered. I would like to take a moment to point out what he is angry about. See, God is not like those gods of Greek mythology who were always capricious and changed their minds on a whim. He is not even like us who are depressed one day and manic the next. There is stability and trustworthiness with God. The king initially appears to be capricious, unlike God's character at all. The Chaldeans have made it seem, with their speech, that he is angry because not everyone bowed down to worship his image. Is he though? Look beyond their words to the meaning behind them. They are speaking Chaldean which tells me they are about to speak of the deep and hidden things rather than of misleading and wicked things as did the wise men. See, here is a more modern example. A certain ruler of Korea recently stated that he would like to send nuclear missiles to the free world to assist them. For some reason the United States perceived this as an immediate threat. However, anyone who watches Korean tv and drama shows knows that their pressing concern is that of the supernatural with ghost and spirit infestations. Therefore, if they had perceived the United States as having a supernatural problem, they would have proceeded to offer what to them was a rather helpful solution, even if the other country did not view it that way.

Someone probably should have asked King Nebuchadnezzar, at that time, what he was so upset about but they did not. Is it any wonder, that anyone with some spiritual sense in that day was similarly upset over the way the people viewed God, other people, themselves, and the service children. There are three things these Chaldeans would like to charge the Hebrew children with whom the king has set over the affairs. First, they had no regard for the king. Luke 18:1-8 tells of an unjust judge that neither feared God nor regarded men; because the woman kept pestering him, he granted her request. That sounds like someone who cared about not being bothered even to the point of doing right. Someone say, "no regard." There is no service rendered unto the king's gods either. They did not say they would not serve the king or his people. They said they would not serve those strange gods they did not know. Lastly, there is no worship for the golden image that had been set up. Now, I would like to know just how well these Chaldeans that came knew these Hebrew children. They seem to have a lot to say about someone other than themselves here. Is that not just how the devil does though as in Job 1:8-9; he comes to God about someone else when he means himself. This is why when Satan came to speak to God about Job, God began talking to Satan about how someone else served him. Then the king got very angry after hearing all this and demanded these mentioned be brought before him. This king here does not sound like himself.

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?

The king just tried to cleanse the land from the wise men. What is he doing now? Just because God had shown a dream and given a human interpretation does not mean go out and do that so you can have both the dream and the fulfillment yourself. The dream was of God and the king's place before him. This was also the timing of God to bring it to pass, not of the king. Nor was it the king's place to order worship in his own manner and according to his own interpretation of God's revelation. Here we see proof that God is still not finished working with this man. Even if he must turn him into a cow, he will have his way with his life. Sometimes we see by faith what has not yet been worked out in the natural world. This the exact same test that the children of Israel faced in the wilderness at the giving of the law. They had the revelation of God, then set up the idol to worship it. Here King Nebuchanezzer presents the nation with the same test. Is this not the same test that the believers in the tribulation face whether to worship the image of the beast or not as in Revelation 13:4. This is done so that God's name can be exalted throughout the land. God must remove some people from their place to allow you to move into your kingdom anointing and appointing.

There are still the pagan theologians here. Now in this passage God had to leave some wise men there to use your position to promote himself. These Chaldeans went to the king and reported the truth. There was no worship of the statue taking place among these three young men. The Jewish people had been carried captive out of their land for worship of the pagan gods. Yet here they are failing the test again. There should have been an entire nation refusing to bow plus the ones to whom they witnessed. They faced this test many times throughout their history, yet they remained a stiff-necked people who would not follow God. Here we see the gospel demonstrated by the followers of God; the earthly king to preach Jesus to a nation which does not want to listen. God caused the circumstances to happen this way so his name would be glorified and preached so they would have no excuse before Him. The private test became a public test. The national test became a personal test. Be careful when something is going on nationally because it might end up in your own house. God just won't leave these people alone in their mess and distress.

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.

Notice the text says the words, "not careful to answer." James 1:19 says to "let every man be swift to hear slow to speak and slow to wrath." Now, these of Daniel's friends are quick to speak and slow to understand. After this speech, the king is every angry. I have looked for Daniel throughout this passage but cannot. The text does not make his whereabouts clear, but look at this. It seems the Chaldeans which came before the king were correct in their speech indeed. Maybe this is why God could advance and favor Daniel and not his friends at that time. They were told to seek the Lord, but apparently, he must seek them. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us" and "he will deliver us out of thy hand." This is a bold speech for people who have not understood any situation that came before. See, what if the God the king served and the one they served are the same. On the other hand, these Hebrew children fear not the king because only their Lord could hurt the body and soul in Hell as in Matthew 10:28. Confidence with God became confidence before man. Now, these three stood before God, the king, and mere mean men.

In Jesus's day of Matthew 12:26, they accused him of casting out Satan by his own power, which makes no sense. A house divided against itself will not stand. Daniel had to leave his friends behind, as I have said before, for a stand before me purpose. Here, these friends have been left behind so to speak. They felt some kind of way about Daniel, the king, and the Lord. If you were in the same situation with everyone serving the Lord and one was promoted above the others, you might wonder why. Certain spirits may even be prone to creep in due to the hurt. Such feelings are completely natural when you do not understand the calling of God upon someone else's life much less on your own. God has chosen these friends for a different stand before me purpose so he might make his honor and glory known. Here, God and the king provide for these three friends mental, emotional, and spiritual needs created by this situation. It is an opportunity rather than a set up to destroy them as they originally thought. Here is a test for you. When your name is changed, your homeland insecure, and you are of no position will you still serve God?

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 Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

The king heard defiance against Daniel and his God in these words. Therefore, his command is from holy fury for the name of his God. We have spoken many times before about his gods and how he viewed them. Also, we have spoken about how he viewed Daniel's God as one and the same. You must be careful when dealing with God. Even if he did not, before the Lord is finished with him, he will. He holds the power of life and death in his hands and controls the fate of body and soul in Hell according to Matthew 10:28. Is this not a picture of what will be in the end for those who rejected Christ. Be very careful not to deny Christ or accept someone or something not of him. Yet even there, he can provide more for their lack. How many of you know that when God had called you and you serve him, nothing can harm you. Again, if he called you to it, he will bring you through it. Even if he does not deliver, these men have obtained confidence before God and men.

You cannot be promoted into a position without spiritual and physical growth taking place. These Hebrew children have faith in God now whereas they had none before. James 1:1-3 and 1 Peter 4:12 state that the goal for these men was spiritual growth. The outcome of this national scene was Christ's exaltation. Matthew 24:37 speaks of the days of Noah being synonymous with those of Christ. Therefore, this passage holds applications both to the tribulation period and to the current day. I do not know if we will be here during it or not, but I do know this. If even an angel from Heaven came and preached worship of anything other than God in heaven, high and exalted, I will not be participating. Isaiah 6:1 speaks of the position of the Lord as seated on his throne. Have you noticed whenever this earthly king opens his mouth that he is speaking of theology. God will not share his glory with another as in Isaiah 42:8. However, he will, on the other hand, teach his children about himself. No matter whether you have no one or everyone, you always have the Lord.