Bow Not to the Music of this Age

^"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. 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." (Dan 3:17-18, ESV)

I initially wanted to write this article and name it after the life of Daniel, until I realized the major example I want to focus on in the third chapter doesn't even involve him or mention him at all. I want to glean from some examples found in the third chapter, and challenge each of us to be 'fireproof' (yes I am a Pillar fan).

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were 'fireproof' because of their resoluteness not to bow to anything other than the God of heaven. Malachi 3:2-3 mentions how in the day of the Lord's appearing, He comes like a refiner's fire and a fuller's soap--and that his ministers are purified like gold.

The reason these three Hebrew men could withstand this earthly fire is because they were made fireproof by heavenly fire, for God makes his ministers a flame of fire (Ps 104:4). These men were of a pure spirit that even the worldly king's fire couldn't harm. Just like if you take gold and purify it by fire, different impurities come to the surface, and the gold itself is made purer--likewise these men, in their devotion to God and not bowing to the idol of their age they were confronted with, were made resistant to the flame they were subjected to for their obedience and devotion to the God of heaven.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29).

The fire of this world can't touch you when you've been purged by the fire of God.

Those very people trying to punish them through fire died while Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego withstood the flames and another angelic presence was seen in the flames with the young men. The soldiers who carried the bodies of the three Hebrew men died themselves in the process. What a severe reaction the king had that these young men would dare not bow down to a statue made in his honor--he had the fire heated up 7 times more than normal, and the men who carried their bodies into it died in the process. This fire was a fire of distinction and distinguishing--the pure withstood it while the wicked in heart perished in it. The tares were separated from the wheat and burned up. The dross disappeared while the gold, silver and that which is precious purified, and the Lord of hosts magnified in the sight of all.

There's many things going on in our contemporary culture, where to take the stand of righteousness makes us look like we're the foolish ones, and ending our lives or political careers--if even just in the area of reputation. It's much easier to go with the flow, but the flow itself is perishable and when the flame of the fire of God touches it, it burns up like chaff.

Make no mistake, it was the king who called for the furnace to be the method of death for anybody unwilling to bow to his image, but what the enemy meant for evil, the Lord turned and made work out for His own purposes of exalting the men who remained faithful and loyal to Him despite the threat of earthly death put upon them. These men knew the God ,Who after taking one's life, had the power to cast their body and soul into hell (Luke 12:4-5). They feared the right King. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could remain fireproof and imperishable in the midst of this fire, because they'd pledged themselves to the kingdom made of imperishable substance. These men refused to bow to the rulers and authorities.

Can that be said of us in our age? Many ministries boast of their 'relevancy', and bow down to kiss the king of Babylon's ring, but that which is relevant to this age may not necessarily be relevant in the unshakable kingdom. Too many believers are capable of wasting their political vote for parties that will kill the unborn, because they have better financial policies than the party that won't. The decisions that pertain to the imperishable realm are overlooked for concerns about this perishable realm. Many build their lives and their ministries with wood, hay and straw, which will all perish when touched by the fire of His presence. What are YOU building with?

Wood, hay and straw are substance that grows or is found above the ground and visible in the sight of all. Gold, silver, and precious stones are beneath the surface, and aren’t visible--they are buried and hidden and require seeking. These three Hebrew men were made valuable, pervious, and fireproof by their time in the presence of His fire, in their secret place--unseen by men. That is why they could face the threat of death with such confidence because they were made strong in private. Wood, hay and straw on the one hand all burn in such fire, as we happened with the king's soldiers.

Friend, bow not! Don't be afraid of them who can harm your body but can't touch your inner man. Fear HIM who has power to throw both body and soul into hell. Bow the knee to the King of kings worthy of your praise and adoration. The closer we get to HIS fire, His presence presence, the more the impurities will leave from us, and though grueling as this process is, it’s more preferable than anything earthly kings can do to us! The fire in this furnace was not the flames started by a man, but the fiery presence of God, which is why the soldiers were but chaff and burned up in it as they attempted to dispose of the bodies of the men who wouldn't bow to earthly kings. However, because the three who pledged their allegiance to the King of all kings DID bow the knee before Him, they withstood.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, though it is tested so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.“ (1 Peter 1:6-7,22-25 )

Please check out these related articles for further meditations on the fire of God:

All Consuming Fire

No Perishing Point