Daniel 3
All government workers called to worship image verse 1- 3
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold
whose height was threescore cubits
and the breadth thereof six cubits
he set it up in the plain of Dura
in the province of Babylon
THEN Nebuchadnezzar the king sent
to gather together the princes – governors
captains – judges – treasurers – counselors
sheriffs – all the rulers of the provinces
to come to the dedication of the image
which Nebuchadnezar the king
had set up
THEN the princes- governors – captains – judges
treasurers – counselors – sheriffs
and all the rulers of the provinces
were gathered together unto the dedication of the image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up
And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up
Instructions regarding worship stated verse 4- 6
THEN a herald cried aloud – To you it is commanded
O people –nations- languages
that at what time you hear
the sound of the cornet – flute
harp – sackbut psaltery – dulcimer
and all kinds of music
you fall down and worship the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up
and whoso falls not down and worships shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of
a burning fiery furnace
Worship of image began verse 7
THEREFORE at that time
when all the people heard the sound of the cornet – flute
harp – sackbut – psaltery – and all kinds of music
all the people – nations- languages
fell down and worshiped the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up
Chaldeans accused Jews of not worshiping image verse 8- 12
Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near
and accused the Jews
They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar
O king- live forever
You – O king – hast made a decree
that every man that shall hear
the sound of the cornet – flute
harp – sackbut – psaltery
dulcimer – and all kinds of music
shall fall down and worship the golden image
AND whoso falls not down and worship
that he should be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace
There are certain Jews whom you have set
over the affairs of the province of Babylon
Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
These men – O king – have not regarded you
they serve not your gods nor worship
the golden image which you have set up
Nebuchadnezzar threatened three Jews verse 13- 15
THEN Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded
to bring Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
THEN they brought these men before the king
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them
Is it true?
O Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego?
Do not you serve my gods
nor worship the golden image
which I have set up?
NOW if you be ready that at what time
you hear the sound of the cornet
flute – harp – sackbut
psaltery – dulcimer
and all kinds of music
you fall down and worship the image
which I have made
WELL – BUT if ye worship not
you shall be cast the same hour into the midst
of a burning fiery furnace
and who is that God that shall deliver
you out of my hands?
Three Jews refused to worship image verse 16- 18
Shadrach-Meshach and Abed-nego answered
and said to the king
O Nebuchadnezzar – we are not careful to answer you in this matter
If it 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 hands
O king
BUT if not – be it known unto you – O king
that we will not serve your gods
nor worship the golden image
which you have set up
Nebuchadnezzar ordered furnace hotter verse 19
THEN was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury
and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
THEREFORE he spoke
and commanded that they should heat
the furnace one seven times
more than it was wont to be heated
Nebuchadnezzar ordered three Jews into furnace verse 20- 23
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army
to bind Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace
THEN these men were bound in their coats – hose – hats
their other garments and were cast
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace
THEREFORE because the king’s commandment was urgent
and the furnace exceeding hot
the flame of the fire slew those men that took up
Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
And these three men – Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
fell down bound into
the midst of the burning fiery furnace
Nebuchadnezzar amazed at what he saw in furnace verse 24- 25
THEN Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished
and rose up in haste
and spokenand said unto his counselors
Did not we cast three men bound
into the midst of the fire?
They answered and said unto the king
True – O king
He answered and said
Lo – I see four men loose
walking in the midst of the fire
and they have no hurt
And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God
Nebuchadnezzar ordered Jews out of the furnace verse 26- 27
THEN Nebuchadnezzar
came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace
and spoke – and said
Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
you servants of the most high God
come forth and come hither
THEN Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
came forth of the midst of the fire
AND the princes – governors – captains – king’s counselors being
gathered together – saw these men
upon whose bodies the fire had no power
nor was a hair of their head singed
neither were their coats changed
nor the smell of fire had passed on them
Nebuchadnezzar praised God of three Jews verse 28- 29
THEN Nebuchadnezzar spoke
and said
Blessed be the God of Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
WHO has sent HIS angel
and delivered HIS servants that trusted in HIM
and have changed the king’s word
and yielded their bodies
that they might not serve
nor worship any god
except their own God
THEREFORE I make a decree – That every people- nation- language
which speak anything amiss against
the God of Shadrach- Meshach- Abed-nego
shall be cut in pieces
and their houses shall be made
a dunghill
BECAUSE there is no other God that can deliver after this sort
Nebuchadnezzar promoted three Jews verse 30
THEN the king promoted Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego
in the province of Babylon
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 … ye fall down and worship the golden image….
DEVOTION: Worship is something that you are supposed to do to the God of the Universe only. The first of the Ten Commandments states that “You should have no other gods before me.” There is only ONE TRUE God presented in the Word of God. HE is a triune God in that HE is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Not three gods but ONE God. It is hard to understand but we are told that the Godhead is made up of these three persons that make one God. We use the word “Trinity” to represent these three persons but the word in not found in the Bible but has been used by the church to help us understand the concept.
Now we have Nebuchadnezzar setting up an image and telling all the people to worship that image. It was a golden image. The children of Israel worshiped a golden calf in the wilderness while Moses was on the mountain top receiving the Ten Commandments. They were being disobedient to the LORD by worshiping the golden calf.
Daniel’s three friends would not worship the image because they believed that the only person or thing they should worship is the God of heaven. So they told the king NO.
We should do the same in our life. We should not worship anyone or anything in the place of God. We are not to worship even our church building or our pastor or any special Bible teacher. Only the LORD is to be worshiped.
Who or what has first place in your life? Is it the LORD alone or the LORD plus something or someone else? We are not to have any false gods.
CHALLENGE: Yielding to those who don’t love the LORD is never right.
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: 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (NKJV)
DEVOTION: Our life is made up of events where we take a stand. We have a choice to make. We can either do what others are doing or not do them. We can walk away from events we know would not keep a good testimony for the LORD.
Too often even Christians go along with the crowd because they don’t want to be considered weird or something. They want to be part of the group more than any stand they should be taking. It is wrong but it happens.
We had a man in one of my churches that became a believer and wanted to follow the LORD. He wanted to witness to his old friends so he continued to go to parties with them and do drugs. While he was doing drugs he tried to witness to one of his closest friends about the LORD. His comment to him was “What are you doing here if you believe in the LORD Jesus Christ. This is wrong for you.” It was then that he realized that to be a believer meant to change your old habits for new ones. And that is what he did.
The world has a standard for believers. Most of the time they are wrong but this time they were right. Our testimony should be consistent with our lifestyle. If they are not consistent those who are not followers of the LORD will tell you or laugh at your testimony.
CHALLENGE: These three men stood for what they believed NO MATTER WHAT. They went into the fiery furnace and the LORD took care of them but even if HE didn’t they still would do what is right.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (6399 “serve” [palach] means worship, revere, minister for, pay reverence to, or labor for.
DEVOTION: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were bold young men. They were in a foreign land serving a king who worshipped false gods. In fact, he even wanted them to worship him.
He set up an image that was ninety feet tall and called all the government workers to the dedication service. They were all there and they were all given instructions. When the music played they were to bow down to the image as a representative of him. Anyone who didn’t bow down was going to be thrown in a fiery furnace. Sounds serious!
Well the time came to bow down and they didn’t. Their enemies were right up in the king’s face telling him about what they were doing. He gave them a second chance. They didn’t accept it.
They made the statement in this verse. They knew that God was able to deliver them from any problem or situation. They TRUSTED HIM with their life. But they also said that even if HE chose not to save them from this situation they were not going to worship the image of the king. They were not going to pay reverence to him.
Today, we might be tempted to worship a leader or someone who was in a place of power. We can look up to them but worship is another story. We had someone we know who was working for a political individual and they looked up to the individual. They would do almost anything for this individual. Well, of course, when you look up to someone they can ask you to do things that you shouldn’t to help them. They knew it was wrong but they did it because they wanted to please the individual. They had to confess their sin to the LORD and get back in fellowship with HIM. From that point on they were keeping their standard high.
We need to do the same. The temptation is to give in to people in high places but that is always wrong if it a compromise in your faith. These three men didn’t compromise and the LORD honored them for it.
CHALLENGE: Bring every circumstance before the LORD in prayer before you move. HE will give you special help to stay true to HIM. HE will bless you for staying true to HIM.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (7299 “form” [rev] means appearance, countenance or manifestation)
DEVOTION: This chapter is dealing with false worship by children of God. The test is real. These three men from Jerusalem were put in a position of leadership, which the other leaders did not like. They were looking for something to accuse these men concerning.
They found it in the worship of the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had made. Daniel must have been away on the king’s business at this period of time, as he is not mentioned.
The music played and all people were to bow down and worship the image. These three men did not worship. The king concerning their lack of worship confronted them. They told the king that they would not worship a false god. He was very angry. He had a fiery furnace prepared for those who didn’t worship his golden image.
The king of Babylon sent these three men into the fiery furnace. The men who threw them in were killed instantly. The fire was so hot. When the king looked at the three men that were bound walking around in the midst of the furnace with their hands free, he was amazed. There was a fourth person in the furnace with them. This fourth person looked like the Son of God to the king of Babylon. Later the king calls the fourth person an angel.
Was this a theophany? A theophany is a visible appearing of Deity in the Old Testament. Was this Jesus Christ appearing as the angel of the LORD? We really don’t know for sure but we know that it was a messenger from heaven in the furnace to give encouragement to these three men who stood up for the LORD.
The three Jews were asked to come out and face the king. They were unhurt by the fire. Their clothes were not burned. They didn’t even smell like they had been in a fire. Nebuchadnezzar worshiped the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
We are asked to represent our LORD on many occasions. Sometimes that might involve telling people who don’t want to hear the Word of God the Word of God.
Are we willing to be confronted on our belief concerning the LORD? Are we willing to go into the fire for the LORD? Are we willing to die for our faith in Christ? Are we willing to go to jail for our beliefs in God?
CHALLENGE: Remember the three men that were willing. Be like them!!! The LORD has promised to never leave us or forsake us. HE will deliver even when we are in the furnace.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Worship in fiery furnace
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 15, 17, 25, 26, 28, 29
Most high God verse 26
God of Shadrach – Meshach – Abed-nego verse 28, 29
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Son of God verse 25
Angel verse 28
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angel verse 28
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nebuchadnezzar verse 1- 30
Set up a burning fiery furnace for those
who didn’t worship golden image
Music was played for people to worship
golden image
Full of fury at three Jews
Ordered furnace to be seven times hotter
Saw four men in fiery furnace
Spoke to three men in furnace
States: I make a decree, that every people,
nation, and language, which speaks
anything amiss against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
shall be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be made a dunghill
because there is no other God that
can deliver after this sort
Promoted three men
Babylon verse 1, 30
Princes verse 3
Governors verse 3
Captains verse 3
Judges verse 3
Treasurers verse 3
Counsellors verse 3, 24
Sheriffs verse 3
Rulers of the provinces verse 3
Herald cried out verse 4
Burning fiery furnace verse 6, 11, 15, 17
Chaldeans verse 8
accused the Jews
Fire slew men that put three Jews in furnace verse 22
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Image of gold verse 1, 3
Worship a false image verse 5- 7, 10- 12, 14- 18, 28
Serve false gods verse 12, 18, 28
Rage and fury verse 13, 19
Speak anything amiss verse 29
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Deliverance verse 15, 17, 29
Servant verse 17, 28
Walk with the LORD verse 25
Fire had no power verse 27
Trust verse 28
Yield to the LORD verse 28
Promotion verse 30
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jews verse 8, 12
Shadrach verse 12- 30
Meshach verse 12- 30
Abednego verse 12- 30
Didn’t serve or worship golden image:
all three verse 12- 30
Stated: 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
But if not, be it known to you, O king
we will not serve your gods, nor worship
the golden image which you have set up
Hair of three men in furnace was not singed
neither were their coast changed, nor
the smell of fire had passed on them verse 27
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
3:28 Nebuchadnezzar praised (bĕrak) the God of the Hebrews for such a great demonstration of his power. The king also was quite impressed with the fact that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had placed their trust (rĕḥaṣ) in their God, and he had “sent his angel” to deliver them. Yahweh was faithful. “Angel” (or heavenly “messenger”) could denote an angel or God himself (cf. Gen 18:1–2, 10ff.), and Montgomery points out that “the term ‘angel’ was appropriate to common WSem. [West Semitic] diction as expressing an appearance-form of Deity.” In this context it refers to a divine being as the discussion at v. 25 shows. Nebuchadnezzar’s statement in this verse displays a knowledge of angels.
Then the pagan monarch expressed his admiration for these young men because of their willingness to defy a king’s command and suffer a horrible death in order to remain true to their god. Although angered by their actions, he respected their commitment. Even in today’s world unbelievers may not understand or appreciate Christian convictions, but usually they respect those who are willing to take a stand for their God. Verse 28 confirms that bowing before the statue was considered an act of worship. (Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, pp. 124–125). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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28–30 Before such an awesome display of God’s power, Nebuchadnezzar could only acknowledge his defeat. He had come up against the God he had challenged (v.15): “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” He hastened to praise Yahweh (v.28) and thereby confess his admiration for the courage and fidelity of the three Hebrews, who had been willing to die rather than worship any god but Yahweh.
To make amends Nebuchadnezzar decreed death and destruction for saying anything against the God of Israel (v.29). Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to a higher office in Babylon (v.30). It would be interesting to know what happened to the great idol on the Plain of Dura; presumably it was stripped of its golden covering and left to decay.
A significant fact in the subsequent history of the Jews is that the sublime courage of the three Hebrews and their faith in Yahweh greatly encouraged the Jewish patriots at the time of the Maccabean revolt, whose leaders emulated it in their own struggle against Antiochus Epiphanes. 1 Macc 2:59 tells how the dying Mattathias of Modin recalled the heroism of David and Elijah and said, “Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved out of the flame.” His words show his conviction of the historicity of Daniel 3. In the NT Hebrews 11:34 refers to Daniel 3: “[They] quenched the fury of the flames”—an allusion that appears in a long list of the heroes of the faith. Obviously the author of Hebrews believed that the events in Daniel 3 took place in the sixth century b.c. exactly as they are related. (Archer, G. L., Jr. (1986). Daniel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 58). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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The special place given to the great orchestra is very noticeable, as much so as in large worldly religious gatherings at the present time. It excites the emotions, and, thus working upon the feelings, gives people a sense of devotion and religiousness, which after all may be very unreal. In the Old Testament dispensation musical instruments were used in the ornate temple services; but there is certainly no warrant for it in the New Testament. People may call it worship to sit and listen to a trained, and possibly unconverted, choir and orchestra rendering sweet and touching strains; but the music simply acts upon the sensuous part of our natures, and has nothing to do with true adoration of the Father and the Son, which must be in spirit and in truth to be acceptable to God. Those who plead for its use, because of the place it had in Old Testament times, should remember that that was a typical dispensation. The instruments then used typified the melody now made in the hearts of God’s redeemed ones. We sometimes sing, and very truly—
“O Lord, we know it matters not
How sweet the song may be;
No heart but of the Spirit taught
Makes melody to Thee.”
A minister once remarked to me that many esthetic persons attended his church to worship God in music; so he sought to have the best performers and the finest music it was possible to obtain, as otherwise the people would not attend. What a delusion it all is! And yet people actually look upon that as really worshiping God, whether they have ever been converted or not! In reality they are only gratifying their own taste for melody and harmony—a taste God-given, I grant you, and proper enough in its place, but not to be confounded with true worship. A heart filled with Christ gives forth the sweetest music that ever reaches the ear of God the Father. He says, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” Let us remember, then, that in the New Testament dispensation it is “singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” to which the Christian is exhorted. That is where the music is to be—a heart full of praises to the God of all grace. May we know more of it. (Ironside, H. A. (1953). Lectures on Daniel the Prophet (2d ed., pp. 47–49). New York: Loizeaux Bros.)
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28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Thus out of the mouths of blasphemers and contemners of God can the Lord ordain praise: yet all this did not draw off this king from his idolatry, for he saith, the God of Shadrach, &c., not his God. Wonders will not work conversion till God work upon the heart, Deut. 29:2–4. He blesseth God for four things. 1. For sending his angel to deliver his servants that trusted in him. 2. That they changed the king’s commandment, i.e. frustrated it, and make it void, and convinced the king, and brought him to a better mind. 3. Therefore yielded their bodies to the fire, and to his fury, by passive obedience, rather than not obey God actively, by worshipping any false god, 4. But only the true, whom they chose to be their own God. Observe also here the power of faith, it quencheth the violence of fire, Heb. 11:34; and the presence of God with his people, even in the fire, and in fiery trials, Isa. 43:2; 1 Pet. 1:7; 4:12. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 2, pp. 820–821). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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Ver. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, &c.] In the presence of his princes and prime ministers of state, and made the following confession, to the praise and glory of the true God; which was extorted from him at this time through the force of conviction; for it does not appear to be a thorough conversion; nor did he relinquish his gods, and the worship of them: blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; he does not call him his God, but theirs, as he had called him the God of Daniel before, ch. 2:47: who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him; the fourth man he saw in the furnace he now calls an angel of God; for the Heathens had notions of some being the messengers of the gods: this seems to favour the sense of those who think an angel is designed by the fourth person; though it does not follow that a created one must be meant; for it may be understood of the Angel of God’s presence, the increated Angel, Jesus Christ; who, being sent by his divine Father; came and delivered these three persons from being consumed in the fire, who had in so strong a manner expressed their confidence in God, which the king now remembers and observes; see ver. 17, 18: and have changed the king’s word; made it null and void, refused to obey it, knowing it was their duty to obey God rather than man; so that the king was forced to change his word, and, instead of obliging them to worship his image, blesses their God: and yielded their bodies; freely gave them up, without any resistance, into the hands of those who were ordered by the king to take and bind them, and cast them into the furnace, to which also they readily yielded themselves: so the Septuagint and Arabic versions add, to the fire, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God; they chose rather to deliver up themselves to death, to be burnt in a furnace, than to serve any other god than the God of Israel; such was their constancy and firmness of mind; such their attachment to the true God, and their faithfulness to him. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, pp. 294–295). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
2 Kings 4
Elisha saves a Shunammite widow from economic disaster and revives her son from death.
INSIGHT
Elisha’s ministry is not startling; it is redemptive and constructive. Elijah was a prophet of fire and judgment; Elisha was a prophet of mercy and compassion. Elijah was a man on the move; Elisha enjoyed a tranquil life at home. Elijah’s miracles were destructive; Elisha’s were constructive. It must have been tempting for Elisha to want to be like Elijah. But he resists it; that is not what the Lord has for Elisha. He is his own man before the Lord. It is often tempting for us to want to be like someone else, to be dissatisfied with who we are and what we can do. Yet God made us to be what He wanted us to be. We must be content with who we are. It is so liberating. Accept yourself. God does. (Quiet Walk)
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CONSECRATION
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. Exodus 33:7
There is another element in revival that I must emphasize. It is clear that in putting the Tabernacle outside the camp, Moses had another motive and a very important one. It is this whole idea of consecration. Moses felt that this could not be done in the midst of the camp. The camp had become unclean, and he deliberately took the Tabernacle out, “afar off from the camp.” It was a very deliberate action. But by doing it, he said in effect, “We must do this thing in God’s way; we must get out of the impurity and this sinful atmosphere. We must get together here instead.” Yes, that is consecration. That is, if you like, the call to holiness.
I am suggesting to you that the history of every revival brings out this same factor in exactly the same way. What is it that has happened to these men whom God has used? Take any one of them, and you will find almost invariably that their first concern has not been the state of the church—it has been the state of their own souls. It has been the holiness of God. The Methodists said, “We must meet to study the Scriptures together, we must pray together, and we must live methodically in everything.” Methodists, yes; but what they were searching for was holiness. And that has always been God’s way. One man or a number of men suddenly become awakened to their distance from God, to the fact that they are in a far country. And their first concern is to be holy as God is holy, and to come into His presence, and to know His glory.
A Thought to Ponder: Their first concern has not been the state of the church—it has been the state of their own souls. (From Revival, pp. 168-169, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Disciples and Servants
“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.” (Matthew 10:24)
Note the twofold relation of the believer to the Lord Jesus Christ expressed in this verse. We are His disciples and servants; He is our Master and Lord. Each of the two relationships is vital. The word for “disciple” means “pupil.”
The word “master” is the same as “teacher.” The Lord Jesus, therefore, is our teacher, and He teaches us through His Word—the Holy Scriptures. It is our function to learn His teachings and, of course, to believe them. No Christian (one under the authority of Christ) has the right to reject or even to question one of the teachings of His Word (Matthew 5:18-19). The lord-servant relationship goes even further. The word for “servant” is actually “bond slave.” The “lord” of a slave was his owner; the word itself means “supreme ruler” and is the title commonly assigned to God Himself in the New Testament. Thus, if a disciple is to believe the word of his master without question, the servant is to obey the word of his lord without hesitation.
But the world scoffs at the teachings of God’s Word, and will try to persecute those who seek to follow them. The unbelieving world—even the religious world—responded to the teachings of the Master by ridiculing Him, then torturing Him, and finally hanging Him on a tree to die.
Yet we are to go to the same world with the same teachings. “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). “As thou hast sent me into the world,” He prayed, “even so have I also sent them into the world” (John 17:18).
He does warn us: “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The God of the Second Chance
I’m thankful that the Bible isn’t hagiography, an idealistic, even idolizing way of telling a story in which the heroes and heroines are scrubbed clean of mistakes and weaknesses. Just about any biblical character of note, except Jesus, has both good and bad moments in the scriptural story. Just read about Abraham and Sarah, Moses, King David, Elijah the prophet, Jesus’ apostles (the list goes on and on), and it doesn’t take long to discover episodes that are extremely unflattering. Remember how Peter, the church’s foundational rock, quickly becomes a stone of stumbling to Jesus (Matt 16:22-23)? The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat the saints. Why is this?
The Bible presents the saints “warts and all” to remind us that life and ministry isn’t ultimately about us and our accomplishments but about God and his faithfulness. As I mentioned in my last post on Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:9), God places the treasure of the Gospel in common clay jars so there will be no mistaking that the source of our power is the gospel, and that all praise goes to Jesus alone (2 Cor 4:7).
John Mark, Second Chances, and Us
John Mark is a person whose life demonstrates this point. The Jerusalem Church met in his mother’s house (Acts 12). He went along to help Paul and Barnabas on their first mission trip (Acts 13). But this privileged and promising beginning was shattered when John Mark abruptly left the mission mid-trip, leading to heated controversy between Paul and Barnabas and the break-up of their mission team (Acts 15). What a mess! But thankfully there’s more to the story.
Dr. Don Denyes, senior pastor of South Church, Lansing MI, spoke about John Mark in his address at the 2019 Commencement at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. Don wove the scattered NT references to John Mark into the beautiful tapestry of biblical discipleship and taught aboutthe grace and faithfulness of the God of the second chance, with whom failure is not final. I hope you will listen to this commencement address and be encouraged as you reflect on John Mark’s unvarnished discipleship journey and your own. (Dr. David L. Turner’s Website)
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When You’ve Been WRONGED by Erwin W. Lutzer
These adult bullies might more accurately be labeled spear throwers. They are those individuals hell-bent on damaging and threatening you – even destroying you or your reputation. (p. 76)
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Spear throwers like to see people squirm. They are self-absorbed, self- motivated, and self-deceived. (p. 76)
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Amazingly, they can be caring and thoughtful – and mean and evil – all at ones. (p. 76)
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If there is one single reason why good people turn evil, it is because they fail to recognize God’s ownership over their kingdom, their vocation, their resources, and above all, their lives. (p. 83)
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You don’t have to be a leader in the church to fall into this attitude of entitlement. We must remember: God owns our vocation, resources, and abilities. (p. 83)
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