Participants:
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000085S
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00:01 Music...
00:30 James: We left off in Daniel chapter 3... 00:32 we're right in the middle of this transition 00:35 between Nebuchadnezzar's command 00:38 and the three Hebrews being accused 00:42 of not respecting the king 00:44 and now they're being gathered and taken into the king 00:47 and the king is going to start talking to them. 00:49 Right now, the king is kind of in disbelief 00:52 and we're going to pick up his spirit and his attitude 00:55 as we get into verse 14 00:57 and what we're going to see here in verses 14 and onward 01:01 in Daniel chapter 3 01:02 is the intensity of anger and animosity 01:05 that comes from the king to these three young men 01:08 and what that's going to say to us and speak to us is 01:10 that there's going to be times when we're going to be 01:13 feeling intense heat and trial 01:15 and difficulty and challenge from people... from human beings 01:18 who may have misunderstood us... who may feel disrespected... 01:21 who may feel like... 01:22 we're not doing things we should be doing 01:24 for society at large 01:26 and how do we respond... 01:28 how do we... what are we going to... 01:30 what are we going to do in that kind of situation? 01:31 So, these three Hebrews are going to instruct us 01:33 and help us to understand how to navigate 01:35 those difficult situations. Yvonne: Hmmm... 01:37 James: So, we should start with a word of prayer, 01:38 Ivor, would you like to pray for us? 01:40 Ivor: Let's pray, "Heavenly Father, 01:41 guide us as we continue to go through the book of Daniel, Lord 01:44 please give us insight... give us wisdom 01:47 and above all, we pray for those who are watching 01:49 that as they watch Lord, they... 01:52 their hearts will be moved... 01:54 their minds will be made up to firmly... 01:58 to decide firmly to follow you, Lord, 02:01 and so, bless us now as we get into this study, 02:04 we pray it in Jesus' name, amen. " 02:06 All: Amen. 02:07 James: All right, Daniel chapter 3... 02:09 Jason, do you want to get... get reading for us 02:14 in verses 14 and let's go all the way to verse 18. 02:19 Jason: Okay... 02:21 "Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, 02:24 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 02:27 that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image 02:31 which I have set up? 02:32 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, 02:37 flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, 02:40 in symphony with all kinds of music, 02:43 and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, 02:46 good! 02:48 But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately 02:52 into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 02:54 And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' 02:58 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 03:02 'O Nebuchadnezzar, 03:04 we have no need to answer you in this matter. '" 03:06 Wow! he said that to the king! 03:09 "If that is the case, our God whom we serve 03:13 is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, 03:16 and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 03:19 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, 03:22 that we do not serve your gods, 03:23 nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. " 03:27 James: Oooooh! Yvonne: Ooooh... ooooh! 03:29 James: There is some tension in the air right there 03:31 as we can see each one is playing off the other one 03:34 and the tension goes up. 03:36 Yvonne: Yeah. 03:38 James: What I think is really interesting here, 03:39 is, Nebuchadnezzar has already been told 03:41 that they haven't worshiped or bowed down... 03:43 but he can't believe it. 03:44 He just can't believe it... "Is it true?" 03:46 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 03:47 James: And the reason he can't believe it is because 03:50 he is himself filled with fear about his future. 03:54 It's uncertain to him. 03:55 He has this dream that he... already in Daniel chapter 2 03:59 the dream of the image that he already affirmed was true 04:03 was from the God of heaven and this is true, 04:06 "and your God is the God of gods... " 04:07 but that image ended the kingdom of Babylon at the head 04:11 and so, the golden head was telling him... 04:15 in this image that he affirmed 04:17 that his kingdom was coming to an end 04:18 and he didn't... he just thought... 04:19 that scared him 04:21 and so, the reason why he makes the image all of gold 04:23 is because he's trying to send a message to everyone 04:26 and he invites everyone to come... 04:28 everyone... high and low... 04:29 because, you know, kingdoms usually end 04:31 because there's some kind of conspiracy... 04:32 there's some kind of group of people 04:33 over in this part of the... your territory 04:35 or that part of your territory... 04:36 they're going to come together 04:38 and they're going to try and plan some kind of coup... 04:39 or some kind of overthrow... 04:40 they're going to build an army and so he's going to say, 04:42 "Okay, I want all the representatives... 04:43 I want you all to come here... " 04:44 All: Hmmm... hmmm... 04:46 James: "I want you to worship this image 04:48 that's gold all the way down... " 04:50 and... and the message he's sending is, 04:52 "My kingdom is not going to come to an end... 04:54 so, don't you try to conspire... don't you try that... " 04:56 and then he's got three guys 04:58 at the head of his personal government 05:02 who aren't bowing down. Yvonne: Hmmm... 05:03 James: What is that telling him? Ivor: A conspiracy... 05:05 James: Conspiracy... Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:07 James: "Oh man, we can't have this, is it true? 05:09 I put you guys... for Daniel's sake... 05:11 in the highest positions 05:13 and you are not bowing down... is it true?" 05:16 And the other reason why he's really struggling with this, 05:19 I think, is because 05:20 he knows that the reason why those people are bowing down 05:23 is because they're afraid to go into the furnace. 05:24 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:26 James: And now he's meeting three guys 05:27 who aren't afraid to go into the furnace. 05:29 Yvonne: Right. 05:30 James: And so, he wants to reiterate this because 05:31 he wants to make sure they understand 05:33 that this isn't about conspiracy necessarily... 05:35 this is about... "You're going to live 05:36 or you're going to die right in this moment 05:38 and surely that's going to put the fear of me in you. " 05:40 And it doesn't... 05:42 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:43 James: And what happens at that point... 05:44 when he realizes that they're not afraid, 05:46 he loses it... 05:47 he absolutely loses it... 05:49 he's like, "I can't believe that I'm dealing with three guys 05:51 that aren't afraid. " 05:52 Yvonne: Yeah... 05:54 Ivor: Hmmm... hmmm... I'm going to add a dimension to this 05:55 that brings it down to 05:57 not just us personally but in a prophetic sense. 06:00 I want to read Revelation 13 which is literally the parallel 06:06 to what we just read in Daniel chapter 3. 06:09 Revelation 13 verse 15... 06:11 Revelation 13 verse 14 actually. 06:14 The Bible says, 06:16 "And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth 06:20 by the means of those miracles 06:21 which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; 06:23 saying to them that dwell on the earth, 06:26 that they should make an image to the beast, 06:28 which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 06:30 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, 06:33 that the image of the beast should both speak, 06:36 and cause that as many as would not worship the image... 06:39 should be killed. " 06:40 And so, what you have happening here 06:43 and we've discussed this in our previous studies on Revelation, 06:46 what you have happening here is this parallel event 06:50 of an image being set up 06:53 and people being commanded to bow down and worship. 06:57 and the interesting thing about Daniel chapter 3 07:00 that really gives us insight into what's happening 07:03 in Revelation 15 is that, 07:05 you have this image of... of a man... 07:07 right, image of all gold, 07:09 now, why didn't Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 07:12 bow down? 07:13 Well, there are two reasons... 07:14 number one is that this image is in direct violation 07:19 to the law of God. 07:20 Right? 07:22 So they're being asked to break the law of God... 07:24 Commandment number two, 07:25 "Thou shalt not bow down to any graven images... " 07:28 so, this is a command that has been set up 07:31 in direct violation to the law of God and they're like, 07:33 "Number one, we're not bowing for that reason... " 07:35 and Number two... you can imagine 07:38 the shock of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 07:40 when they see this image of all gold. 07:42 Yvonne: Hmmm... 07:43 Ivor: They're like, "What? 07:45 that's not what we told him... what?" 07:49 All: Laughter. 07:51 Ivor: If he had made an image just like the... 07:54 just like the image of Daniel 2 07:55 and said, "Hey guys, this is what God has shown me... 07:58 I'm not asking you to bow down... 08:00 but whoa! look at what God showed me. " 08:02 But he ends up producing a counterfeit. 08:05 So, this image is an image of sin. 08:08 It's a man of sin 08:11 and that's exactly what this image actually points us to... 08:14 at the end of time... the "man of sin" is going to... 08:18 is going to be presented as... 08:20 "You need to worship this man of sin. " 08:22 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 08:24 Ivor: We know ultimately 08:25 that the ultimate "man of sin" if you will 08:29 is the counterfeit of Jesus Christ. 08:32 So, I want you to think about this scenario... 08:34 just in light of what we're saying, right? 08:36 You're standing there and you're looking at this imposter 08:39 who is claiming to be Jesus Christ. 08:42 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 08:43 Ivor: Right, we're not talking about 08:45 the people that lead up to Christ 08:47 or the positions there... 08:48 we're talking about Satan himself. 08:50 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Right... right... 08:51 Ivor: And everyone is bowing down and saying, 08:54 "This is the promised One... 08:55 this is... the millennium has come... 08:58 the time of peace... 08:59 His kingdom is going to be a kingdom that lasts forever... 09:03 according to the Bible... " 09:04 and you have people who are standing going, 09:07 "We're not bowing... 09:09 man, this is a conspiracy against Jesus... 09:13 and how... " 09:14 "Are you... are you serious... 09:16 you are not bowing down to Jesus?" 09:18 and so, what we see happening in this story of Shadrach, 09:22 Meshach and Abednego are saying, 09:24 "Hey, we're not serving your gods... " 09:26 is going to be a literal reality at some point in the future 09:31 and so, the object lessons... 09:33 the parallels that we will draw are crucial... 09:36 what is it that made them stand 09:37 instead of bowing with everyone else, 09:39 that's going to be the same thing 09:41 that will lead God's people to stand instead of bowing down. 09:44 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 09:46 Ivor: Despite what they see... 09:48 and I just want you to think about that... 09:49 they're looking at this thing of all gold. 09:50 It has to be one of the most splendid images... 09:53 things that they have ever seen. 09:55 They've never seen anything like this man. 09:57 I mean, just the sheer awesomeness of the image... 10:01 like, "Whoa... we just got to bow... " 10:03 Yvonne: Yeah. 10:05 Ivor: That's going to be the same thing at the end of time. 10:07 James: And the music... the music was amazing. 10:09 Yvonne and Ivor: Yeah. 10:10 James: I mean, they got everything in there. 10:12 Ivor: Everything is going to lead to this emotional upheaval 10:15 that says, "Hey man, this is it... 10:17 this is what we've been waiting for... 10:19 this is the promised one... this is the deliverer... 10:22 and whoa... let's just... let's just bow. " 10:25 Yvonne: And all your senses are drawing you into... 10:29 into that... that situation... 10:32 wow... 10:35 James: Ivor was touching on Revelation 13... 10:37 I think it would be good to connect that with Revelation 14 10:40 and the everlasting gospel. 10:41 A question was asked, "How will we not bow?" 10:43 In Revelation 14... in contrast to Revelation 13... 10:47 where the world is following the beast 10:48 and receiving the mark and bowing to this image... 10:50 Revelation 14 in verses 6 and 7 10:53 call us to the everlasting gospel. 10:57 Maybe can... Yvonne, could you read those two verses for us? 10:59 Revelation 14: 6 and 7. 11:01 Yvonne: Sure, "Then I saw another angel 11:03 flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel 11:06 to preach to those who dwell on the earth... 11:08 to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people... 11:11 saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, 11:15 for the hour of His judgment has come; 11:18 and worship Him who made heaven and earth, 11:20 the sea and springs of water. '" 11:22 James: The first message of the everlasting gospel 11:25 which is the everlasting good news... is to fear God 11:27 and that's what these three guys do 11:29 and when you fear God, you don't fear men. 11:31 Yvonne: Right. 11:32 James: All fear is gone 11:34 so, they've completely lost all fear for the king. 11:37 They are not afraid at all of the king's command 11:39 because they have been filled with the fear of God 11:42 and so, when the king says, "Didn't you hear what I said?" 11:46 They said, "Well, yeah... " 11:48 "But you're going to be thrown into the fiery fire... " 11:50 "Well, if that's the case, fine... 11:51 if it's not the case... fine... 11:53 we're not going to worship your god... " 11:54 and it's really interesting because you think... 11:55 in your mind you think, "Wow, when the decree comes... 11:58 like, when the image pressure comes... 12:01 when no man can buy or sell... 12:02 when everything comes down to it... 12:04 it's going to be hard to make that decision. " 12:06 I'm like, "Really?" 12:07 I understand that will be hard in the sense 12:09 that we can't do it... we're not strong enough to do it 12:10 but here's the deal... 12:12 these guys are showing us... when your life is on the line, 12:15 that's no time to compromise your faith in God. 12:17 Jason: Hmmm... Yvonne: That's right. 12:18 James: That's no time to compromise your faith in God. 12:20 If you're going to compromise your faith, 12:22 you can do it now, right? 12:24 God will forgive you right here but when you... 12:26 when it comes to the end, 12:27 that's not the time to compromise, 12:29 they're like, "Okay, well, I guess if we're going to die, 12:30 we're going to die... 12:32 but if we're going to die, this is not the time to say, 12:34 'We don't believe in God anymore. '" 12:35 You know what I mean? Yvonne: Yeah. 12:37 Ivor: And it's powerful because the reason... 12:39 the other reason they did not bow 12:41 is in the second angel's message. 12:43 "Babylon is fallen... " 12:44 Yvonne: Hmmm... 12:46 Ivor: Nebuchadnezzar's like, "No, Babylon is not fallen... " 12:48 and they're like, 12:50 "Yeah, the image said that Babylon would fall 12:54 so, we can't bow to a false picture... 12:57 we can't bow to something that's not true, 12:59 it's not true... 13:00 Babylon is going to fall... " 13:03 and so, you see this connection between 13:06 the first angel's message... 13:07 second angel's message... 13:09 and then the third... 13:10 Everyone laughing because they know 13:13 that Ivor has an important thought... 13:14 Ivor: The third angel's message man, what is it? 13:16 it's a warning of fire... 13:18 and here Nebuchadnezzar is... 13:20 "All right, if you don't do what I say, 13:22 I'm throwing you in the fire. " 13:24 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Right. 13:25 Ivor: So, which fire are we going to fear? 13:27 Right? Which fire are we... 13:29 man's fire or God's fire? 13:30 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 13:32 and then when... when... when the form of the fourth 13:35 appears in the fire with them, He's showing them, 13:38 "Look Guys, your fire is nothing... 13:40 fear not him that can destroy the... " 13:43 you know... "the body 13:44 but him that can destroy body and soul... " 13:46 right, and so, this whole picture 13:49 of what's happening in Daniel 3 has so much practical gospel 13:54 and end-time significance for us. 13:58 It's important for us to... to see it... 14:01 to understand it... to internalize it... 14:03 so that we're able to do just what they did at that time. 14:06 James: And it's really cool... go ahead Yvonne. 14:08 Yvonne: I was going to say I... 14:09 I love the way this is portrayed here 14:11 because you can see it... 14:12 you can visually see what's going on... 14:16 you can see these guys... 14:17 you can see, first of all, the king saying, 14:20 "Wait a minute... wait a minute... wait a minute, 14:21 you're not... let me just... 14:24 let me just review this for you... 14:27 I told you to worship this image... 14:29 I told you to bow down... 14:30 and you're not going to do it?" 14:32 Like... I... he just had to kind of review the situation, 14:36 you know, like, "Let me just remind you 14:38 of how dire the situation is. " 14:40 And they're like, 14:41 "We don't even need to talk to you about this matter... " 14:44 like, when I read that... 14:46 I mean, yeah, it brings a smile to your face, it's like... 14:47 James: Got some goosebumps. 14:49 Yvonne: Yes, because we don't even need to discuss it... 14:52 Jason: Non-negotiable. 14:54 Yvonne: It's non-negotiable, we don't need to talk about it. 14:57 Ivor: I think Nebuchadnezzar was... 14:59 I think he was most mad at himself. 15:00 James: Yeah, he was. 15:01 Ivor: I think he was like, "Whoa, that's deep... " 15:04 James: Yeah, "they got something I don't have. " 15:07 Ivor: "These guys aren't bowing? like, that's powerful!" 15:09 Yvonne: Yeah. Ivor: Wait a minute... 15:11 "I'm going to say that's powerful... grrrr... " 15:14 All: Laughter. 15:16 Ivor: "I don't like what you guys are doing, get out... 15:17 now it's making me mad. " 15:19 Yvonne: But the other thing was to me... 15:22 he challenged God... 15:23 he said... he said here... 15:26 "And who is the God who will deliver you from my hand?" 15:32 In other words, what God is awesome enough 15:34 to deliver... what...?" 15:36 Ivor: And the answer... 15:38 the answer is found in Daniel 12:1... Daniel 12:2... 15:41 Yvonne: Oh... Is, "Michael stands up... " 15:43 Ivor: He will deliver everyone that is found 15:44 written in the book, right? So, 15:46 again we know that whatever it is happening 15:48 in Daniel 12:1 and 2 where God delivers... 15:51 that's the answer to that... "Who is going to deliver you?" 15:53 Michael stands up... 15:55 so we know that the events that happen 15:57 just before Michael stands up, Daniel 11... 40 to 45... 16:00 again, take us right back to what's happening 16:05 right here... right now. Yvonne: Yes. 16:06 Ivor: Right, what's happening right here in Daniel 3. 16:08 These are the events that God is trying to prepare us for... 16:11 to show us, "Look, these are the things that are going to happen 16:13 right before Michael stands up 16:15 but I want you to be faithful because 16:18 when the devil seeks to throw you into that fiery furnace, 16:22 just know that the form of the fourth... the Son of God... " 16:26 which we'll read about here shortly, 16:28 "I will be there in there with you, 16:30 don't give up, someone is coming to deliver you. " 16:33 James: There's another in fire also. 16:35 Yvonne: When they address the king, 16:36 they said, "Our God would deliver us 16:38 but what if He doesn't... " 16:40 they knew that they might end up... 16:44 James: It's up to God. Yvonne: It's up to God... 16:45 they might end up having to go through that fire 16:47 but if He doesn't... we're still not going to do it, 16:50 our God is still sovereign... our God is still good... 16:53 and that we can apply... so, I'm getting all excited... 16:55 we can apply to our lives today. 16:58 All: Hmmm... hmmm... 17:00 Yvonne: We're going through something... 17:01 if it doesn't turn out... you're praying for a loved one 17:05 who might be dying 17:06 and if God doesn't... does not spare that person's life... 17:11 it doesn't mean that God is not able... or that... 17:16 what it means is... that's what's best... 17:19 even though we don't know it, 17:21 and that's where the faith comes in 17:23 that even if it doesn't turn out the way we asked, 17:27 we have to believe that God did it 17:30 because it was what's best. 17:31 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 17:33 Yvonne: And ultimately, we would know later 17:35 why He did what He did. 17:37 James: Yes. Yvonne: But faith... 17:38 "Even if you don't answer the prayer the way we ask it Lord, 17:42 you know what's best... " 17:44 and that's what He does. 17:46 James: Very important. Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 17:48 Ivor: Think about this and this is... 17:49 this is a thought that people will probably struggle with... 17:53 and Christians will probably struggle with... 17:55 Daniel... I mean... Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego say, 18:00 "If He doesn't deliver us... " 18:02 think about the implications of that, right? 18:05 "If He doesn't deliver us... " 18:07 If he doesn't deliver us, is He upset at us? 18:10 Has He forsaken us? 18:13 If He doesn't deliver us, 18:16 what does this mean for eternal life? 18:18 James: Hmmm... 18:19 Ivor: Because if we are doing something and there is sin in us 18:21 that leads God to say, "I'm not even delivering you" 18:24 then, does this mean that... 18:26 what does this mean for my life after this, 18:29 do I have eternal life? 18:30 So, in essence what they are saying 18:33 is, "Even if God slayed us Himself... " 18:36 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 18:38 Ivor: "Even if this meant we don't get to go on in the future 18:42 and live an eternal life with God... 18:44 even if that were the case... 18:46 we're still not bowing down to serve you. " 18:48 Yvonne: Hmmm... 18:49 Ivor: Now, now just follow this 18:50 because, remember what Moses prayed 18:52 when his people were rebelling against God? 18:55 And he prayed... what? 18:56 James: "Blot me out... " Ivor: "Blot me out... " 18:58 like Moses... "Blot me out... " 19:00 is not... is not a reference to, "Kill me... " 19:03 it's a reference to, 19:04 "Blot me out of the book of life. " 19:06 Yvonne: Oooh... 19:07 Ivor: Moses was willing and ready to give up heaven 19:11 in order to reflect the character of Christ. 19:16 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:17 Ivor: Jesus Himself at the cross... 19:19 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 19:20 He was willing to die even if it meant 19:24 him never returning from... from death. 19:27 Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:28 Ivor: And so, think about this... 19:30 many of us serve God because we want heaven. 19:34 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:35 Ivor: Lucifer wants heaven too. 19:36 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:38 Ivor: Lucifer wants heaven more than many of us. 19:39 Right? 19:40 Are we serving God for the reward? 19:43 "I want to be in heaven... I want to live forever... " 19:45 or, are we willing to serve God to such a degree 19:48 that even if He slew us, 19:51 we would still be willing to do what was right 19:54 because it is right... 19:56 because that's what God wants. Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:58 Ivor: Because the bottom line is... 19:59 none of us deserve heaven. Yvonne: That's right. 20:01 Ivor: If God came back and was like, 20:02 "None of you are going to heaven... " 20:04 He would be just... in doing that. 20:05 Yvonne: Right. Ivor: Because all have sinned 20:07 and fallen short of the glory of God. 20:09 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 20:10 Ivor: Right? So, we have to become so dead to self 20:14 that we are willing to even pray that prayer, 20:17 "Lord, if it serves the best for Your purpose, 20:20 blot me out. " 20:22 Yvonne: Oooooh. 20:23 James: So a verse in the New Testament book of Revelation 20:25 connects with this 20:26 and it's Revelation chapter 12 and verse 11. 20:29 "They loved not their lives, even unto the death. " 20:31 Yvonne: Hmmm... Ivor: Yes. 20:32 James: So, it's not about them anymore, 20:34 this is where they turn the corner... 20:35 this is where they turn the corner... 20:36 they're like, "Well, we're not going to worship that image... " 20:38 Nebuchadnezzar comes, "Is it true you are not going to... 20:41 let me just reiterate... 20:43 if you don't worship, you're going in the furnace 20:45 and who's the God that's going to deliver you?" 20:47 "Did you hear what the... 20:49 did you hear what the king just said? 20:50 'Who is the God that's... '" 20:52 they just turned the corner right there, 20:53 "You just challenged our God, you didn't challenge our faith, 20:56 you just challenged our God... we're not moving... 20:59 it's over... our God is so good... 21:01 we don't... it's not about us anymore, 21:03 we don't care what happens to us... 21:04 life, death, eternal life... we don't care anymore... 21:07 you just challenged our God. " 21:08 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Right. 21:09 James: "And so, phoof, we're done... 21:11 right now we're done. " Yvonne: Yeah. 21:12 James: And that's the way... 21:14 that's where God is bringing us to... 21:15 you know, we're in this place right now 21:17 in our Christian experience 21:18 where we get challenged and we take it personally... 21:21 it's about us... but we're going to make a shift 21:23 and when we make that shift, then, it doesn't matter anymore. 21:27 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 21:28 James: Right now, we're still in... 21:30 and Jesus was always on that level, 21:31 he was always at that... 21:33 "My Father, my Father, my Father my Father... my Father... " 21:35 they questioned Him... 21:36 "My Father... I'm reflecting... I'm doing what my Father... 21:38 so, everything you're saying... 21:39 how does that relate to my Father?" 21:40 That's what He was... all the time. 21:42 We're like... sometimes we're there 21:44 and then, sometimes we're not 21:45 like, "Me... God... me... God... me... me... me.. God... 21:48 me... me... God... " you know what I'm saying? 21:50 we're back and forth on that. Yvonne: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 21:51 James: The other thing that's so powerful about this 21:54 is, the book of Revelation is just prophecy, prophecy, 21:56 prophecy, prophecy, prophecy... message... message... message... 21:58 message... and we don't know the practical stuff. 21:59 Yvonne: Right. 22:00 James: But, when we say, "Revelation 14... 22:03 everlasting gospel... fear God... " 22:05 then we go out to Daniel and we're like, 22:06 "Oh, that's what it looks like... 22:08 that's what 'Fear God' is... oh, got it... yeah... " 22:10 that's what I love about Daniel. Yvonne: Yes. 22:12 James: Daniel fills in all that relational practical stuff... 22:16 makes it real... like, 22:17 "Oh that's what it looks like. " Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 22:19 James: It's going to get more intense now, 22:20 we need to read these next verses... 22:21 unless you have some more thoughts here... 22:23 you can always throw them in but... 22:24 let's read now... Jason, can you read for us verses 19 22:29 all the way down to verse 26. 22:33 Jason: Okay. James: 27... 22:37 Jason: Okay... "Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, 22:40 and the expression on his face changed 22:42 toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 22:45 He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace 22:47 seven times more than it was usually heated. 22:50 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor 22:53 who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, 22:57 and Abednego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 23:00 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, 23:03 their turbans, and their other garments, 23:05 and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 23:09 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, 23:12 and the furnace exceedingly hot, 23:15 the flame of the fire killed those men 23:18 who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23:20 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 23:24 fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 23:29 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; 23:32 and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, 23:36 'Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?' 23:41 They answered and said to the king, "True, O king. " 23:43 'Look!' he answered, 23:45 "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; 23:49 and they are not hurt, 23:50 and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. " 23:54 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth 23:56 of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, 23:59 saying, 'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 24:01 servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here. ' 24:05 Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 24:07 came from the midst of the fire. 24:09 And the satraps, administrators, governors, 24:12 and the king's counselors gathered together, 24:15 and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; 24:19 the hair of their head was not singed 24:22 nor were their garments affected, 24:26 and the smell of fire was not on them. " 24:28 Yvonne: Hmmm... 24:30 James: Wow! not even the smell of smoke... 24:32 not even the smell of smoke. 24:34 Yvonne: And they were fully... fully dressed... 24:36 their turbans and everything... 24:38 they didn't even take off all the stuff. 24:40 Jason: They were in flammable attire. 24:42 All: Laughter. 24:44 Ivor: Here's... here's the problem... 24:46 there was one thing that was burned in the fire... 24:49 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... come on... 24:51 Ivor: That was the... the rope that bound them. 24:53 James: Yeah. Yvonne: Ooooh... that's right. 24:55 Ivor: That was the rope that bound them. 24:56 Let me take that off you guys while you're in here. 24:58 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 25:00 Ivor: Sometimes, we are going through fire, 25:02 we think, "Oh man, this fire is going to consume me... " 25:05 and what God is... what God is doing is, 25:07 He's trying to destroy the rope that binds us. 25:09 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 25:11 Ivor: And that's just one of the things 25:13 that really jumped out of this story... it's like, "Wow... " 25:15 they bind them... throw them in there... 25:17 and fire gets rid of that which bounds them 25:19 and that's what the fire of God does. 25:21 The fire of God is designed to destroy the things that bind us. 25:24 Yvonne: Yes. 25:25 James: So, Satan wants to bind us up 25:27 and throw us into this trial 25:28 and God wants to release those things that bind us 25:30 and give us freedom in the trial. 25:32 Ivor: Yeah... yeah. 25:34 Yvonne: One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 43 25:36 verses 1 to 3, 25:38 "Fear not, for I've redeemed you; 25:39 I have called you by your name; you are Mine. 25:41 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 25:44 and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. 25:46 When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, 25:49 neither will the flame kindle upon you. 25:51 For I am the Lord your God, 25:53 the Holy One of Israel, your Savior... " 25:55 That's what happened here. 25:57 They were... they were in the fire 25:59 and they were not burned 26:01 and we go through... 26:03 this verse is like layers of trials... 26:06 so when you go through the waters... 26:08 "I got you... " 26:10 when you go through a worse trial... the rivers... 26:12 "I'm still there... " 26:14 and when you go through the absolute worst in your life 26:17 you won't be burned because... 26:20 and neither will the flame... 26:22 in one of the versions it says, "scorch you" 26:25 but "neither will it kindle upon you... 26:28 you will not be burned... I've got you... 26:31 I've called you by your name... " 26:33 James: What verse is that? 26:34 Yvonne: "you're Mine... " Isaiah 43. 26:36 James: Isaiah... Isaiah... 26:37 Yvonne: Isaiah... ah... 26:39 James: Isaiah wrote to prepare the way for the captivity. 26:42 Yvonne: That's right. 26:44 James: Yeah, so you can imagine these three guys are like, 26:46 "Remember that promise in Isaiah 43... 26:48 the one that Yvonne really likes... 26:50 we need a whole lot of that promise right now. " 26:53 Jason: One of the things that I really love about this 26:56 is the fact that Jesus could have sent anybody... 26:58 He could have sent an angel... or He could have sent anybody 27:02 but He said, "No, I'm going to personally show up 27:06 and stand with them and deliver them from this... 27:09 personally coming down to be with my people 27:13 that are going through this trial. " 27:15 It shows that He feels what we're feeling... 27:17 goes through what we're going through... 27:19 no matter what we're experiencing, 27:22 He's always there with us. Yvonne: Amen. 27:24 Ivor: Amen. Yvonne: That's good. 27:25 James: That's a powerful thought. 27:27 So, Nebuchadnezzar... as we get into this part of the story, 27:29 Nebuchadnezzar is super angry and we're super out of time. 27:32 All: Laughter. 27:34 Yvonne: The glasses go on and they come off. 27:37 James: Well... yeah, so, we'll pick this up... 27:39 we just want to touch on a couple more things 27:41 as we go through this... 27:42 of course, we'll finish up with the last few verses 27:44 because they're really interesting also. 27:45 Yvonne: It's rich. 27:47 James: Praise God. |
Revised 2020-05-20