18
Sep '25
Refusing to Bow, Bend or Burn: Christian Persecution
18
Sep '25
Introduction: Have you ever been persecuted? How did you feel? What should you do? Can anything GOOD come out of being persecuted? Have you ever caved in to compromise? Have you been tempted lately to “hide your light under a bushel,” especially in light of the recent tragedy in the death of Charlie Kirk?
May we learn from Daniel’s writing on how to deal with Persecution.
1. The three Hebrew boys did not BOW! (Dan. 3:4–6) – “Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
Talk about pressure! How would you feel standing against a whole nation? Truthfully, every day we can stand against the kingdom of darkness. Are you standing?
2. The three Hebrew boys did not BEND! (Dan. 3:16–18) – “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. 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.”
Did you catch what they said? Listen to their MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH: “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.”
Now that is REAL FAITH!! Look at what they said: “Even if,” not “what if”! Have you ever made that affirmation? What a great statement of faith!
3. The three Hebrew boys did not BURN! (Dan. 3:26, 27) – “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.”
Did you notice that the only thing burnt off these boys was what the world put on them? God preserved them. His will was done. He was not finished with them. Thank God, He is not finished with those of us reading this!
Conclusion: The One who created the fire WALKED with them IN the FIRE! Jesus was seen as the fourth Man in the fire! He DELIVERED them “THROUGH” the fire, not “FROM” the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were saved. The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was changed. The God of the Bible was WORSHIPPED, and ultimately GLORIFIED!
So remember, during times of PERSECUTION, as we respond properly by His GRACE, JESUS CHRIST will receive HONOR and GLORY!
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese