Today's sermon is being directed mainly to believers in Jesus Christ in these last days. We all know that we are in perilous times where many deceivers are Performing miracles with their diabolical means and hiding themselves under the pretext of the name of Jesus. Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians believers in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 to be very careful as to the simplicity that is in Christ. He also emphasised this same warning to the Colossians believers in Colossians 2:8.
So, the sermon topic for today is taking from the story of the three Hebrew's children namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3. The purpose of exploring this chapter is to give us an assurance in the midst of afflictions, so that you do not have to run unnecessarily when no one is pursuing you. We know that Christ already told us in John 16:33 that we shall have tribulation, but to be of good cheer that He has overcome the world.
To understand the sermon, I need to give us the background of what is happening in this text. Here, the three Hebrew children are friends of Daniel whom Daniel had requested king Nebuchadnezzar to put them in charge of the affairs of the province of Babylon in Daniel 2:49 rather than putting himself in that position as a reward which the King is trying to give to him in Daniel 2:47-48 as a result of interpreting the King's dream. Meaning that these three Hebrew children will now be among the King's advisers.
Following Daniel's interpretation of the King's dream of the great image of gold in Daniel 2:31-32, he [the king) therefore decided to mimicked the same image of gold to be constructed and commanded everyone to bow and worship the golden image in Daniel 3:5. He gave further instruction that failure to worship this image will result in disobedience for the person who failed to comply, and that person should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace in Daniel 3:6.
These three Hebrew's children were reported to the King that they failed to bow and worship the King's image as instructed in Daniel 3:12. The Jews being the children of the Almighty God whom God had given instruction to in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1- 5 not to bow nor worship any image decided to hold on to the Almighty God Commandments.
So, when the King heard, he was in a rage and fury and commanded the three Hebrew children to be brought to him in Daniel 3:13 so as to prove their loyalty to him in Daniel 3:14-15. But these children of the Most-High God stood their ground to tell the King that they will not comply in Daniel 3:16-18. This, therefore infuriate the King that he commanded that the heat of the furnace be increased to seven times more and that these children of God be thrown into the fire.
As a child of God and a genuine believer, we must try to build our faith in Christ Jesus to the extent that even if the situations and challenges being thrown at us refuse to shift after praying and fasting, we should be able to rest in the creator of heavens and the earth for His divine intervention at an appointed time in His own agenda.
We should learn to trust in God because His Word in Deuteronomy 31:6 and Heb 13:5 said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Refrain from seeking help outside of Christ and even when you are seeking help in the Christendom, be very sensitive as many deceivers have crept into the church of God all around the world using the name of Jesus Christ whereas they have some other things they are consulting for their power so that children of God might believe them thereby leading an innocent believer into perdition.
What can we learn from this sermon?
There are a lot of things to be learnt, but will only mention a few of them.
1. These Hebrew children demonstrated obedience to God's laws and Commandments in a foreign land by refusing to honour the king's command despite they are in a position of affluence and thereby benefitting from the largess they are enjoying as a result of being over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
2. As believers, we need to get to the level of being sold out completely for Christ and damn any consequences that may arise as a result of our decision for Christ. The three Hebrew children demonstrated this in Daniel 3:16-18 because they knew something the King did not know, because the Word of God in Isaiah 43:2 said when they pass through the fire, that the fire will not burn them.
3. Learn to wait for the salvation of God and do not make irrational decision. It may be that the reason for passing through such situations is for the Name of Jesus Christ to be glorified in your life. We can see that the King saw the Son of God with the Hebrew children inside the fire and they were not burnt according to Daniel 3:24-25 to the extent that the King has to by force recognize the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and thereby make a decree that nobody should henceforth speak against their God in Daniel 3:28-30.
In conclusion, we should be able to get so close to Christ in our relationship with Him by being obedient, being regularly with Him in prayers, worshipping and studying His Word in the bible. We must be consistent in friendship with Him and never get angry even if things do not go the way you had wanted it to be because God's word in Romans 8:28 says all things whether good or bad will work together for our good for those who love Him and had been called and not for those who does not love Him. For you being in the House of God signify you have been called according to His purpose.
Let us Pray!
Wonderful Father, we praise and adore you. We thank you that you are always with us in all situations and challenges we do go by each day because we are not left alone because your rod and your staff comfort us. We believe your Word in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 that our current afflictions are for a moment and working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory because we do not look at it because they are temporal but we put our focus on what is not seen because these ones are eternal to us. We therefore pray for anyone reading this sermon according to 1 Peter 5:10 that the God of all grace, who hath called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you in Jesus Name. Amen!
