September 1, 2011

A TABLE FOR SMOKING OR NON-SMOKING?

Daniel 3

Tracy Watson
Thursday's Devo

September 1, 2011

Thursday's Devo

September 1, 2011

Central Truth

Our lives are full of "fiery furnaces" or trials. Because we live in a fallen world, we will go through trials, but the good news is that God is WITH us IN the fire. As believers, we are empowered by the power of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Key Verse | Daniel 3:25

He said, 'Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods' (Daniel 3:25)

Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits 1 3:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared 2 3:9 Aramaic answered and said; also verses 24, 26 to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. 3 3:15 Aramaic lacks well and good But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 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. 4 3:17 Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king 18 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.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, 5 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27 their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside 6 3:28 Aramaic and changed the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Footnotes

[1] 3:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[2] 3:9 Aramaic answered and said; also verses 24, 26
[3] 3:15 Aramaic lacks well and good
[4] 3:17 Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king
[5] 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27
[6] 3:28 Aramaic and changed

Dive Deeper | Daniel 3

My life is full of trials and fiery furnaces. Throughout my life I have sometimes skirted the fire and sometimes flirted with the fire, but by God's grace I have not been burned by fire. I would like to share three scenarios from a commentary that I studied on believers facing a trial – a fiery furnace.

First, we can be delivered from the fire. In this case, our faith is being built. Looking back on my life, I see that as a rebellious teenager and young woman, and sometimes even now as a more mature believer, God mercifully delivers me from the fire.

Second, we can be delivered through the fire, in which case we are refined and made better by the fire. Being in the real estate finance business and going through the trials of this last financial crisis, I see that I made it through with a stronger faith in God and stronger self-control; thus, I became a more refined believer.

Last, we can be delivered by the fire. In this case, our faith is perfected, and we are delivered into His loving arms. While in the fire, He is with us. "He said, 'Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!'' (Daniel 3:25) I think Jesus is the fourth man in that fire. When the three men came out of the fire, they didn't even smell of smoke (Daniel 3:27)! Hebrews 13:5 assures you that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Friends, be loyal to Him to the death and trust Him through the death. So, at last, when I come to heaven's gate, I'll ask for a seat at God's table in the Non-Smoking section.

Discussion Questions

1. What fiery furnace are you in right now? If you are not currently going through any sort of trial or difficult circumstance, take a moment to praise God for His blessings.

2. Can you see Jesus standing next to you? Look through the flames, and you will see Him – next to you.

3. How can you help others through a fire that they are in?

WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY

EZEKIEL 48-DANIEL 4 (AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 2)

Read Daniel 1.

Notice in verse 4, Daniel was a young man, a teenager. Why was Daniel in Babylon?

What did Daniel ask the chief official? Why did Daniel not want to eat the food and drink the wine of the king? How do you think Daniel knew that he should not be eating and drinking the king's food and wine?

Daniel was in a foreign land, but he still sought to follow the One True God.

What does it mean to resolve to do something? Daniel was young and knew God's ways.

How do you learn God's ways? How do you stand firm and obey His ways when faced with challenges?

ACTIVITY: Get some Play-Doh OR make your own (learn how at http://www.makeplaydough.com/play_dough/)

Make a big circle. Next, create the letters DAN and the numbers 1 and 8. Reread aloud Daniel 1:8 and remember how Daniel "made up his mind" to be a God follower even when it was difficult in a foreign land.

Put your Play-Doh creation in a place where it can dry. Come back occasionally to check to see how hard the letters/numbers are getting. When we set our minds upon God and make a decision to honor and obey Him, we are strong and "set" with Truth as our foundation.