Participants:
Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ003103S
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00:23 Two thousand six hundred years ago
00:27 a remarkable scene played out on the plains of Dura 00:31 right near ancient Babylon. 00:33 An enormous golden statue of the most powerful king 00:37 on the planet had been set up. 00:39 And thousands of representatives from across his empire 00:43 were invited to pay homage to it in a splendid ceremony. 00:47 But when the vast assembly on the plain bowed down 00:51 to the ground toward the image, three young men remained 00:55 standing. They were quite conspicuous and really stood out 00:59 from the crowd around them that had bowed down. 01:02 Those young men had made a decision, 01:05 an exceedingly dangerous decision. 01:08 In fact, it placed their lives in imitate danger. 01:12 Their decision angered a king and shook an empire. 01:16 Who were these three young men and why did they risk their lives? 01:21 and why is their decision relevant to us today? 01:25 You'll want to stay tuned to find out because these young men 01:30 had discovered something very special that enabled them to 01:35 stand against the crowd that may just be relevant to us 01:38 today in the tumultuous times that we're living in. 02:03 The three young men who remained standing on the plain of Dura 02:07 2,600 years ago, were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 02:11 They were young Jews who'd been carried captive from Israel 02:15 in 605 B.C. and were being trained to govern the vast 02:20 Babylonian Empire. The three were required to appear before 02:26 this huge 30 meter high gold statue along with 02:30 representatives from every nation and tribe under the great 02:33 King Nebuchadnezzar's control. There were people present 02:37 from right across the Babylonian Empire, they were all there 02:42 to pay allegiance to the great king. Suddenly, trumpets sounded 02:47 and the king's herald made an announcement in a loud voice 02:51 that rang out over the plain. His words are recorded in 02:55 Daniel 3:4-6. It's amazing, listen to this: 03:28 Nebuchadnezzar didn't just want loyal subjects he 03:32 wanted allegiance, the kind that would fall down and worship 03:38 and so the three Hebrews who'd been taught since childhood 03:42 that there was only one being that God Jehovah worthy 03:46 of people's worship had to make a hard, a difficult, a though 03:50 choice, a life threatening choice. 03:53 Would they go along with every- body else? Would they follow 03:58 the crowd? Would they bow down to a counterfeit image? 04:01 violating the commandments of their God? 04:05 Well, that's an important question for us to consider 04:08 in our day. It's important especially because human nature 04:14 hasn't changed since Daniel's time. 04:17 We all want to go along with the crowd, it comes so easily 04:23 and naturally, even if the crowd's wrong, 04:26 we don't want to stand out and be conspicuous, we'd rather 04:30 just follow along and go with the flow. 04:32 However, there comes a time when those who follow God 04:37 have to take a stand for right and be counted. 04:40 We can't always flow with the crowd no matter how tempting 04:45 it may be to do so. Because Daniel's sister book in the 04:49 Bible, Revelation predicts that God's people living during 04:54 earths final crisis will face a similar type of situation. 04:57 We're going to have to decide where our religions really lie. 05:03 How will we survive during that time? 05:07 Well, let's return to those three young men on the plains 05:10 of Dura because they had something that enabled them 05:14 to stand against the crowd. Something very special that will 05:18 really help us when we have to take a stand. 05:22 When the Royal Orchestra struck up its fanfare to 05:25 King Nebuchadnezzar, everyone bowed on cue, 05:28 everyone except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 05:32 They simply would not bow to this idol. 05:36 Well, the king was outraged, who could possibly interrupt 05:42 his moment of glory? He had the men brought before him 05:45 but when he saw that they were three friends of Daniel, 05:49 men whom they come to respect and like. 05:51 He decided to give them another opportunity. 05:55 Nebuchadnezzar pointed to the blazing furnaces which had been 06:01 prepared for anyone who might make trouble. 06:03 He knew that the young men had an allegiance to a God 06:07 of their own but he asked very pointedly, what God will be able 06:13 to rescue you from my hand? Well, the answer these you men 06:18 gave is justly famous and as inspired people everywhere 06:22 let's read it again in Daniel 3: 16-18. 06:55 These men answered the proud king's challenge without 06:59 hesitation, they did so by telling him that they fully 07:03 trusted the God of heaven and earth. 07:05 Yes, He could deliver them from the furnace no matter how hot 07:10 Nebuchadnezzar made it, their god was sovereign over all. 07:15 He could do anything, that was the kind of god they served. 07:19 I believe we get a picture here of a kind of faith 07:24 that will get us through the time of the end, 07:27 whatever that time of the end may bring. 07:30 These three young men had their eyes fixed on how great God is, 07:35 not on how the fires were, when pressured they didn't try to 07:39 make excuses, they didn't try to squirm out of a tight spot, 07:43 they took the opportunity to testify of God's power. 07:48 And they did something else, they talked about their 07:52 commitment to Him, even if he chooses not to deliver us, 07:57 now did you get that? They'd vow that they'd still be loyal 08:02 to Him even if they weren't delivered. 08:05 They still wouldn't betray Him, we will still worship Him 08:09 they said and Him alone. 08:11 You know, a weak faith won't get us through the rough times 08:17 in life and certainly won't stand in the end times. 08:21 If our faith always depends on God always giving us what 08:25 we want, on things going smoothly, then we've got our 08:29 eyes fixed on the wrong things. 08:31 A real faith is a relationship with God based on a belief that 08:37 He really knows what's best for us. It involves a commitment 08:42 to do what God asks regardless of the circumstances. 08:46 Let me tell you about one man who met adversity in the way 08:50 these three Hebrews did by testifying of His faith. 08:54 On the 5th of July, 1940, the Eastern European Country 09:01 of Romania entered into an Alliance with Nazi Germany 09:05 and declared war on the Soviet Union. Romanian troops 09:10 joined with the Nazi military machine on the 22nd of June 09:13 1941, as part of Operation Barbarossa to created one huge 09:19 eastern front under the German high command Romania provided 09:25 equipment and oil to the troops of the eastern front. 09:29 In fact, they committed more troops to the eastern front 09:33 than all the other allies of Germany combined. 09:36 But history tells us that Operation Barbarossa was a 09:42 failure and the turning points in the fortunes of 09:45 Nazi Germany and its Allies. 09:47 On the 23rd of August 1944 one million Russian troops 09:53 entered Romania. The Russian army and the communist regime 09:57 took control of the country. Soldiers, secret police and 10:01 spies where everywhere and Atheism became the new chosen 10:07 state religion. To believe and proclaim your belief in 10:11 Jesus publicly was reason enough to be arrested. 10:14 Church leaders now had a choice, either they enlisted in the 10:19 service of the Soviet party or go to jail. 10:22 A well respected Lutheran pastor, Nicolai Ionescu know as 10:27 Richard Wurmbrand began to organize a Christian ministry 10:32 to his fellow Romanian country- men and to the Red Army soldiers. 10:36 And when the Communist government attempted to control 10:39 the churches, he immediately began what became known as 10:44 underground churches. It soon became a time of persecution 10:48 for anyone who spoke out against the government and had a belief 10:53 in God. A large Congress was held with the purpose of showing 10:58 that the different religions in the country of Romania 11:01 were loyal to the Communist party and its ideologies 11:04 one by one the various religious leaders announced their loyalty 11:10 and allegiance to the Communist regime. At the Congress 11:15 Richard Wurmbrand stood up and publicly said that Communism 11:20 and Christianity were not compatible and denounced the 11:24 government's control of the churches. 11:27 Richard was reported to the secret police and was arrested 11:31 on the 29th of February, 1948 while on his way to church 11:35 services. He was imprisoned for eight and a half years 11:40 and during that time, spent three years in solitary 11:44 confinement underground. He could not tell day from night 11:49 and kept his sanity by remembering Bible passages. 11:53 It's an inspiring story of how he survived additional 11:57 prison sentences and a total of 14 years in a Communist 12:02 prison was tortured and beaten by the guards and yet 12:06 kept his faith. Here is part of his story. 12:11 Two men confronted each other in a Romanian prison around 1950. 12:20 One was a self-assured, intelligent tough young 12:24 lieutenant named Gresus, he was a dedicated Communist 12:28 who thought he was making a better world. 12:31 The other was a young Lutheran pastor by the name of 12:35 Richard Wurmbrand, he was weak and pale. On his face were the 12:41 heavy shadows of a man who'd endure torture and depravation. 12:45 Gresus sat at a desk with a rubber truncheon in his hand, 12:49 he'd been interrogating the pastor, on this morning 12:54 he shouted, your story was lies. He was angry that the pastor 13:00 had not given him the names of his associates and of his 13:03 connections with the west. 13:04 Gresus pushed back his chair and shouted ENOUGH! 13:09 Here is some paper, we know that you have been communicating 13:13 in code with the other prisoners, now we know exactly 13:17 what each of them said. 13:18 The lieutenant cracked the truncheon on his desk and said 13:23 you have half an hour, I want you to write on that paper 13:26 exactly what you've been talking about with your friends. 13:30 Richard Wurmbrand faced a terrible dilemma as he stared 13:35 at the white piece of paper. He had to write a confession 13:39 yet he didn't want to reveal anything that might endanger 13:43 his fellow prisoners and almost anything he said could be 13:47 twisted and turned into the evidence that he was a spy. 13:52 Finally, this pastor decided to make a confession. 13:57 A confession of his faith in Jesus Christ. 14:00 He admitted that he has been tapping a code on the cell walls 14:04 trying to communicate the good news about a savior. 14:09 He testified in these words. 14:12 I'm a disciple of Christ who's given us love for our enemies. 14:17 I've never spoken anything against the Communists, 14:20 I understand them and I pray for their conversion so that they 14:25 will become my brothers in the faith. 14:27 Lieutenant Grayson returned after half an hour swinging 14:32 his truncheon, he'd been beating prisoners, 14:36 he picked up the paper and began to read. 14:38 After a while, he put his truncheon aside. 14:42 When he came to the end of the pastor's confession 14:46 he looked up with troubled eyes and said, 14:48 Mr. Wurmbrand, why do you say you love me? 14:52 This is one of your Christian Commandments that nobody can 14:56 keep, I couldn't love someone who shut me up for years alone 15:00 and to starve me and beat me. The pastor replied, 15:05 it's not a matter of keeping a Commandment, 15:08 when I became a Christian, it was if I'd been re-born 15:13 with a new character which was full of love. 15:16 For two hours these two men talked earnestly about 15:20 Christianity and Marxism. This young pastor took a stand 15:26 in that prison of terror, he resisted by a 15:29 positive confession by proclaiming what he did believe. 15:34 Those three Hebrews, also wanted to proclaim what they 15:39 believed, that is not to just to refuse bow down to an idol, 15:43 but to powerfully testify of their faith and confidence 15:48 in God. And what was the result? Well an enraged Nebuchadnezzar 15:54 had his furnaces fired up to maximum and had the Hebrews 15:58 thrown into the flames. 16:00 Now their example raises a question for us. 16:07 Is our faith and trust in God strong enough that we would 16:12 be able to stand up to such a test? 16:14 Would we be able to exhibit the same spiritual courage 16:18 that they showed? Are we sufficiently grounded in His 16:22 word and with our experience with him, that we too 16:26 could stand before a king and declare that under no 16:29 circumstances would we dishonor the God who loved us? 16:34 These are relevant questions because sometime in the future 16:39 we may indeed have to face a test like this. 16:42 For the present, however, our lives are confronted with lesser 16:46 challenges, how we respond to these prepare us for greater 16:51 tests. They indicate how we will respond when larger issues 16:57 arise. The Bible has a principle of spiritual life that applies 17:02 here, you find it outlined in Luke 16:10. 17:13 The wear and tear of ordinary every day life are directly 17:19 related to the great challenges of life. 17:22 God prepares us to meet the great trials of life 17:26 in the every day school of hard Knox. And here's another 17:31 important point, we don't have to be afraid 17:34 of the challenges we may face now or in the future, 17:37 they can be an opportunity to see our Lord very close 17:42 and very powerful. 17:44 Do you know what these young men found in the furnace? 17:50 They found none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, 17:54 He was already there in the flames, He was standing with 17:58 them in the flames of life Christ is there. 18:03 Nebuchadnezzar was astounded to see four men walking around 18:09 in those flames, and the forth man was like the Son of God. 18:14 These young Hebrews had their eyes fixed on the great God 18:19 and in their hour of trial, they found that this great God 18:23 had come to be with them. 18:25 That's what an unconditional faith, a committed faith 18:30 can do for us, it'll bring God close in the worst of times. 18:36 Those three Hebrews in the fiery furnace made a life- 18:41 changing impact on that haughty king, Nebuchadnezzar. 18:44 He rushed up to the edge of the furnace and called them out 18:48 and as they emerged, the king approached them, he noticed 18:53 that their hair wasn't even singed, their robes were not 18:57 scorched, they didn't even carry the smell of smoke. 19:01 Ultimately that fiery trial that the Hebrews went through 19:06 only burned one thing, the ropes that bound them. 19:11 It freed them from their bonds. Shadrach, Meshach, 19:15 and Abednego came out free, they came out conquers. 19:21 The trials of life can either leave you bitter or better. 19:27 They can either strengthen your faith or destroy it 19:31 the difference is whether you focus on Christ or the crisis. 19:36 Through your tears, heartaches and disappointments 19:39 you too can see Christ, He's there in the flames of your life. 19:46 Possibly your life has been torn apart by divorce 19:50 you may be going through a very painful family problem 19:54 right now. Possibly you have severe health problems, 19:58 or you may be facing a very serious financial crisis, 20:02 well remember this. In the flames of life, 20:06 He is there, look through your tears, the understanding 20:11 compassionate Christ is there by your side to whisper words 20:16 of encouragement. Nebuchadnezzar now realized that there was a 20:20 God out there far bigger than he could ever be, 20:23 he called the three Hebrews servants of the most high God 20:28 Up to this point, the king had tried to be the most high himself 20:33 with his massive golden statue but now, he made a remarkable 20:38 confession. We find it in Daniel 3:28. 21:04 Nebuchadnezzar's rage had turned to admiration, the unconditional 21:10 faith of the Hebrews had proved contagious, king Nebuchadnezzar 21:15 and the thousands of Babylonian officials on the Plain of Dura, 21:19 were brought face to face with the true God of heaven. 21:23 You see, it's confessing our faith when times get hard 21:27 that really has an impact. 21:30 The faith that will stand in the end time is also the faith 21:34 that will win others in the meantime. God will come close 21:39 to those around us too. 21:42 Richard Wurmbrand, the pastor I told you about earlier 21:47 who made his confession of faith had quite an impact on 21:50 Lieutenant Grasu, after that first long talk, the lieutenant 21:55 invited him back to that office almost every day and they'd 21:59 talk for about an hour. Pastor Wurmbrand told him that the 22:04 early believers were actually part of a revolutionary movement. 22:08 Grasu was surprised to learn that Carl Marx had once written 22:12 that Christianity is the ideal religion for the renewal 22:17 of lives made right by sin, to Grasu, this was shocking. 22:23 As they continued to talk Grasu was more and more impressed 22:28 by the Christian ideals of love and service to everyone. 22:32 Frequently he would say, I was brought up an Atheist 22:36 and I will never be anything else. 22:38 But this pastor standing before him was an argument 22:42 he could not refute, God was real. Two weeks after they 22:49 begun their dialogue, Lieutenant Grasu realized he'd come 22:53 to know and love Jesus and decided to receive Christ 22:57 as his savior. What a scene it was there in that prison, 23:01 as the Lieutenant in his security police uniform 23:04 knelt down beside Pastor Wurmbrand in his patched prison 23:09 rags and made his prayer of confession. 23:12 When they arose to their feet, the two men were brothers. 23:19 There is nothing quite as eloquent as faith in the flames, 23:22 wouldn't you like to have a faith like that? 23:25 A totally committed faith, a faith that will stand tall 23:29 when the times get tough, well, it's available to each of us. 23:34 God wants to develop this strong faith within you. 23:39 Faith developed as we made Jesus and His word the center of 23:43 our lives is a faith that will stand the test of end times. 23:47 If you spend time with God, quality time communicating 23:52 with Him, a committed faith will result. 23:56 If you spend time looking at Jesus and your Savior and Lord 24:00 an unyielding faith will result. 24:03 Let's decide ahead of time that we'll develop a 24:07 relationship with God based on a real trust. 24:11 A trust that He knows best, a trust that He'll see us through 24:15 the End Times. It's really rather simple, 24:18 the three Hebrews didn't bow down to that golden image 24:23 because they were already bowing to someone else. 24:27 Would you like to bow your head with me right now wherever 24:31 you are and say Lord, I'm totally committing my life 24:36 to you right now. Grant me the courage and faith 24:40 to stand for you now and at the end time. 24:43 Faith is a gift that only God can give. 24:47 Why not ask Him for it right now as we pray. 24:52 Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the 25:00 example of the three young men in the fiery furnace. 25:04 Thank you for your promise to stand by us as we face the 25:08 fiery challenges of life. 25:10 We want to trust you more completely today, 25:13 our aim is to please you and always stand true for you. 25:18 Accept our commitment now. In the name of our Savior, 25:23 Jesus Christ. Amen! 25:29 The story of the three young men in the fiery furnace 25:33 has encouraged and inspired people down through history. 25:37 They took a stand for God to find a king and shook an empire 25:43 their faith stood firm in the flames. 25:46 There's nothing quite as eloquent as a faith under fire, 25:51 a totally committed faith, a faith that will stand 25:55 tall when the times get tough. 25:57 If you'd like to have a faith like that, then I'd like to 26:01 recommend a free gift we have for all our viewers today. 26:05 It's the book "Faith on Trial" and there's more, 26:09 you'll also receive a free Bible Reading Guide 26:13 on the book of Daniel. 26:14 These booklets are our gift to you and they are absolutely 26:18 FREE. There are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 26:22 So make the most of this wonderful opportunity 26:26 to receive the gifts we have for you today. 26:28 Here's the information you need. 26:31 Phone of text us at 0436333555 in Australia or 26:40 0204222042 in New Zealand, or visit our website 26:45 tij.tv to request today's free offer and we'll send it to you 26:51 totally free of charge and with no obligation. 26:54 Write to us at: 27:01 or: 27:08 Don't delay, call or text us now. 27:11 If you've enjoyed today's journey to Ancient Babylon 27:17 and our reflections on the commitment an bravery, 27:21 of the three young men Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, 27:25 then be sure to join us again next week when we'll share 27:28 another of life's journey's together. 27:30 Until then remember the ultimate destination of life's journey. 27:35 Now I saw a new heaven and new earth and God will wipe 27:39 away every tear from their eyes. 27:42 There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. 27:45 There shall be no more pain, for the former things 27:48 have passed away. |
Revised 2021-03-31