In the Fire
A perspective on the three Jewish men spared from the flames and death
Over the years, hearing messages on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the overarching point was the reward of the Most High God's sovereignty and protection for not bowing to false gods (demons).
If you’re not familiar with the story, Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael), and Abednego (Azariah) were Daniel’s three Jewish friends who were brought to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon at the time, and given Babylonian names to honor Babylonian gods. They refused to worship a golden statue as decreed by the king and were sent to a fiery furnace to be punished for their resistance. Despite King Nebuchadnezzar ordering the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual, the three men emerged from the oven unscathed. “And the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.” Daniel 3:27. While the three men were in the furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar said he saw a fourth man in the fire with them. He believed it was an angel of the Lord God who protected His servants. However, some Christian scholars believe it was the pre-incarnate Jesus Himself.
Recently, more content has surfaced about various exercises, seen as neutral and innocent, that are based on spiritual systems with pantheons of gods that often differ from the participant's personal beliefs or faith. Apparently, people who identify as Christian have been naively bowing to unknown gods/demons by performing specific poses or stretches which then inadvertently pays tribute to a corresponding god/demon.
If these practices were innocent, the practitioners would choose transparency to ensure the informed consent of participants. However, worship is masked by feel-good language. The Most High God is Love. Love is Truth. Where there is deception, there is no love.
My my, how the opposition can be tricky.
Throughout history, civilizations and nations have risen and fallen, but one thing that has remained consistent is religion.
A deity, an energy signature even, backs every throne.
There appears to be an overlooked mystery when it comes to the significance of kings and rulers vehemently requiring a people who have agreed to be ‘their people’ to worship a specific deity or in a particular way.
The plot thickens.
Could it be that where history books and oral legends have recorded physical battles, wars, defeats, and victories, there has been a spiritual element all along?
This may so far seem a bit on the nose, but stay with me.
What if, and this is merely speculation (or is it?), the ultimate weapon for dismantling a nation from the inside is not to snoop and stalk… but to weasel a new god into the mix? What if the tried-and-true strategy has been to get people desensitized to the spiritual aspect of physical activity, relying on their passivity to siphon worship and strengthen the foothold of the deities?
What if a clue is in the economic situation of those who have strategically integrated their beliefs into the nation? Why wouldn't their gods/demons reward them for a job well done?
Back to the three…
Could the story of being spared from the flames be an allegory for this mystery?
The Most High God makes it clear that we should never worship created things. Humans were designed to have dominion over the earth, not to worship earthly things — no statue, no animal, no person. Jesus Christ Himself would always refer back to His Father in Heaven. We see this when Jesus taught the disciples how to pray what is now known as the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-13
Where the three men were safe from the physical flames, the people who decided to bow to the golden statue may face the spiritual flames of judgment for worshipping a created thing under the instruction of man.
There could be temporary safety and security in blind obedience to a human (can't recall when that's ever worked out well). However…
If you bow, you burn.
Dear God,
Thank You for your divine insights. I repent for any time I have intentionally or ignorantly bowed to idols or given worship to false gods and deities. I lay every utterance, movement, every activity outside of Your will and way at the foot of Your throne and surrender to You. Increase my awareness, foresight, and wisdom to understand long-term consequences. Thank You for Your grace and mercy.
In Your Holy Name, Amen.