King Nebuchadnezzar had a gold statue made, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and he had it set up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. [Daniel 3:1 GNT]
FOLLIES OF KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S IMAGE OF GOLD
In this Bible verse above, this King of Babylon, and reigning king of kings then, made a great image like the one he saw in his dream which Daniel declared. Only that he thought he could change destiny my making all it's parts to be gold instead of the gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay, that was in the vision he saw. Would making all the parts to be only gold guarantee for his kingdom everlasting Kingdom and Dominion?
Let's see some comparative analyses of the contents in the Bible verse above:
*1* The Image/Statue he made was gold, while he was flesh/clay: One of the follies of foolish people is in using superior materials in building an image for themselves that is more expensive or worth more than their own body. I know he was the king of kings then, and so the most valuable man in the then world among men; but the treasures he spent on his image weighed more than the treasures of his dead body or carcass.
Learn this, do not invest more into your own image/statue than the worth of your own flesh and blood. Be more precious and treasurable than your image or pictures. God will never make His Image richer than the treasures of His Own Body or Blood.
*2* The Image/Statue he made was larger in size than him: Another folly of men is in making or projecting images of them larger in size or dimensions above their own sizes. Well, it is not folly if the larger creations of men are subservient to (serving) the men who built them; but the folly is in just making them and still serving the Images, Statues or Idols, which cannot walk but may have legs, nor see but may have eyes.
Learn this, do not project an image of you that is actually larger than you truly are in size or dimensions. God never made any of His Image greater or larger than Him in size. There's nothing God made that is actually larger or bigger than God in size; no house or creation of God is bigger than God in any dimension of size. The size of God is way bigger than the size of the entire universe and creations combined.
*3* The Image/Statue he made was for his rulership to worship it even more than they worship him as king: While I am against men getting worship to themselves, I would still prefer a man to rather be the one getting worshipped than giving his worship to his image or creation. It's the turning of things upside down that makes men to prefer worshiping the creature more than the creator of the creature.
[Romans 1:24-25] — "Why God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."
In God's wisdom, he who built a house should have more honor/glory than the house he built (Hebrews 3:3), but men turning things upside down make them to love and glorify things that were built more than the maker.
Nebuchadnezzar in this Chapter gave "Worship" to this image, and in the next Chapter took "Pride" for himself over all he built. Which is greater to take for yourself between "Pride" and "Worship?" Why give your worship to image of gold but gather up pride for yourself?
Learn this, do not give worship to whatever you made and do not receive pride from whatever you made or did. Neither worship the works of your hands nor be proud by them. God will never share His Worship Glory with anything He created or made, except His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Antichrist or Beast will also have an image of him made, and his false prophet will make people to worship the image of the Beast, Antichrist, and receive the number of his name.
*4* Apart from making that great image statue all "Gold" in eliminating other competitions of silver, bronze, iron and clay, Nebuchadnezzar ensured the Image/Statue was placed in the Plain of Dura, in Babylon, to prevent any mountain nearby or stone cut out without hands from falling on the Image as it happened in the dream. A "Plain" is usually a flat and low lands with vast area devoid of mountain or hill. It was in the Plain of Dura that Nebuchadnezzar felt his Image Statue of gold was safe.
[Daniel 3:2 NKJV] °°°° And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
[Daniel 3:2 FBV] — Then he summoned the provincial governors, prefects, local governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PAY HOMAGE TO IDOLS/SHRINE
When Nebuchadnezzar had that dream and saw that image statue in dream, he woke up to gather these caliber of people, including the magicians, Chaldeans, religious, esoteric and occultic people, etc. But in the Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar changed the caliber of people⁹ he gathered for the dedication of his image into idol to be worshipped.
The caliber of people he invited were Government Officials, State-Actors and Politicians.
Instead of priests, he called the politicians; instead of prophets/seers, he invited administrators of Government; and instead of mediums/spiritists, he sommoned principalities and powers that govern the state or province. And it was supposed to be the dedication of his Image into an idol or gods to be worshipped; what business had state actors (who should be handling the governance of the realms) with the dedication of a Shrine?
From the list:
(a) Satraps (Prime-Ministers); (b) Administrators (Ministers); (c) Governors; (d) Counselors (Advisers); (e) Treasurers (Bankers/Accountants); (f) Judges and Magistrates (Judiciary or Lawyers); (g) All Officials of the State (Province)
By so doing, he was forcing government and governance of the state into unofficial/religious matters, and basically ascribing government and powers of the state to idols and abuse of official public duties.
Surely, Daniel was supposed to be among them by then, not just Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, because Daniel was state actor in the government under the kingship of Nebuchadnezzar. Though nothing was said about Daniel in this Chapter, it was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Take this, if you are invited to the dedication of an idol or ceremony for the sacrifice to an idol, do not go.
[Numbers 25:1-5 FBV] — When the Israelites were staying at Shittim the men started to have sex with Moabite women who invited them to the sacrifices made to their gods. The Israelites ate the pagan meals and bowed down before these gods. In this way the Israelites devoted themselves in worship to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry with them. The Lord told Moses, “Arrest all the Israelite leaders and kill them before the Lord where everyone can see in order to turn the Lord's furious anger away from the people.” So Moses instructed Israel's judges, “Each of you has to kill all of your men who have devoted themselves to worshipping Baal of Peor.”
[Daniel 3:3 AKJV] — "Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up."
[Daniel 3:3 GW'20] — "Then the satraps, governors, mayors, military advisers, treasurers, judges, officers, and all the other provincial officials assembled to dedicate the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of the statue."
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GOVERNMENT PLEDGES DEVOTION TO AN IDOL INSTEAD OF PLEDGING TO THE COUNTRY
I stopped saying my national pledge after my NYSC, wherein I've served my country and fulfilled the pledge I said before. But in the Bible verse above, the State-Actors and State-Powers of the Government of Babylon gathered to dedicate the Shrine and pledged to it according to either the invitation and the demand of king Nebuchadnezzar sent to them. And going by the caliber of principalities mentioned here, one could reasonably suspect Daniel and his three friends in the faith could be in their midst to dedicate the Golden idol of Babylonian Kingdom, for those four men had also joined the politics and government of Babylon.
Positions and Powers of this world do not just give you great influence, for they also subject you under some influence and pressure to do things you would not wanted to do if you are not of world: Aaron was there when Israelites worshiped a Golden Calf for political reason though he was made high priest of God, and Daniel was there when Government Officials stood and worshiped a Golden Statue for political reason though he was made a prophet of God. Whether it is Golden Calf or Golden statue of man, let neither gold, nor political or religious position bring you to attending pagan dedication or ritualistic ceremony or any consecration in idolatry. For some attended such party because of their political reasons or pressures .
Atleast these ones "Sat down" to eat before the Golden Calf, but those in the top Bible verse above (the dignitaries and State-Powers that came to the dedication of the Golden Statue) did not even sit, for they stood (not sit) before the Golden Statue. Those who sat in the seats of the government and kingdom ruling the entire world then stood before a golden image, about to bow down to it. So it moved from the government dedicating the Golden Calf into the government being dedicated to the Golden Calf or making pledge to it. And though they golden statue had more stature and stood taller than them, yet they stood before it. After the pledge, it would be the anthem proclaimed so that as soon as the music started the Government Officials and all that stood bowed down and worshipped the Golden Statue.
When Nebuchadnezzar the king promoted those government officials, they rejoiced for such promotions; now the same king that promoted and honored them now used them to promote and honor the golden statue he made. Some how, it's like that king who promoted and honored Haman but used the same promoted and honored Haman to honor Mordecai, saying, see how the king rewards the man he wishes to honor.
When the man/people who promoted and honored you later promote and honor foolish things or foolish person more than he promoted and honored you, he has insulted you indirectly. Sometimes, it comes as giving award to you in public and still giving either the same award or greater award to a man of no moral standing, a criminal, a lowlife etc, putting you in the same group or lower category with such lowlife. It could also come as a woman/wife who has slept with you going to sleep with lower man or animal, joining your glory/honor to the same or lower than the glory/honor of the other man/beast she also slept with. May your honor, power and glory, not be made lower than the honor, power and glory, of idols or beasts (animals); neither be like those kings who give their own honor and power to the Beast.
[Revelation 17:12-13] — "And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast."
[Proverbs 31:3] — "Don’t give your strength to women or your power to those who ruin kings."
Those who stood in dedication of the Golden Statue gave their own glory and allegiance to that image, and those who worshiped the Golden Calf changed their own glory into the glory of ox that ate grass. As it is written,
[Psalms 106:19-21] — "They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God their savior, which had done great things in Egypt;"
Be careful whom you bestow your honor, power and glory, to.
[Daniel 3:4 AKJV] — "Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,"
[BSB'19] — "Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O peoples, nations, and men of every language, this is what you are commanded:"
THE HERALD'S PROCLAMATION
Some said that today, if you add your age to the full year of your birth, the answer must be “2023.” I am “39 years” born on a Sabbath Day (Saturday, September 15th) in the year “1984.” This means: “39 + 1984” = “2023”
Now, if you do this today, adding your age to your year of birth, and it did not give “2023” then perhaps you have a wrong age or wrong year of birth. Confirm your own.
In the Bible verse above, the herald made his voice loud and audible to all that were there present, presenting an oral circular or 'oral memo' pertaining the new command from the throne room of the king of kings by then to all civil servants, public servants and Government Officials therein present.. The herald here means the Announcer, the Broadcaster or Spokesperson for the Power Head to the people. Though the herald is not the commander himself nor had authority/rank above all those over whom he raised his voice loud to issue the king's command there, the herald voice or speech was the bearer and booster of "Thus says the King" or "The Word or the Command of the King of Kings" then. Infact, in the Bible verse above, the herald did not even say nor used, "Thus says the King" nor mentioned the King while publishing and publicizing the Command to all the different Personalities, of different Peoples, different tribes and different languages: Instead the herald said with a loud and authoritative voice, "To you it is commanded…" Who gave the command? They don't ask, but know or regard the herald as the king's oracle.
Nothing like, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but you saying the command, "Who are you?" in their approach to the directive from the herald. Infact, I heard either a former president's ADC or Chief of Staff had ways of using "the president said or ordered" to cause other staff or officials of the government to do whatever the ADC or COS wanted even when the president is neither aware of such nor ever issued such order.
Similarly, many prophets, pastors and priests, used and still use, "Thus says the Lord God…" (when the Lord God Himself has not commanded it) to decree things and deceive people into doing those things. Remember the old prophet in Samaria used "Thus says the angel that came to me…" to deceive the man of God from Judah that heard directly from God, which stopped him from ever hearing directly from God ever again till he died because he was hearing directly from God but foolishly subscribed to hearing and obeying a prophet that was neither hearing directly from God nor qualified to hear directly from God until he took the place of the man of God from Judah in hearing directly from God while the man of God lost such hearing directly from God to the prophet.
It's like me, Peterch, hearing directly from the Lord; if I later listen to Muhammad of Islam or Muslims' prophet who neither heard directly from God nor qualified to hear from God, but claimed he received his messages from an angel "Gabriel" who gave him the Quran when he could neither literate nor could read/write, will I not lose my hearing directly from God because I am hearing from Muhammad of Islam or other prophets who do not hear directly from God? That happened to the young man of God from Judah in "1 Kings 13, who lost his hearing directly from God by hearing the words of prophets who do not hear directly from God but perhaps lying angels.
Know this, being called "Man of God" is greater in authentication than being called "Prophet" "Apostle" "Pastor" "Teacher" etc. The reason is because, there can be "False or Fake" attached to "Prophet, Apostle, Pastor, Teacher etc" for one could be fake/false and still be those things with the fakeness/falseness; but nothing like "False/fake man of God." If he is a "man of God" then he can not be fake or false; if he's fake/false then he can not be a man of God.
In "1 Kings 13" the young man from Judah was younger in age or ministry but spiritually he was far greater or higher than the popular/prosperous prophet with many disciples in Samaria: for though the young man was walking, trekking alone in poverty to preach, he was already a "Man of God" while the older one was just a "Prophet."
That means, the Man of God hears directly from God as His messenger, which qualified him with the title "Man of God;" but the prophet do not need to qualify nor hear directly from God to be a prophet, but just need to hear or see beyond the average people can see or hear into the supernatural either by angels, by dreams, by visions, by stars or signs and omens, etc. There were many prophets, pastors and priests, in the Bible but few among them were referred to as "Man of God." And if any man is called "Man of God" (not prophet, pastor or priest, but man of God), you don't even dare to insult such ones because God instantly attacks whoever insults a "Man of God."
*1* In "Numbers 12," a prophet and a prieat challenged a man of God, and instantly God showed up, rebuked both of them for challenging the Man of God (Moses) whom God spoke with face to face (unlike how God uses dark speeches, dreams, omens etc to speak to other prophets); and God struck the prophet (Miriam) with leprosy and was disappointed with the high priest (Aaron) because they were challenging Man of God (Moses)
*2* In "1 Kings 13," the king Jeroboam himself anointed for the division of the kingdom of Israel out of Solomon's seed, commanded the arrest of the young man of God from Judah. And because he was a man of God, the king's hand that was stretched out against the man of God was instantly paralyzed and dried like wood for pointing accusingly to a man of God.
(1 Kings 13:4-6) – "When King Jeroboam heard the man of God condemning the altar in Bethel, he pointed to the man across the altar.
"Arrest him," he said. But the arm that he used to point to the man of God was paralyzed so that he couldn't pull it back. The altar was torn apart, and the ashes from the altar were poured [on the ground]. This was the miraculous sign the man of God performed at the LORD's command. Then the king asked the man of God, "Please make an appeal to the LORD your God, and pray for me so that I can use my arm again." So the man of God made an appeal to the LORD, and the king was able to use his arm again, as he had earlier."
You may recall that story, and how the old prophet heard and deceived the man of God into his death. I always feel a pain of loss whenever I dwell on how such great man of God was lost, one who should have ranked among men of God like Enoch, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel etc. But as a consolation, I tell myself that this man of God was lost but God gave us another man of God called "Elijah" after the young man of God from Judah.
*3* In "2 Kings 1," military commanders and soldiers tried intimidating a man of God (Elijah) using "thus says the king" to issue a command to a man of God who does not regard "thus says the king" or "thus says an angel;" but only regards the direct approach of God or Angel speaking to him and not through a third-party unlike the man of God from Judah did.
[2 Kings 1:9-10] — "Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spoke to him, "You man of God, the king has said, "Come down." And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty." And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty."
This was repeated, for no doubt Elijah was a man of God. But for the Widow, it was when Elijah raised her son back to life from the dead that she confirmed he is truly a "Man of God" because a mere prophet, priest, pastor, teacher or apostle, cannot raise a dead person back to life unless he is a man of God.
[1 Kings 17:24] — "And the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."
*4* In "2 Kings 4," the barren Shunamite Woman herself confessed to her husband that Elisha is a "Holy man of God" and let them make room for the man of God inside their house (2 Kings 4:9). But when the man of God gave her his Word, not even thus says the Lord, but his own word, saying by this time next year you shall have your son in your arms; but she said, "Man of God don't deceive me" which was the offense. If he is a man of God, then he can not be called a deceiver or false: or if he's false or a liar then do not call him a man of God. Don't join the two contrary terms:
(2 Kings 4:16-19 GWN) "Elisha said, "At this time next spring, you will hold a baby boy in your arms." She answered, "Don't say that, sir. Don't lie to me. You're a man of God." But the woman became pregnant and had a son at that time next year, as Elisha had told her. Several years later the boy went to his father, who was with the harvest workers. [Suddenly,] he said to his father, "My head! My head!" The father told his servant, "Carry him to his mother.""
To shorten the story, the boy died in her arms, and she ran to the man of God in frozen shock, repeating what she said about the man of God not lying to her. Nevertheless, the man of God raised the boy back to life.
*5* In "Luke 1," a priest doubted a man of God who was Angel of God called Gabriel, just as the angel of God that heralded the birth of Samson to Manoah and his wife was also called "Man of God" though angel of God
[Judges 13:6-7 BSB'19] — "Then the woman went and said to her husband, “A Man of God came to me. His appearance was like the Angel of God, exceedingly awesome. I did not ask Him where He came from, and He did not tell me His name. But He said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore, do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death.’”"
So having been established that Angels of God could also be called, "Men of God," Angel Gabriel was the man of God that stood in the very presence of God in holy of holies of heaven, indicating his high ranking as Man of God, beholding God face to face. Why should a priest doubt the Words of such Man of God even if the priest is old in ministry and was giving great offerings to God? Therefore, the Man of God (Gabriel the archangel) struck the priest with dumbness or muteness until he see the words of the Man of God which must come to pass without failure.
Back to the old prophet, for though he deceived the man of God he never doubted the man of God unlike this old priest. Infact, though the old prophet in Samaria was popular then and very rich, (and if it were in our days the old prophet would perhaps have private jets ranked among the most influential pastors and prophets), the old prophet humbly sought after the young man of God and humbly treated the young man of God as his lord, seeking to be discipled by the young man of God. You may read where the old prophet made his Will that if he dies let him be buried in the grave with that young man of God. Infact, before Elisha succeeded in collecting double portion of the man of God's spirit (Elijah's) by closely following Elijah, this old prophet in Samaria first collected the grace or spirit from the young man of God from Judah to the point that when the man of God was eating, the old prophet received the direct word of God on behalf of the man of God and became the one now hearing from God instead of the man of God; and immediately he had the spirit of the man of God from Judah, he confirmed all that the man of God had prophesied shall surely come to pass though the man of God died a shameful death; and he commanded his disciples to bury him next to the man of God's body because he would be privileged to be called successor of that young man of God.
How many of such influential pastors and prophets of our times with their glories and private jets even have the eyes to see and know a man of God, talkless of a man of God who is younger than them in age, in material things, in ministry and in followership. So that old prophet knew had value
In concluding about the "Herald's Proclamation" all the top government officials there were to obey without asking questions who signed the memo or was it the king (Nebuchadnezzar) that ordered us, since the herald did not mention "Thus says the king." The Herald was the one who had face to face conversation with the king, and was among them as the king's oracle.
However, in his speech, the people which the herald was addressing were of different Peoples, different tribes, and different languages: and they were all those who formed the government of Babylon under the king of kings then, Nebuchadnezzar.
So it was not a Nepotistic Government, nor a Government dominanted by one tribe, one race of people or one language, like the foolish past government of this country I am in now, who filled his government officials and positions with his tribal people and language people and same religion, so that fulanis, northerners and cows dominated the country, taking the country many years backwards instead of forward.
Nebuchadnezzar appointed Government Officials based on merits, and maintained what we now called, "Federal Character" of giving equal opportunity to all different race, different tribes, different languages, different religions (except he is about forcing them to his paganism), etc including the Jews whom they regarded as captives or slaves in Babylon, he made Daniel Chief Governor and made three of his friends rulers too. Nebuchadnezzar was a nice king of kings, except for idolatry and pride.
[NKJV] — that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;
[FBV] — As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of musical instruments, you must fall to the ground and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
WORSHIP COMPLIANT MUSIC
The construction was built to turn all kinds of musical sounds into "worship compliant" even if they are not worship songs or worship sounds. But the instruction was made to force all men into worshiping the king's golden/glorious image, which the king had highly exalted.
To us, there are few differences in instruction and construction:
*1* Instead of "At the sound of every music" in the Bible verse above, — to us it is "At the mention of the name of "Jesus Christ" in the Bible verse below.
*2* Instead of "Every one must bow to worship the gold image Nebuchadnezzar the king highly exalted or setup" as in the Bible verse above, — to us it is "Every knee shall bow to the true living Image/Son of God (Jesus Christ) whom God highly exalted and gave a Name above all names, (this applies to all things in heaven, under the heavens and on earth); and every tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" as in Bible verse below.
[Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV] — Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore I emphasize, based on the top Bible verse above that, "Worship can be commanded but not demanded:" Both Nebuchadnezzar, some other kings, and God Himself, have commanded worship by force and worshippers to worship "something else" or "someone else" but did not demand being worshipped by force. Worship is like Love: You don't demand it for yourself but command it for someone else. It's another person that will command or instruct others to love you or worship you, not you demanding it by force for your own self. Let your grace, attractions, virtues, evidence or messengers, command people to love you: but you concentrate on loving God and loving others apart from your own self.
Remember, Worship God or Love God is a commandment, even the greatest of commandments is to love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and being. But usually it's either a man of God or angel of God that would be saying this to you, not God saying it directly to you as if He's asking you to "Love Me" (First Person Pronoun). The closest to that is God commanding us or angels to worship or love His Son, Jesus Christ. As it is written,
[Hebrews 1:6 BSB'19] — "And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”"
[Psalms 45:11 GW] — "The king longs for your beauty. He is your Lord. Worship Him."
And yet closest to that is the Lord Jesus Christ using "the Son" instead of using "Me" while indirectly asking men to honor Him.
[John 5:23] — "That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father who has sent Him."
I also emphasize based on the top Bible verse above that all musical instruments and sounds did not have to be worship songs and yet serve as "Worship Alarm" or "Worship Anthem" to that idol or to the devils even without lyrics.
Not all songs or musical sounds are worship songs among the true churches; but just those songs or sounds that come with lyrics, spoken words, bitrates, and sounds, that express worship, bowing down and giving oneself to God and to His Son in holiness and love.
You may have heard some songs that are called gospel or worship songs among Christians, but those songs have the bitrates and instrumental sounds of worldly music except the lyrics or wordings were changed into christian gospel or worship songs. Why should you use the combination bit sounds of secular or worldly music to serve as platform for your worship songs to God? No, don't. For even the bitrates, sound tempo, and structure of the music sounds, could already have been structured to glorify Satan or certain evil spirit.
My point is that even sounds, without lyrics or wordings, are connected to spirits, as in, either inviting or expelling spirits. Recall, David was just playing music sounds with harp, without any lyrics or spoken words, and that instrumental sounds alone from David's playing casted out evil spirit or demons from the anointed king or leader of God's Church (Israel). And evil spirits are cast out by the presence of Holy Spirit, meaning the Spirit of God was taking over from the evil spirits while David played sounds without lyrics.
So there are certain ways the sounds or beatings of Gospel/Worship music must go or must not go to qualify as worship to God or true gospel anthem apart from the lyrics.
Infact, some keyboards already have pre-recorded sounds classified as, Disco, Reggae, Bluez, Classical, Rock, Funeral, etc sound modes. That's to tell you each sounds have calibrations that speak in tongues with meanings either to God, spirits, devils or prophecies.
It's easier for all kinds of music sounds to inspire worship to idols, gold (money) or anything else, apart from worshiping the true God, as in the top Bible verse above. True worship songs to the true God have instrumentals and lyrics that are inspirational, spiritual, seasoned with salt, and sanctification of the Holy Spirit of Truth.
Lastly, I emphasize based on the top Bible verse above that it was the Image of God (Son of God - Jesus Christ) that came to deliver those who refused to bow and worship the image statue of Nebuchadnezzar the king of kings then. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, defied the king and rejected the worship of the king's image, they were cast into the furnace of fire. While they were there, Nebuchadnezzar the king saw with them the Image of God whom he referred to as "The Son of God" or "Son of gods" or the "Fourth Person."
The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is He whom God has commanded us to bow down to worship and to confess Him as Lord. Never bow down to image of gold. And as the Son of God, true Image of God to be worshipped, came to save those who would never bow down to another king's image, gold or fire, so will the Son of God come to save those who will not bow down to the image of the beast (antichrist) or his mark which the false prophet set up.
[NKJV] — and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
[ICB] — Everyone must bow down and worship this gold statue. Anyone who doesn’t will be quickly thrown into a blazing furnace.”
WORSHIP IN FEAR OF JUDGMENT
He not only made the idol golden (great, glorious and attractive) for men to worship it, but he also added the pressure of the fear of his judgment (wrath) should incase some would still not worship it based on its riches alone.
Even so:
*1* There's time to Worship The LORD for He's Worthy to be worshipped;
*2* There's also time to Worship The LORD for fear of His Judgment.
Both are not the same. Many only know the first reason for worshipping Him, but have not come to the second reason. Worshiping God for His worthiness is about Love of God, but worshiping God for His judgment is about Fear of God. The love of God is the height of Wisdom, but the Fear of God in the foundation or beginning of Wisdom.
He not only wants you to worship Him with knowledge of His glory, splendor, grace, goodness, riches and awesomeness; for He also wants you to worship Him with knowledge of His Judgment, Fear of Him. Should I give you three Bible references that calls all men to worship God in regards to His Judgment (and not just worshiping Him in regards to His other attributes, but His Judgment or Fearfulness)? I think I should.
- The angel that would be flying and doing evangelism on air, preaching the everlasting gospel, would not be preaching prosperity but be preaching fear of God and worshiping God in fear of His Judgment. As it is written,
[Revelation 14:6-7] — "And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
- [Revelation 15:4] — "Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? for You only are holy: for all nations shall come and worship before You; for Your judgments are made manifest."
- [Psalms 96:9] — "O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth."
- [Psalms 5:7] — "But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy: and in Your fear will I worship toward Your holy temple."
You see "Fear" or "Threat" is applicable in Worship, not just honor. There are worship dominated by honoring the One being worshipped, and there are also worship dominated by fearing the One being worshipped.
In the top Bible verse above, the king that commanded the people to worship his golden image (in honoring him) at the sound of music also showed his judgment or wrath (fiery furnace instant death sentence) to whoever fails to worship the image (fearing him) during or after hearing the music. So both honoring the image and fearing his judgment were applied to ensuring the worship the king deaired.
Another similar example would be the Antichrist (the Beast), the False Prophet (the Second Beast) and the Image of the first Beast. The second Beast (False Prophet) would exercise the powers of the first Beast (Antichrist), and cause people to make image of the first Beast.
As soon as the image of the first Beast is ready, the second Beast would give life to that image of the Antichrist or cause the non-living image to become living thing, like some advanced form of Artificial intelligence (AI). The second Beast would also give that image of the first Beast power or ability to track and kill whoever would not worship it (the image) nor receive the mark of the beast (666). Meaning, adding fear of his judgment or wrath or death sentence to the attraction of worshiping the image of the antichrist.
[Revelation 13:15] — "And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."
Now having known there's "Fear of God" and there's "Fear of the Enemy's wrath:" whom you worship means whom you fear the most.
The Lord has taught us, saying, "Do not fear the wrath of the enemy because I am about to reveal My own wrath."
Check that statement out: He's not telling you not to fear the Enemy's wrath because He will protect or deliver you, neither is He promising you the Enemy's wrath would not touch you, as the reason why you should not fear the Enemy's wrath. Rather the reason He's telling you not to fear the Enemy's wrath is because God's own wrath is far greater and more deadly than the Enemy's wrath. It is using "Greater Fear" to overcome or disregard "lesser fears."
Not using security or promise of safety to assure you and keep you from the Enemy's fear, but rather showing you His own Fear or threat that's greater than the Enemy's threat. As it is written,
[Matthew 10:28] — "And do not fear them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Again, if you truly fear God, you would not fear men nor fear the devil because you fear and know the judgment of God. I don't fear man because I fear God. You may not understand how greater Fear is the solution lesser fears. The reason Joseph was not afraid of the woman's wrath to sleep with her was because Joseph was afraid of God. If you saw the fear or danger of losing your job, losing your position, or losing your life unless you compromise in fornication, idolatry or any sin; you have not seen God's wrath if you do compromise, but only seeing the Enemy's wrath if you don't compromise.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were not basing there fearlessness of the king's wrath for not worshiping his image on God's deliverance or security from the furnace of fire instant death; rather they were basing their fearlessness on the greatest Fear, which is the Fear of God, greater than the fear of the king's wrath. Promising people that God will deliver them if they don't fear what men would do to them for serving God and remaining upright and virgin, would not always help them.
Let their assurance for conquering fear of men be their fear of God, so that even if God would not deliver them from the threats or dangers at men's hands they would even die still fearing God who is able to destroyed both body and soul in hell fire forever. You must fear His Rod and Staff more than you fear the evil in the valley of the shadow of death, because His rod and staff can do you more harm (if you drift) than all the evils in the valley of the shadow of death can do to you if you remain abiding with Him.
What many people are doing daily is basically "Choosing God to punish them" by choosing men/sufferings not to punish them: They fear men or fear sufferings more than they fear God. So they try to escape poverty, sufferings or people's wrath, even when that means falling in God's wrath.
[Psalms 36:1-2] — "The transgression of the wicked said within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful."
[NKJV] — So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
[GNT] — And so, as soon as they heard the sound of the instruments, the people of all the nations, races, and languages bowed down and worshiped the gold statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
ONE WORLD RELIGION
Nebuchadnezzar, being the reigning king of kings then, was also lording over the gods or religions of the entire world. He himself set up something and made it the god for all nations, languages and all people, to worship. He could make and unmake gods or religions. Yes, he made one world religion here, making the world in Babylon to worship the gold image he himself set-up or chose.
The antichrist would be allowed such powers over all religions and over all gods, though we know there's no other true god but the Creator of heavens and earth alone. All other gods are fake and they are the works of men or the devils.
In the Bible verse above, all people of all nations, languages and races, worshiped the Golden Statue Nebuchadnezzar made into a god for the world to worship, without giving them "Freedom of Worship" to choose whom they will to worship. This sin of king Nebuchadnezzar here is like the "sin of Jeroboam" the king of northern Israel after Solomon. It was the sin of making "2 Golden Calves" long after the "Golden Calf" made in the days of Aaron by mount Sinai. King Jeroboam made golden Calf(s) and made Israel to worship it instead of God, some how like king Nebuchadnezzar later achieved here. As it is written,
[1 Kings 12:28-30; 13:33-34] — "After seeking advice, the king Jeroboam made two golden calves. He said, "You've been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt." He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. Worshiping them became [Israel's] sin. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf. … Even after this, Jeroboam didn't change his evil ways, but he once again made some men priests for the illegal worship sites. He took all who were willing and appointed them to be priests at the worship sites. Appointing illegal priests became the sin of Jeroboam's family so that it had to be destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth."
Having seen those kings and antichrist's false prophets doing this, know that such sin brings perdition upon the sinners.
When all nations, languages, races and the entire world, shall unanimously worship the Beast (Antichrist) or his Image, there shall be some people who shall never bow nor worship the image no matter the pressure or threat to their lives. So when "all people or all nations," were used to denote those who worshiped the Golden Image in the top Bible verse above, "all" means there are few men who's names are written in the Book of Life, and they shall never worship other gods but the Lord God. As it is written,
Revelation 13:7-9] — "And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear."
Having your name in the book of life or being among God's chosen elects guarantees for you special grace to withstand and resist such one world religion or global temptations, influence and pressures. For you must not sin this sin even for once, as there's no forgiveness or redemption for it.
[NKJV] — Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
[ICB] — Then some Babylonians came up to the king. They began speaking against the men of Judah.
MALICIOUS WHISTLEBLOWING
After the instrumentalists were done, behold the "Whistle-Blowers" in the Bible verse above brought accusations against the Jews maliciously. Not against whistleblowing, but against the malicious. The whistleblowing was malicious for:
*1* — It was malicious because of the racism or tribal/ethnic hatred from some people of one ethnic group or nationality (Chaldeans/Babylonians) against one particular nationality (Jews). Many different nationalities were there, but only one nationality brought up all those snitchers or accusers against the Jews.
*2* — It was malicious because the accusers or snitchers were accusing the entire tribe/ethnic group nationality (entire Jews) for the crime of just 3 men from that tribe or ethnic group. They were trying to indict the entire millions of Jews for just three Jews (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and to cause the king to wipe the entire Jews like Haman would want a king's decree to wipe the entire Jews for just one Jew (Mordecai) [Esther 3:8-10].
*3* — It was malicious because the accusers or snitchers did not do that for any development/value it would add to the country or to them, but for just the shear wickedness to see the accused burn in furnace of fire or for just the destruction of the accused.
I joined those saying this, and I also say, "If you experienced hell fire, you would not even want your human enemies you know to be there." But in the Bible verse above, those Chaldeans who brought accusations against the Jews knew the burning fiery furnace would be the decreed judgment or fate for those they would accuse if they accuse them, and still they maliciously went ahead to bring up the accusation or to publish the sin/crime in the court.
Usually, when I consider consequences that would befall a man or woman if I should report or accuse him/her, and judge the harm would be fatal on him/her, I would not go ahead to report, expose or accuse the person; for I would rather save the person from the fatal harm, than to wish him/her such terrible penalty or consequence. Hence, love covers multitude of sin.
And in this Bible verse above, those accusers or malicious reporters/snitchers had Satan behind them against the Jews, because Satan had always hated the Jews and sought to annihilate them from among all nations of the world. Satan is the highest Accuser of the Brethren, accusing the Brethren and the Jews day and night before the throne. However, do not just see or give your attention to the accusers who came up before the throne, but much more see and give more attention to the Intercessors and Advocators who also came up and stood up before the throne.
[AKJV] — "They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever."
"They addressed King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your Majesty, may you live forever!" - [GW]
MEN LIED WITH "LIVE FOREVER" EVEN FOR CHRISTMAS DAY
"They" in the Bible verse above referred to those who brought accusation against the Jews and against the saints that would not worship idols nor bow to other gods, except to Elohim.
In the Bible verse above, they began their speech by wishing the king, Nebuchadnezzar, to live forever. This means, they would rather have the idolatrous king of the world to live forever at the cost of having the saints of the Lord most God to be killed in a burning fiery furnace. It's like the Jews themselves would rather have a king of the world then, Caesar, and Barabbas to live on at the cost of having the Lord and righteous Jesus Christ to be crucified to death.
Many people have condemned to death those they should have saved alive, and saved alive those they should have killed or condemn to death, for money or gains of this world (Isaiah 5:23). Saul foolishly spared the king of the Amalekites, wishing him to live forever instead of killing that king. Be careful the king you would grant to live forever, and be careful those you bless with life, and those you curse or condemn with death. Avoid the error of Balaam for king Balak.
[Proverbs 17:15] — "He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the righteous, even they both are abomination to the LORD."
In Christmas season like this, you may hear a Christmas Carol with demonic lyrics or demonic doctrines in the Christmas song, saying,
"Mary's Boy Child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day, and men will live forever more because of Christmas Day"
Three demonic doctrines or devil's lies are in this part of that Christmas Carol I cited above:
*1* That Jesus Christ is Mary's Boy Child: A big lie. Jesus Christ has never been Mary's, though Mary birthed Him. To us a Child is born, a Son is given, to all men; He's not Mary's own. Neither is He still a Boy nor yet a Child: Jesus Christ is now a Son of Man, not a boy child.
*2* Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day: A big lie. Jesus Christ was never born on Christmas Day. Are you saying Christmas Day existed before Jesus Christ was born or was born on that day? The true Birthday date of the Lord Jesus Christ has nothing to do with 'December 25' called Christmas Day.
*3* And men will live forever more because of Christmas Day: A big lie. Eternal life or everlasting life is not because of Christmas Day, but by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Devil makes people worship and exalt Christmas Day above Christ Jesus Himself.
How much of Christ Jesus do you find in the activities and celebrations of Christmas? The devil is a liar.
Those lying to Nebuchadnezzar the idolater that he may live forever because he's king, and that his kingdom of gold would not be overthrown by another kingdom of Silver, just because he made it and made all the different nations, divers peoples of the world, to worship and celebrate the Golden Statue: those liars are not different from those lying to the world today that they may live forever because of Christmas Day was made, worshiped and celebrated by all nations, languages, races and peoples, for the so-called reason/season.
[AKJV] — "You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:"
[GWN] — "Your Majesty, you gave an order that everyone who hears the sound of rams' horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments should bow down and worship the gold statue."
FACTUALITY OF THE ACCUSERS
I didn't know there would be something to learn from these accusers of the Lord's people in the Bible verse above. Though their motive was evil, their method was wise, as accusers of the Brethren. Their method or approach in the Bible verse above included quoting or citing the king's decree, law, order, or constitution, to first charge the King or the Judge up to bearing his own responsibility.
It's like quoting the scriptures or the Word of God back to God, to charge God with His own Words or Deeds first before charging the accused. Being responsible as charged is not always bad, but sometimes good.
In simple terms, the accusers first charged the king of decreeing or ordering what the king truly decreed or ordered (though the king did it from behind the scene, using the Herald who announced the king's decree or order on behalf of the king); before the accusers accused/charged the Jews of the deeds of the Jews against the deeds and promise of the king. Hope I did not say, they "accused the king?" Instead of accused the king, I should say charged, attributed, ascribed or recounted the king's deeds, law, decree, act or speech, back to the king in his presence for the king to acknowledge (not deny) his own deeds recounted by the presenters before him.
Such accusers begin with "Known facts" or "Statements of undeniable facts" before striking their targets.
I remembered when I was accused before my boss by a man who had reputation of always being truthful, honest, factual and never lied in his speeches or dealings with my boss or anyone. My boss believed the man's words against mine, when the man reported or accused me of saying something I actually said but in different meaning from how my accuser twisted the meaning of what I said to sound terrible before my boss. I didn't see that coming, and because the accuser had facts, honesty and track record of being truthful even in that presentation, my boss believed him against me.
Those Accusers were good in presentation of their case in court because so far they were convincing the King/Judge with facts, evidences and responsibilities known to that king/Judge, which he could not deny. So by the time they would have laid the foundation of being all factual in their 'accusation' I mean reciting/recounting the King's acts and words before him, then the king/judge would use that impression in favoring the factuality in their reporting the deeds of the accused.
[Daniel 3:11 TLV] - And that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
[Daniel 3:11 GW] - ‘Your order said that’ whoever doesn’t bow down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
THEOCRACY AND FORCED RELIGIOUS POLICIES
In history and in the times to come, Kings who were Kings of Kings have enacted and executed laws and orders that either commanded forced religions of their governed people or commanded forbidding of religions (anti-religious policies) of their governed people in system of Government called “Communism.” It’s all about the State Authorities, kings, forcing or forbidding religious practices or worship, using death sentence and instruments of legality to control and determine the diver’s people’s relationship and faith with their gods or the true God.
|**| Nebuchadnezzar began such Theocracy, Religious Policies or Superimposition of government into and over peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever does not worship his golden image shall be thrown into the furnace of fire as in the top bible verse above. He was a religious zealot and bigot that used his powers over the world to force people to serve and worship the gods he favored. After him, there came other world's kings of kings that also commanded and forced certain religious practices and beliefs on the people of the world, including the Roman Empire that went from opposing Christianity initially into adopting the Roman Catholics’ version of Christianity, and allocating state powers to enforce the commands and judgments that promoted the Catholic faith and doctrines. The word “Catholic” meant “Universal” and represented the goal of making the entire world adopt the Catholic faith and doctrines of Catholicism. The antichrist would also come with his own forced religion and would be greater than his predecessors to enforce one global religion upon almost all people in the world, forcing all to receive his mark (666), to acknowledge him, identify with him and to worship his image.
|**| Darius began such Prohibition or Anti-Religious Policies of government to peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever worships or prays to any god except to him as government shall be thrown into the lions’ den (Daniel 6). After him, there have been several countries in history where communist or socialist governments have implemented anti-religious policies and persecutions in an effort to suppress religious beliefs and practices. Here are a few examples: Soviet Union - Under the rule of Stalin, the Soviet Union implemented strict anti-religious policies. Religious leaders were persecuted, religious buildings and artifacts were destroyed, and practicing religion was outlawed. China - Under Mao Zedong, China's Communist Party implemented policies that sought to control and limit religious practices. Religious groups were restricted and persecuted, with many religious leaders and believers being arrested, imprisoned, or executed. Cambodia - During the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, religion was outlawed and almost all religious institutions and artifacts were destroyed. Religious leaders were executed and religion was seen as a threat to the government's authority. Albania - Under the Enver Hoxha regime, Albania was declared the world's first atheist state and religious practices were outlawed. Religious leaders were persecuted and many places of worship were converted to other uses.
North Korea - North Korea's government is officially atheist and prohibits religious practices. Individuals found practicing religion are punished, and religious activity is reserved for state-approved organizations. These are just a few examples, and there are many other historical and contemporary contexts where anti-religious policies and persecutions have been implemented.
So Nebuchadnezzar and Darius both began those two extremities for and against religions in their realms, and Daniel witnessed both eras. One king of kings used throwing defaulters into burning fiery furnace to force diver’s nations of people into one unified religion he introduced or promulgated, while the other king of kings used throwing defaulters into lions’ den to force divers nations of people into anti-religion or atheism he introduced or promulgated.
- (1) To see men of God who stood up against one unified false but forced religion, without fearing the burning fiery furnace, and how God delivered them after they were thrown in there: Behold, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Mishach) and Azariah (Abednego).
- (2) To see man of God who stood up against forced atheism or anti-religious policies, without fearing the lions’ den, and how God delivered him after he was thrown in there: Behold, Daniel.
[Daniel 3:11 MKJV] - And whoever does not fall down and worship, he should be thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
That was a decree made by, and rehearsed to, the king of kings then: and it applied to all men of all nations, tongues, languages, tribes and peoples, under Babylon in that era. For though it was the king of kings’ decree then and it commanded such judgment and power of execution then over those said people, it neither applied to all men of all generations, including both the living and the dead. So I rehearse to you the current universal Decree of the true and eternal King of Kings to all people, all men of all nations, all tongues, all languages, all tribes and all people, in all generations, all places, all times and seasons, including the living and dead: - “That whosoever believes in the Son of God given in God’s love to the world, shall not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes in the Son shall not be condemned, but he who does not believe in the Son of God is condemned already, because he does not believe in the name of the Son of God (John 3:16, 18).
As it is now, all Muslims, Atheists, Non-Christians in faith, and infidels of the Jews, are condemned already because they do not believe in the name of the Son of God.
Now that’s a decree from heaven, not about worshiping a golden image, but about believing in the Son of God given to the world that the world may be saved through Him alone; and apart from Him, there shall be no Savior or Hero that can deliver or save any soul from the weight of God’s condemnation upon all men.
And such condemnation is far beyond the burning fiery furnace mentioned in the top bible verse above. As you may not have seen, the words of that king in the top bible verse above only carried power and judgment to command the execution of his will upon mankind within his given reach and the worst he could do to them for not falling for his word to worship his image was to throw them into the burning furnace. He could command men that fed the furnace, but could neither command the burning fire of the furnace nor tell that fire what to burn or what not to burn within it. So he was not supernatural in power, though he was in power. He could send defaulters into the furnace or into hell, but could neither command the fire of that furnace nor the fire of hell (Gehanna) to burn or not to burn those he sent into it. As it turned out, the fire did not fear nor obey that king, though the men that fed the fire feared and obeyed the king to their own death. Even so, fear God and the King of Kings who commands the Wind, the Waters, the Fires and all things, and they obey and fear Him. As it is written,
[Matthew 10:28-33 TLV] - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehanna. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
[Daniel 3:12 NKJV] - There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
[Daniel 3:12 TLV] - There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up.”
EVIL REPORTS ABOUT MINISTERS OF GOD
You are called to serve (minister) with humility and selflessness, but there are personalities you must never serve:
*1* Never serve anyone or anything that is a god except the Lord God who is the only One you should serve among anyone or anything else that appears as 'god.' If any man you were serving before becomes a god, you shall not serve him; except the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father above that you are to serve. As it is written,
[Luke 4:8] — "And Jesus answered and said to him, Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."
It therefore means, never allow your services to any man or thing include any act of worship or acknowledging that man/thing as a god. You are warned. Your services must not be with worship to anyone who has not created you, neither serve any man-made god.
*2* Never serve two masters: and two masters here means God and Mammon.
[Daniel 3:12 TLV] - There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up."
In this Bible verse, three Jews expressed by names (and not by number) had their "evil report" brought before the king, which stated they disregard the king (who promoted them into being administrators over the greatest province in the world then) by not yielding to the king's decree to worship or serve his man-made god and idol of gold.
I use "evil report" because there are evil reports among men and world's government that are good reports in the sight of God. What the world may call wrong, bad or evil report sometimes is what the heavens call righteous, good or testimony. And many people call good what the heavens call evil, and celebrate what the heavens are ashamed of. Therefore I teach that if all people of the world speak good reports of you without speaking evil report of you among themselves, you are a false minister of God among them. You are told that one of the marks of a true minster of the Lord is having both good reports and evil reports among carnal and blind men because of how they view things. As it is written,
[Luke 6:26] — "Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets."
[2 Corinthians 6:4,8] — "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, … By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;"
Behold the report brought against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, was evil report that validated their being true Jews and true ministers (servants) of God beyond being ministers (servants) of the king who appointed them into provincial service and because they were not ministers (servants) of idols of gold (Mammon) or man-made god.
To differentiate between the evil reports that are good for true ministers of God and the evil reports that are evil and should not be for true ministers of God:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the Bible verse above were appointed into office in the world's government and the "evil report" against them was not corruption charges, not embezzlement, not false declaration of age/asset, not dishonesty, not negligence, not lack of performance/productivity, not against public service code of conduct nor breaking practice ethics, not fornication or adultery etc., Rather the evil report accused them of matters regarding their faithfulness to God higher than their faithfulness to their king or office and above political opportunity and political gains/pressure.
The same would be said of Daniel in chapter 6, wherein no fault was found in Daniel in all his job and relationship duties except when it comes to his being faithful to God higher than his faithfulness to his king or office and above political opportunity and political gains/pressure.
- *** If the evil report is speaking against your faith, obedience, truth and love in the Lord God, then that evil report is endorsement and good validation of your true discipleship and ministry of the Lord. But,
- *** If the evil report is speaking against your fault, bad fruits, vices, lies or fake signs of your profession, then the evil report disqualifies from being a true minister of the Lord.
One of the criteria required for being a Bishop or Pastor of a church is you must have good reports among unbelievers and people outside the church. As it is written,
[1 Timothy 3:2, 7] — "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; … Moreover he must have a good report of people who are outside the church; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."
[Daniel 3:13 NKJV] - Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
[Daniel 3:13 AMP] — Then Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage gave a command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; and these men were brought before the king.
SUFFERING “ARREST AND ARRAIGNMENT” AS MINISTERS OF THE LORD
This Bible verse mentions how Nebuchadnezzar became enraged and commanded the arrest and arraignment of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before his royal court. These three men had refused to worship the golden statue that the king had set up, as it went against their faith in the true God. As ministers of the Lord, we should always be prepared to face persecution for the sake of our faith and be willing to suffer arrest, arraignment and even imprisonment if necessary. Through our trials, we can shine a light on God's truth and glorify His name, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did.
Now I would compare three of the available ways of getting you stand or brought before kings, governors and nobles of great men.
1. By way of you being truly diligent or industrious in your business: As it is written, [Proverbs 22:29 MKJV] - Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men.
2. By way of you being recommended by another man in the king’s presence or what we call connection through another’s testimony/mention of you:
3. By way of you being true disciples of the Lord and getting arrested/arraigned for the sake/faith of the greater Lord or greater King: As it is written, [Matthew 10:18 MKJV] - And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the nations.
Out of these three ways of getting you brought or stand before kings and princes, the best or greater way is the third way I mentioned above: That is, getting arrested and arraigned before the kings and princes because of your discipleship, faith, and faithfulness, for the sake of the greatest King and Lord of all, the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the bible verse above were experiencing their third and the best moments of getting brought and standing before the king, Nebuchadnezzar, though it appears they were in terrible danger and shame of getting arrested considering they were known public government heads over the greatest province of the world by then, the province of Babylon. You know how the media would carry the news of the arrest and forceful whisking away of the three Ministers/Mayors/Sheriffs of the Federal Capital Province of Babylonian Empire.
Those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had experienced the three ways of getting you stand or brought before kings and great men, which I listed here above. The first time or first way they got standing before kings was by their being diligent in their business (studies/schooling) according to “Daniel 1:17-21.” The second time or second way they got standing before kings was by being recommended or mentioned to the king by Daniel who was close to the king according to “Daniel 2:49.” The third time or third way they got standing before kings was by their being disciples of the Lord and standing against the entire world for the faith and fear of true God against the practices of the world endorsed by their king’s laws according to this bible verse above “Daniel 3:13.” Thus, each of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel spoke of different ways Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael) and Abednego (Azariah) got standing or brought before the king of kings then. And I tell you, this third time or third way is the best for them and for all disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to getting brought before kings, governors, presidents, and great men, even though this way comes with great hostility, wrath, persecution, prosecution, accusation, trials and risk of getting imprisoned or killed for the sake of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Men who get brought this way to kings, governors, rulers, kings, and this third way are usually men who do not love their lives on earth for the sake of the Gospel and Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not those the kings or governors would invite for dinner or birthday or any party; but those the kings or governors would arrest or harass while bringing them in with great wrath and rage because they are seen as threat or problem because of their stubborn faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, ready to be martyred for Him in truth.
Later you will see that because they were brought to the king in this third way, and they stood as the Lord’s disciples even in the face of their death, they were able to manifest the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, far more better than even Daniel could manifest Him to that king of Babylon who threw them into the fire. And the king rewarded them in or for this third way of their standing before kings, more than all the previous rewards they ever got in their previous privileges of standing before kings.
[Daniel 3:14 NKJV] - Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
[ICB] - And Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods? And is it true that you did not worship the gold statue I have set up?
THE HIGHER ADVOCATES FOR THE HIERARCHY
In this Bible verse above, a pagan king called three Jewish Christians by their pagan names (that he earlier gave them); and examined/tried them in a court before his throne, asking if they were guilty as charged for neither rendering services to the king's gods nor worship to the king's idol of gold image,
Two things to learn from the bible verse above and apply in your decisions hereafter:
*1* - Learning from the 3 Jewish Christians (All the men of God, women of God or true servants the Lord in the Old Testament were Christians even before the Lord became born as Son of God).
They were given or addressed with pagan names associated with the gods of that king who gave them those names (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), but they never served or worshiped those gods of those kings. They were not denying/rejecting those pagan names they were called, but they were denying/rejecting the gods and the paganism in their names. As in, they were like bearing names of that different religion of Babylon, but they were showing people they were Jews and true Christians. It's like a Christian whose name is 'Muhammad Mecca' and yet he has nothing in connection with the religion of Islam or Muslimism though he answers a Muslim associated names.
Do not waste time in changing your names just because they pagan or other religion's root/connection. Whatever name any body gives to you, whether it's a pagan name, Muslim name, Idol name, Occulted name, Devilish/Diabolical name, Witchcraft name, Insulting or Disrespectful name or evil name etc., just answer and don't try to fight against what people call you. Flow with whatever name or title they call you, except when they call you "Father in the Lord, call you Spiritual Father, call you God, call you the Christ, call you the Savior, the Master of all, the Lord of all, the Teacher of all, or any name/title that should be reserved only for God and for the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, you don't have to reject any evil or improper name they call or address you with, but do not accept the highest good or praise name they call you when that name should be to God and the Lord above only. E.g. There was no bad or evil name the Lord Jesus Christ was called by people that He outrightly rejected, including getting called Madman who was demon-possessed, Deceiver, Agent of Beelzebub the prince of demon, Samaritan with a devil/demon inside [John 8:48). And just to avoid people thinking it's true He has a devil/demon, the Lord Jesus denied having a devil/demon but never denied or rejected their calling Him a Samaritan. As it is written,
[John 8:48-49] - "The Jews answered and said to Him, “Are we not rightly saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me."
But on the other hand, as soon as someone called the Lord Jesus Christ, "Good Master" or "Good Teacher," He quickly addressed that title because it should be reserved to God alone. Written,
[Mark 10:17-18] — "And going forth on His journey, one having run up and having knelt down to Him, was asking Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I might inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone."
In my childhood, I was called by people different names that I rejected but shouldn't have rejected, because of my being fair or light skinned in complexion but walking among dark skinned people: These included, "Yellow Pawpaw, Albino, One who doesn't see in Daytime or in Sunlight, Yellow, Unfortunate European born or living in Africa among blacks, One who's skin turns red when struck, Yellow Pepper or some children would be singing after me when they see me passing [as those children that mocked Elisha calling him Bald-Head (2 Kings 2:23)], saying, "Yellow Pepper, if you chop (eat) pepper, you go yellow more, more." There was an Hausa boy in my childhood days that usually call me, "Aljeni," and after several warning to stop him, I think I fought or almost fought him over it, (which I shouldn't have). The name "Aljeni or Aljenu" in Hausa means "Witch or Wizard,"
So, true Christians should not be fighting what people call them or think about them, except when that which people call them means those people are worshiping or idolizing those Christians or equating them with God or the Lord above. Example, Paul and Barnabas were called Hermes and Zeus, when people were about worshiping them as gods among them; but Paul and Barnabas tore their own clothes and ran to stop them (Acts 14:11-14).
[ICB] - And Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods? And is it true that you did not worship the gold statue I have set up?
*2* - Learning from the king, Nebuchadnezzar here: Do not learn from him to serve man-made gods or idols, neither learn from him to worship gold or gods by statue/image. But this is what to learn from him here — The King (of kings) who judges those who serve him but do not serve whom he exalted and positioned for all men to serve, worship or honor. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, served this King, but do not serve the gods or golden image the king had highly exalted and decreed that all men should serve.
I worked in an organization where I was under someone and I also had others under me. The one I am under have authority to command and to fire all under him, but after him in seniority I am next but I have no authority or power punish anyone under me or to command obedience or anyone under me like my senior have. And because of my nature, those under me would despise me, disregard or disrespect me, but they feared and honored my senior.
Sometimes, my senior would do things that even make my juniors undermine my seniority, such as, in sharing food or portions, my senior would call my juniors to take theirs first before giving me the last or close to the last portion. And some other ways my senior classifies me as ordinary or same class with the juniors, treating me and all under him as "equals." And in his thoughts, he's being fair to all by treating us all as equals, and did not give me any special respect before my juniors. Infact, my juniors could disrespectful me in my senior's presence, and he would even support the juniors in taking sides with them, provided they all give him his own respect he would not mind or fight them if they don't give me my own respect.
Then I said in my spirit, this man shall fail in leadership, and therefore he shall not go far in kingdom governance, because he does not protect the respect and order of hierarchy or ranks in his leadership. Not men or women know the importance of ensuring that subordinates must both respect them and respect their seniors under them. Some parents, mostly mothers, would watch their younger children insult or disrespect their elder siblings, and if the elder siblings would beat the younger ones those mothers would protect the younger ones and spank the elder ones for attempting to strike the younger. That's selfish leadership because it cares about the respect, service and love, they received but do not care about upholding the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, and Organogram etc.
Nebuchadnezzar, in the Bible verse above, demonstrated his wrath and zeal against the act of his servants who serve him but do not serve the gods or the one he set up. Yes, it is idol or manmade gods, but appreciate how much this king would burn people in the furnace of fire, not just because they refuse to serve or recognize him as king but because they refuse to serve or regard his appointed superior over them. You, can you penalize your children or household because they refused to serve your God or worship Him as Nebuchadnezzar here did? I know when my parents punished me for not going to church. That their discipline was not just selfish, and it's like God commended Abraham that he would command his children after God. But many parents are selfish when they discipline their wards because they are only after their own respect or rewards, and not after the attitude of those children towards elders, towards neighbors, and towards God. True leaders would uphold the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, and Organogram etc.
Now see it in the Lord God. You don't disrespect your senior under God and He ignores it, even if you respect God.
- God Himself would tell you to love all men, honor all men, respect all men, and not just you doing so to Him.
- God Himself would tell you as wife to respect, submit to your husband; as husband to love and honor your wife; as children to honor your parents; as servants to submit to your masters/mistresses; not just so to Him.
- God Himself would tell you to subject to higher powers or hierarchy of governments, not just so to Him.
One who must remain in authority must uphold the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, Organogram, under him/her. Don't neglect how people under you treat their seniors, and make it seem as if whoever treats your appointees or messengers you ordained/sent is treating you the same. I have confidence that as a servant of God sent by the Lord, the Lord would plead my case if the people I am sent to disrespects me. And I know some consequences of disrespecting those the Lord sent to me or appointed over me. So do all things in hierarchy as to the Lord, not just to the man/woman in that position or hierarchy over you.
Nebuchadnezzar was not asking his 3 servants in the Bible verse above, Is it true that you do not serve me; for he knows they serve him. Rather he was asking them, Is it true that you do not serve my gods or golden image (whom I appointed or exalted over you)?
Do not let God ask you, "Is it true that you do not serve My Son, Jesus Christ, whom I exalted and commanded all angels and all men to serve, honor and worship, as they do to Me?" Is it true that you do not worship My Father nor do His Will?
[Daniel 3:15 NKJV] - Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” [Daniel 3:15 NKJV]
[ICB] - Now, you will hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers, harps, pipes and all the other musical instruments. And you must be ready to bow down and worship the statue I made. That will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown quickly into the blazing furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!” [Daniel 3:15 ICB]
CHOOSING BETWEEN GETTING SAVED AND WORKING OUT YOUR SALVATION
Are we to be ready (prepared) for the trumpet sound or is it the trumpet sound that would make us ready (prepared)? Both ways for different occasions:
- For the "Rapture or Coming of Christ," we have to be ready or prepared before the trumpet or porter sounds like the wise virgins.
- For the "Battle or Journey," we have to allow the trumpet sound before we make ourselves ready or prepared according to the tune of the trumpet (1 Corinthians 14:8).
So in some occasions preparation (readiness) must precede the trumpet or musical sounds such as in the case of the top Bible verse above. This is because some trumpets or musical sounds would eventually be too spiritually powerful and influential for the unprepared people to withstand or resist as soon as they hear them. The state of your preparedness or readiness when such music or trumpet sounds met your hearing cannot be altered (changed). If you were never prepared before such sounds met you, you cannot be prepared during the sounds because you would be carried away with the irresistible influence of such sounds.
Just as if you were not well prepared against the temptations of fornication before, you will eventually fall into it when overwhelmed with its influence in an atmosphere dominated by it.
Even so, such music or trumpet sounds would only reveal or expose your readiness, resolve or preparedness. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were advised to be prepared or ready for the musical sounds about to play, but they were already ready or prepared against it and their immediate response preempted the musical sounds.
Notwithstanding such musical or trumpet sounds, there are also another group of trumpet sounds you have to listen to carefully before you make up your mind or before you prepare yourself. Such sounds are like the voice of the Oracles of God, Watchmen, or Messengers of God to you. As it is written,
[Jeremiah 6:17] — "Also I set watchmen over you, saying, "Listen to the sound of the trumpet." But they said, 'We will not listen.'"
[ICB] - Now, you will hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers, harps, pipes and all the other musical instruments. And you must be ready to bow down and worship the statue I made. That will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown quickly into the blazing furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!” [Daniel 3:15 ICB]
In this Bible verse above, there was the last chance for those three men to deliver themselves by both hearing and bowing down to worship man-made music and man-made gods through the music. But also, that chance or option of delivering (saving) themselves by such compliance undermined the chance of God delivering (saving) them. Recall that I recently spoke about how "Saving yourself" could be the greatest enemy of "Working out your own Salvation:" Using the difference between Samson asking God to save him from dying with the Philistines and later Samson asking to die with the Philistines without saving himself. Or how the Lord Jesus Christ could have asked to be delivered or saved from the tribulation of death, but He rather chose to work out Salvation than choosing to save Himself either by prayer for deliverance or by human efforts to escape. I also cite from "Hebrews 11:35" talking about men of faith who were "Not accepting Deliverance" or who were "Refusing to save themselves" in order to attain the resurrection or work out their own Salvation.
Listen, the road to working out your own Salvation is different from the road of saving yourself or accepting/choosing to save this your life in this world. The greatest Savior Himself said this:
[Mark 8:34-38] — "Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to follow Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”"
……………………..
Now back to the top Bible verse above, wherein the king of the world gave those three Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) 2 options using their getting saved/delivered as bait:
*1* If they deliver themselves by complying with that compromise, they would save themselves from being cast into the burning furnace of fire and poverty. And the king said that would be the "well or good" option for them. Fools would also say, "Heaven helps those who help themselves."
*2* But if they refuse to compromise or to comply in keeping their integrity, righteousness and faith, in the Lord: it means they value their righteousness above their deliverance, regard their Faith above their life, and prefer their integrity above their prosperity. That also means they shall go through the fire of the furnace and poverty. And the king questioned the possibility of any God delivering them from the hands of the king when those hands are the burning furnace of fire.
Anytime you are confronted with the option of delivering/saving yourself through a little compromise, a little sin, a little dancing to the tunes/sounds of the trending music or prevalent opinions of men, even if it's to avoid your flesh or body from getting burnt with the fire, that thing you called little compromise or little sin becomes weightier than your righteousness, integrity, faith etc.
If you don't love righteousness above your love for deliverance, or love your faith in the Lord above your life/survival, it means you fear death/poverty more than you fear God: when you fear anything more than you fear God, it means you don't really fear God. If you truly fear God, you will not fear anything else more than you fear God. It's not about what will save you, but about what or who you fear more.
Nebuchadnezzar was making it appear to those 3 Christians as if it was about what/who could save them; but in their response to him they were not thinking about getting saved but about serving and fearing the true Lord and God.
One of the things the fear of God does to those who have it is to filter what they see as needing to be saved/delivered from, through filtering what they should and should not fear. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil because I fear God.
Nebuchadnezzar was promoting the false doctrines that being fearful of the burning furnace of fire would save those three Christians from the fire in the top Bible verse above. But true Christians should know that being fearful is actually a leading sin that gets one into the lake of fire. As it is written,
[Revelation 21:8] — "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
[Daniel 3:16 AKJV] - "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter."
[Daniel 3:16 ICB] - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered the king. They said, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you.
[Daniel 3:16 FBV] — “King Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to defend ourselves before you over this,” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALWAYS ANSWER OR DEFEND YOURSELF
The "Boldness" to speak to the then greatest king in the world that way, even when they were given the greatest "Query" in the world then and standing the greatest trial to seal their fate in the world then.
Two of the Bible translations I cited above expressed them addressing the king by using the king's name without attaching any title or respect when they called the king by his name without fear and spoke to him that way, saying he's not worthy for them to begin defending themselves against the allegation/accusation. They were not in any way trying to plead for his mercy, understanding or favor: they were not interested in defending, or careful to answer the accusers' claims.
The Lord Jesus Christ was brought to the trial, and accusations were flying around against Him, but He was not even trying to answer in defense for Himself nor interested in countering whatever gossip, impression or accusations against Him before the Judges, neither was He trying to justify Himself nor saying His own side of the story.
[Luke 23:9-10] — "Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer to king Herod. Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Jesus."
I particularly must learn to not dignify people's query, accusation, wrong impression or opinion, about me by answering them or by trying to say my own side.
One of the things I regret doing in the past was replying a "Query Letter" against me, trying to explain the reason I submitted an assignment late beyond the deadline given to me where I worked before. My answering the Query only dignified it and further complicated things by implicating the things I cited for scoring points in the Query Reply; and at the end I was still given suspension despite my reply and explanation, besides implicating the things I mentioned. I should have answered like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the Bible verse above, saying, "I am not careful to answer you over this query nor do I have to defend myself before you, so do whatever you want to do for what I have done." If I had answered like this and the suspension came, I would have felt better than how I felt after giving all the explanation, implicating things and tendering all the apologies and promises, and yet I was served the same suspension that made me resign and ditch the job.
I should not dignify queries, doubts, accusations, threats, charges, misrepresentations, opinions, views, impressions, etc., of people who would still not love or understand me no matter how much I explain myself: For they would just be looking for what I would say to use that against me or to further attack my points.
Even more so on spiritual matters, whenever I am brought to trial in my defense of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: I must not be careful about answering them. It's either the Spirit of God speaks by me in that moment or I give them the silent treatment: Let them do their worse, as I am not seeking deliverance or favor from them.
[Matthew 10:18-20] — "On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."
Silent treatment is better than speaking in the ears or hearing of fools and foes. Silence is wise answer to a fool. As it is written,
[Proverbs 23:9] — "Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
[Daniel 3:17 TLV] — If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
[Daniel 3:17 NKJV] — 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.
HOW ARE YOU EXPRESSING YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD?
In this Bible verse above, those three faithful Christians, (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), expressed by Faith:
"A" — What God can do for them [God is able or can deliver (save) us from the fire]
"B" — What God will do for them [God will deliver (save) from the king's hand/power], and in the next Bible verse
"C" — What they will do or not do for God [we shall never bow or worship the man-made gods/idols of that king]
As your faith matures, you move from applying your faith from what God can do for you (Item "A") because you serve Him to what God will do for you (item "B") because you serve Him; and then as your faith matures further, you move from applying your faith from what God will do for you (item "B") because you serve Him to what you will do for God whom you serve (item "C") because you remain faithful to God even if He's not done item "B" or item "A."
This was not a "What if?" condition, but rather an "If that is" condition or case. The testimony of the Lord is the spirit of prophecy in expressions of faith. The testimony of faith speaks any of these four:
*1* What our God whom we serve "Can Do" or is "Able to do:" That is when the faith testifies the Possibilities with God or Power of God.
*2* What our God whom we serve "Will Do:" That is when the faith testifies the Promises/Prophecies of God or Gospel of the Love and faithfulness of God.
*3* What you who serve God "Can do" or is "Able to do:" That is when the faith testifies your Grace, Potential or Potency according to the sources/riches of God through you.
*4* What you who serve God "Will Do:" That is when the faith testifies your Resolve, Decision or Faithfulness according to your love for God or fear of God driving you.
You know the maturity of your faith in the Lord is revealed by whether your faith speaks of what God can do, what God will do, what you can do or what you will do/did. Faith without work is dead: Show your faith by your work, not just by the work of God. In "Hebrews 11" Christians mentioned there "By Faith" had their works (not just God's works) shown to justify/testify their faith. Faith is not just what you apply in prayer or when asking/believing God for something: rather matured faith is more in what you do and will do, than in what God can or will do for you. Your maturing faith is your deeds/works because you believe, serve and love God more than you do for yourself or for anyone else.
[Daniel 3:18 BSB] — But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
[Daniel 3:18 NKJV] — 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.”
FAITHFUL MEN'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR THE LORD GOD
When your faith in the Lord is your strongest decision, and your love for Him is unconditional love, you will not have any condition, ultimatum or excuse that can ever make you to stop serving God or make you to seek another gods, another powers, cult group, mediums, voodoo priests, native doctors, or another source of power/protection/deliverance, another alternative etc. besides the Lord God Himself. Then your declaration will be like:
*1* Even if the Lord God whom I serve will not deliver or save me, I will not forsake/leave Him to seek/serve another gods/power for whatever the Lord God is not giving me when I urgently need it.
*2* Even if the Lord God whom I serve will not show His Power on my behalf or give me the power/desires I ask or wish for, I will still never seek for power or pleasure from elsewhere (from other gods, from other men or from other sources).
*3* Even if my Husband (Lord) whom I serve/love unconditionally will not or does not show up/meet up for me when I need Him, yet I will never serve or open myself to another man even the richest king or strongest man in the world nor covet his gold reward/idol.
In the Bible verse above, those three faithful Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), declared there is no ultimatum to which they will ever stop serving God or seek to serve/worship another alternative gods or idols even if such idols have international acceptance, royalty and full of gold (riches).
No ultimatum, no condition, no offense, no negligence and no evidence of non-existence of God, that will ever take away their love and devotion to the Lord God, to seek or serve man-made gods, man-made evolution theory, man-made 'advancement/replacement' over God because of instant reward, instant evidence, instant powers, riches, fame and pleasures in these other sources/replacement besides the Lord God.
I have seen atheists who once believed in God before, but got offended and forsook everything about God because God did not show up nor meet up when the atheists needed God to act for them and to save/heal/deliver them or their loved ones from death, illness or terrible events. So they moved from once serving God into becoming "Anti-God" or "Antichrist," denying the reality and existence God, and attacking the gospel of the Lord.
[Matthew 11:6] — "And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me."
Blessed is the man/woman who will never be offended and never forsake the Lord God, no matter how much the Lord God will not show up or meet up when He is needed the most. I know there are people who got converted into Christ because the preachers, the pastors or the evangelists, promised them power, great prosperity, healings, deliverance, and other goodies, if they give their lives to Christ and receive Him as their Lord and Savior through repeating certain confessional prayers after them. Though these things are true and abundance of them abide in eternal life with the Lord Jesus Christ, yet the just shall live by faith.
Are we still talking about God not showing up to deliver, to help, to save, to heal, to bless, etc. those who were standing for Him in their most dangerous/troublous times? What about when it appears God Himself is even the One killing His own, causing the trouble and the One behind the afflictions/troubles against His own servants who serve Him? Would you still serve or love God unconditionally and without ultimatum in such cases? How many people can still love their enemy who killed them or tried to kill them? Would you still love and serve God even though God kills you or ruins your life compared to the lives of others who have nothing for God?
So even beside how much Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, would still serve and faithfully stand up for the Lord God who may not show up for them in the burning furnace of fire, see another Christian who would still serve and faithfully stand up for the Lord God though knowing the Lord God kills him and tortures him, giving him excuse to leave or curse God and yet he would never leave nor curse God who kills/destroys him then. As it is written,
Even though He kills me, I will hope in Him. I am still going to defend my ways before Him. [Job 13:15 FBV]
[Daniel 3:19 GNT] — Then Nebuchadnezzar lost his temper, and his face turned red with anger at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual.
[Daniel 3:19 NKJV] — Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
CHRISTIANS ARE THE REASON HELL FIRE BECAME HOTTER
As this extra day (February 29th) that made this year a leap year ushers in a new month of March, 2024, I share to us inspirational and spiritual things from this top Bible verse above.
*1* Nebuchadnezzar (the greatest king in his own world era or times) in the Bible verse above was possessed by fury, wrath and jealousy, against the three Christians and Servants of God: — Those three Christians, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, were not ministers of wrath, neither were they provocateurs of jealousy: but they were ministers of God that ministered faith and testimony of their unshakable faithfulness towards God, without fearing the wrath or worse of the king.
The same word of faith and testimony they spoke, for which the heavens celebrated was what made devils and their fire mad and furious. Such madness of the devils at the joy of the Lord and His heavens proves the devils have lost that battle or the servants of God have overcome the devils that were thus mad and furious and about to wreck destruction on those who overcame them.
Basically, every true minister of the Lord God of heaven would find out that his/her testimony/message would have two kinds of effects or reactions in two kinds of people who are audience to the testimony/message: Those who are with the heavens would find the testimony/message to inspire life and joy, but those are in opposition would find the same testimony/message offensive and deadly. As it is written,
[2 Corinthians 2:16-17 ICB] — To those who are lost, we are the smell of death that brings death. But to those who are being saved, we are the smell of life that brings life. So who is able to do this work? We do not sell the word of God for a profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth before God. We speak as men sent from God.
*2* When Nebuchadnezzar (the greatest king in his own world era or times) in the Bible verse above was possessed by fury, wrath and jealousy, against the three Christians and Servants of God, his face and visage changed and he commanded the heating up of the burning furnace seven times over its safety level: — Those three Christians, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, became the new standard for which the burning furnace of fire was prepared or upgraded.
You may have heard the Lord prepared the lake of everlasting fire for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), but I tell you, that fire is getting upgraded beyond the levels it was initially prepared for just Satan and his angels to about seven times more severe and more terrible for 'Christians' for 'pastors,' for 'teachers,' for 'prophets,' for 'priests,' for 'ministers in and out of churches' etc., who shall be cast into the lake of fire. So it was for Satan and his angels the lake of fire was prepared for, but it is for these categories of the supposed people of God who are fake that the lake of fire shall be made seven times more severe.
Judgment must begin from the House of God, from the leaders of the church and from Christians shall God begin to judge the world by judging those who are called by the name of Christ on the foundation of God.
Because of Satan and his angels, lake of fire came, but because of the Lord's people the Lake of Fire grew in degree and intensity. The same Burning furnace of fire that was prepared or upgraded for the three Christians burnt the non-Christians because the standard was 7 times more severe.
[1 Peter 4:17-18] — "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”"
You know the Scripture that says, "There's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus without walking after the flesh but walking after the Spirit." [Romans 8:1]. Now you must also know another Scripture that says, "Brothers, we shall receive the greater condemnation, and so I advise you should not become many masters/teachers" [James 3:1]. The word, "Greater Condemnation" was not used anywhere else unless when applied to Christians or to those who were supposed as the people of God in the Bible. It's better for people not to have become Christians or ministers of God in the first place, than for them to claim the blood of Jesus Christ and call themselves Christians but they live and speak according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit and Discipline of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Will and Sanctification of God. As it is written, — While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” [II Peter 2:19-22 NKJV]
Let us (Christians) not give any occasion for the gates of hell to prevail either against us or through us. Let us not raise hell fire.
[Daniel 3:20 ICB] — Then he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king told the soldiers to throw them into the blazing furnace.
[Daniel 3:20 NKJV] — And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
THE CHAINS OF THE CROSS
No one mentioned the part of binding those who shall be thrown into the fiery furnace of fire, just as the king did not also mention the furnace of fire would be made seven times hotter. So the king added to the penalty or condemnation he promised for those who shall not worship and serve his image. Not only was the furnace made seven times hotter against those three Christians, but also their freedom were taken out by the bonds that were employed to bind them when they were being cast into the fiery furnace of seven times degree.
In the top Bible verse above, the king commanded some of the best, strongest or mightiest soldiers of his army to bind up the servants of God and cast them into the furnace of fire. That was also how the king lost those soldiers of his army to the same fire that consumed them without consuming the servants of God. It's like how a king sent soldiers to arrest a man of God, but the man of God called down fire from heaven that consumed the soldiers without consuming the man of God. We will get to the part where sending these strongest or mightiest ranking soldiers of Babylon to do that king's command on the three Servants of God became both waste of their efforts and waste of such fine soldiers.
The Lord God and King of Heaven will not waste His Hosts even when He commands them to bind people and cast them fire: Example:
[Matthew 22:13-14] — "Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."
[Matthew 13:30] - "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn."
You see the Lord Himself would issue such command to bind people before casting them into fire for being Tares or cast them into outer darkness for not being chosen though they were called.
However, the Lord would not be sending inefficient Soldiers or Servants who cannot bind nor cast people into fire without getting caught/killed by the fire, unlike the case with these of the strongest soldiers of Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar command to do such task here. For these soldiers became the ones who finally got burnt and killed by the furnace of fire of 7th degree, and not those it's meant to be condemned into the fire.
But why is the need to bind people before casting them into the fire, especially when the fire would eventually burn whatever was used in binding them or set them loose while burning them?
The chains or bonds would be spiritual, not just carnal: and they would be part of the punishment, slavery or bondage restrictions of the victim or the condemned. Though different people may be bound by what appears to be similar or same bonds/chains when getting cast into the darkness or into the lake of fire, each man's or each woman's chain shall be different from the other person's chain, and shall reflect the person's sins or punishment differently from the other person(s).
In this case, a man's chain is like the man's cross when he's cast or condemned into his death. The Cross was the Chain used to bind the Lord Jesus Christ together with the crown of thorns, and even though the Lord Jesus Christ was separated or set free from the cross in His death and before His burial, spiritual He still carried the sign (mark) of the cross in His Body both through death and in His Resurrection from the dead. The sign of the cross in the Lord's Body is not the "Plus Sign," not any of these signs " +♀️✝️➕ " which the Roman Catholics and some other churches use as symbol across their bodies or mount on top of their churches pinnacles — No.
You shall not find any of this sign on the Lord's Body as sign of the cross, even though the Lord Jesus was crucified on a tree or cross arranged in such sign. I tell you the true Sign of the Cross the Lord Jesus Christ still carries on His Body — "The Nail Holes on His Hands, the Pierced Side and the Stripes Wound marks on His Back" — These are the Signs (Marks) of the Cross still on the Lord's Body even after His resurrection. The true Sign of the cross is not the way the tree (cross) was wound or bound, but the way His Body was wound and bound on that tree - That is the sign of the cross, which is the sign of His Broken Body when chained, tied or nailed to the cross. Let not the sign of the cross you are using be the image/reflection of the wood (tree/Plus-sign) to which Jesus Christ was chained by nails, rather let the sign of the cross you are using as Christian be the image/reflection of the Brokenness of the Body of Jesus on it.
[Galatians 6:17] — "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
So I put difference between "The Cross' and 'Sign of the Cross" telling you that the sign of the cross should not be showing you the cross but showing you the Broken Body of the One who was separated from the cross. We are not following or looking at the cross anymore since the Lord Jesus Christ was pulled out or separated from the cross: and yet we remember the cross without looking at the cross or its reflection, because we remember the cross by seeing the wounds on the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. It like how you remembered the particular object that gave you the wound scar or mark on your body without seeing that object: That's the mark or sign of the object, but not image of the object.
Nebuchadnezzar made image of a man in golden statue of the one he saw in his dream/vision, but churches made image of a Cross (Tree or Plus) they saw the Lord hanged on, and Muslims made image of the Moon. Why do we feel Nebuchadnezzar did worse than what those churches and mosques did?
I was talking about the chains or bonds that bind those who are cast into the darkness or into the fire, and how those chains or bonds reflect their sins and therefore communicate the degrees of their punishment, which cannot be understood from a natural point of view. First the scriptures say:
The Lord sees everything you do. He watches where you go. An evil man will be caught in his evil ways. He will be tied up by his sins as if they were ropes. He will die because he does not control himself. He will be held captive by his own foolishness. — [Proverbs 5:21-23 ICB]
Actually, sins are chains or ropes that shall eventually bind the sinners in their conscience and in their souls. Your guilt and faults becomes your bonds or chains in the days to come.
But in the top Bible verse above, you saw the king who ordered some of his strongest soldiers to bind innocent and righteous servants of God with chains/cords that were not for the righteous three. Infact, those cords were supposed to bind those soldiers and not bind those righteous men. Later you may see that as soon as the furnace of fire that had God's presence in it received those men they bound, the fire consumed the cords that bound them and as well consumed the soldiers that bound them, but set those who were bound free and gave them immunity from harm in fire.
Satan shall be bound by great chain before being cast into the bottomless pit, but it shall also come with seal that Satan should not deceive anyone for a thousand years. The fallen angels that had sex with women were bound in chains of darkness with seal not roam the earth to deceive anyone or teach anyone till the Judgment Day comes.
The Lord Jesus Christ breaks every chain and sets the captives free: But not every chain He breaks with His Blood, for some chains He must break with His Fire, even while setting the captives free (1 Corinthians 3:15); and there are sufferings some have to suffer to be free from sins. As it is written,
Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that Christ had (to suffer as Christ suffered); because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin. From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires. [1 Peter 4:1-2]
[Daniel 3:21 NKJV] — Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
[Daniel 3:21 ICB] — So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were tied up and thrown into the blazing furnace. They were still wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes.
THEY WERE WEARING TROUSERS, ROBES AND TURBANS (CAPS), IN CHAINS AND IN HELL FIRE
This was the first time and only time the word "Trouser(s)" appeared in the Bible, and yet not all Bible translations captured the word used in this Bible verse above as "Trousers."
This Bible verse above is showing us two things:
*1* Showing the Christians (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego) were fully dressed in their own clothes when they were bound or tied with the cords or ropes: — They were not stripped of their clothing as the Lord Jesus Christ was stripped of His before He was crucified or chained to the cross. There was no intention of casting lot over those men's clothes, and even though they assumed the fire would burn those clothes, no one was like Achan who coveted/lusted after Babylonian Garments in the destruction of Jericho though I am referring to Garments of three rulers in the province of Babylon.
*2* Showing the Christians (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego) were dressed in like the traditional Indian men or Arabian men would dress, having turbans as caps on their heads and putting on trousers: — I believe you know the peoples' men that dress with Coats/Robes, Trousers and Turbans (caps).
In the Bible verse above, the soldiers of Babylon did not strip the three men of their clothing, nor even remove their caps/turbans from their heads: Rather the soldiers tied up both their bodies and their clothing (Trousers, robes, turbans, and other clothes) together when they were cast into furnace of fire.
Even so, the people who are cast into hell fire were not stripped of their clothing, but were bound in their clothing, caps or crowns as kings even in hellfire, the way they were on earth when they died. So many people would strip the dead body of their relations off their clothes, and either put the dead body in a mortuary or bathe (wash) the dead body: and then use only white linen or white clothes to cover or wound the dead body around the way they did to Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead; and then they bury their dead with those white clothes or any other clothes or even naked underground.
However, notwithstanding how or what clothes they put on the dead bodies before burial, if those dead people are in hell fire they are usually putting on their own clothes which they wore or dressed in when they died on earth, not when they are buried. Those who were usually wearing mini-skirts, half-naked, fully dressed, wearing hats, caps, crowns, veils, turbans, hijabs, etc., when they died on earth shall also be wearing those in hell fire, while getting afflict, tormented and burnt. Remember people in hell fire have their flesh and clothes constantly getting burns, torn, and ripped off, and yet getting healed again for them to get ripped off, torn and burnt again, in a repeated cycle of getting destroyed and ripped off in excruciating pains and yet returned whole again for another round of getting destroyed again: Thus they never die nor cease to exist, and the fire there is not quench (Mark 9:46-48); but only endless cycles of sufferings, pains, torments, hopelessness, and darkness.
It does not mean their clothes on earth disappear on earth to be with them in hell fire—No. Rather their "Soul’s Body" (which is their inner body) mirrors their "Earthly Body" (which is the outer body) even in clothing, if it's cast into hell fire (not heaven).
That is, when a man/woman dies, his earthly body (carcass, dust & bones) and earthly clothes remain on earth, and later his earthly body gets buried where the flesh return to dust and his bones become dried bones. But the soul of the dead person would be separated from his body (earthly body and breath) — That soul is also a Body/Flesh (Soul’s Body/Flesh), having every marks and details of the dead/earthly body including the marks of that dead body's sins, body-counts (fornication), blood on his heads/hands (murders), evils, lies, iniquities, vices, soul-ties etc., which unified with the man/woman while on earth, they shall all become part of the person's soul and indelible like the mark of the beast on that soul's body. The person's talents, skills, senses, abilities and clothing with his identities while on earth would also remain part of the person's soul's body (second/inner body).
It's like how they write physical receipt, invoice or bank teller in few years ago, wherein they put Stencil Paper between the outer body of White papered Receipt/Invoice/Teller and the inner body of colored papered Receipt/Invoice/Teller, and whatever is written on the outer body (white paper) would automatically be written or transmitted also to/on the inner body (colored paper) through the Stencil Paper between them. That’s how a man's outer body (dust) transmits whatever he/she does in the flesh/body to his inner body (soul).
So when Jesus Christ spoke of better to cut one's own part of his body to enter life than having one's whole body cast into hellfire (Mark 9:46-48), it's not the outer body (dust) that is usually cast into hell fire but the inner body (soul) of the same man. The outer body of a man lives by breath of life, blood and strength of living: but the inner body of a man lives beyond/without the breath of life in his nostrils or blood in his veins. It's this inner body (soul) that gets consumed and ripped off in hellfire, and still never dies in endless cycles of sufferings and pains stated in 'Proverbs 5:11.'
Jesus Christ said, "Fear God who destroys both body and soul in hell" [Matthew 10:28]. So there's another body that goes with the soul in hell, after the outer body (carcass) is dead and dusting.
So my point is this, those who are cast into hell fire do not get a change of clothing nor do they get prisoners' wears/attires, though they get chained/tied up in their own clothes they brought along. And to add, there are certain clothes or garments one may come with and no one or no chains can bind such person: You cannot be bound or tied up when you are dressed in your wedding garment to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.
But if you are without your wedding garment, you could be bound like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or like Joseph who left his cloth in the hand of Potiphar's wife (adulteress). Wear your wedding garment, to avoid getting bound or tied up: As it is written,
"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he said to him, Friend, how come you in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." [Matthew 22:11-14]
You shall find out that clothing (called immortality) could make the difference between the captives (prisoners) and the free ones, between the mortal and the immortal. As it is written,
For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
[II Corinthians 5:4 NKJV]
[Daniel 3:22 NKJV] — Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
[Daniel 3:22 TLV] — But because the king’s order was so urgent and the furnace so extremely hot, a raging flame killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
YOUR TASKS BY THE KITCHEN OF FIRE
Have you heard a saying that goes like this: "If you cannot abide the heat then get out of the kitchen?"
I now tell you, do not always use or give such advice/saying as a disciple or disciplined one. You don't just leave any kitchen just because you cannot abide its heat, especially when leaving the kitchen because of its heat means violating the Lord's word to you
In the Bible verse above, those who were killed by the fire of the furnace were faithful soldiers of Babylon, who though they could not abide the degrees of the heat of that kitchen (furnace), yet they did not leave the kitchen to save their own lives but died in the kitchen to fully obey and fulfill the urgent commandment of their lord and king: and though they died, they completed their task of casting those men into the furnace of fire even while dying, and they died in active service (fiery service).
How many Christians would have fled the kitchen and the Lord's commandment just because they could not abide the heat? How many pastors/shepherds, who are basically hirelings that would have fled and left the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming? Many fled their true ministry instead of them abiding its heat.
When we tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we should not mock these soldiers that got killed by the fire while binding and casting those 3 men into the furnace; rather let us honor them for meeting their king's deadline and became dead.
How else would the furnace of fire had proven that it was actually that deadly and seven times hotter, seeing it could not show itself on the three servants of God but it could show itself on those?
The top Bible verse above gave us combo of two opposing pressures that resulted in the death of those soldiers who were casting the people into the furnace of the fire: the two pressures:
*1* The king's command was Urgent/Hasty: Recall how Daniel had questioned with wisdom the messengers sent to kill the wise men of Babylon, asking, "Why is the king's command hasty/urgent?" (Daniel 2:15). Daniel knew how to defer the hastiness of that king's destructive decrees/commands unlike these soldiers that lost their lives because of such hasty deadline.
Daniel's grace to calm the urgency or hastiness of the king's decree then saved him, saved these 3 Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and saved the wise men of Babylon from the destruction that day. The Lord who delayed the urgency of sending His servants to remove the Tares from the Wheat saved many of us by delaying His coming, delaying His Judgment and extending His Mercy and Grace of Time to us. But if the days are those of tribulations, He would shorten the days for the elect’s sake: for if He doesn't, no flesh shall be saved [Mark 13:20].
*2* The Fire was exceedingly/extremely hot: The safety field level due to the severe temperature of the fire had seven times shrinked because of the expanded red zones, circumference or perimeter of its heat waves and flames.
[Proverbs 6:27-28 BSB'19] — "Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?"
Recall my vision of the lake of fire, and how I almost reached forth to pull someone out of it, before the Lord stopped me with Fire in His Eyes as He looked at me and sternly warned me. Let me not go there in details. I learnt my lesson and received His mercy.
The Lord was not against me pulling people out of the fire, but against my trying to hold them or getting too close out of the safety of His Presence and Will in the Fire. I should pull people out of the fire before they enter the fire, for it's too late to pull them out of it when they are already cast into the fire. Whether casting people into the fire like those soldiers or pulling people out of it, let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he falls.
Well, we have scripture that sends us to pull people out of the fire before they fall; no scripture that sends us to cast people into the fire. Nevertheless, while pulling people out of the fire we must do so with "Fear" and "Hate" (Not just with faith and Love): You must have some fear and some hate together with much faith and love:
*1* — Fear — For you to take heed lest you fall and for keeping safety measures.
*2* — Hate — For you to hate Garments that has been spotted or defiled by the flesh. Did we not talk about the garments, the flesh and chains of those getting cast into the fire in precedings? Hate garments defiled by flesh while pulling people from the fire.
As it is written,
Save them by snatching them out of the fire; but on others have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to the One who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, both now and forever. Amen. [Jude 1:23-25 TLV]
[Daniel 3:23 TLV] — And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell bound into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
[Daniel 3:23 FBV] — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the furnace of blazing fire.
WE WALK THROUGH THE EDGES OF HELL FIRE BENEATH: TAKE HEED LEST YOU FALL
In this Bible verse above, what is written is that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, "Fell" into the midst of the furnace of fire still bound when they were falling. This means, they were not just cast, thrown or pushed, into it but they fell into it.
Kindly understand this: — Those soldiers who were killed by the fire did not completely cast or throw them into the midst of the fire though they had its intention and had the honor of completing the task because they died doing it. And in this Bible verse above, those three men eventually fell bound into the fire even though those soldiers already died and were not alive when the three Christians fell bound into the midst of the fire in this Bible verse.
The preceding bible verse said those soldiers escorted or took the three Christians "upwards" (not downwards) to the furnace of the fire; and no record of the soldiers pushing them downwards into the pit of the fire before the fire killed the soldiers. So there was a strange thing that happened between where the soldiers reached in bringing the three Christians into the furnace and how the three Christians fell bound into the midst of the fire. Before I explain what the strange happening in the Bible verse above, let me illustrate with an excerpt from a movie I saw decades ago.
Kong, that giant Gorilla that was in love with a woman, was eventually captured and transported in the deep basement of the great ship to America. The basement where the Giant Kong was in chains had opened roof partially covered with grill or burglary proof against the giant, but through which a man-sized person could pass or fall through. While onboard the sea, the woman whom Kong was in love with decided to go and calm the agitated Kong, and she was up there looking at it from the proof or roof grill. The woman's fiancé saw her at that dangerous position and called her to come back or leave there; and as he was approaching her to draw her back, she ran further on the grill taking more risk. Then Kong, the giant Gorilla jumped up to shake the basement, so that she would fall down; and she fell down through one of the holes. But as she was falling, Kong caught her with its giant palm. Later, Kong let her climb up and go free from the basement or dungeon.
*1* The same Kong, which loved her, made her fall into the trap to catch her.
*2* The same Kong, which caught her, suddenly let her go free without forcing her to remain in the prison with it or forcing its will/choice on her.
If it was her fiancé, whom Kong hated, that came close or fell into Kong's hand, Kong would have killed the man instantly.
Now, to explain the strange happening that made it appear that those three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the fire. What I am about to say may not be written visibly in the Bible verse above, but I have seen a dream or vision of what I knew as lake of fire and the behavior of the fire. Before I tried to reach my hand in trying to pull someone out and the Lord stopped me, I had observed no one that was cast or condemned to the fire could ever escape from the fire. I also saw some smokes trying to escape from the fire, and the fire was calmly watching the smoke ascending; and then to my great shock, the fire leaped up and grabbed all the smokes violently and brought them back down: and then the fire became very furious, raging and violent, because of those trying to escape it.
I got understanding there that once anything is cast into or given to the fire, it can never again be taken out or escape the fire for all eternity: That even God Himself would not pull out anyone or anything He has cast into the lake of fire, which is the reason God is very careful before casting anything/anyone into the lake of fire, for that act is irreversible. Look, if God cast anyone into hell, into Abyss (Bottomless pit) or into any dungeon/pit/prison, God may certainly bring the person out one day: but if God cast anyone into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone [Second Death] there shall never ever be a bringing out for that person in all eternity.
However, with the body of immortality or body of those who partook in the first resurrection, one can enter the lake of fire and still come out. This is because the Lake of Fire (second death) has no power over the Bodies of those who partook in the First Resurrection or clothed in immortality [Revelation 20:6]. I will discuss more on this when we come to the Bible verse where they saw the furnace of fire had no power over the body, the hair and clothes of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego [Daniel 3:27].
But focusing on the top Bible verse above, I say fire caused the fall of the three men, the way Kong caused the fall of the woman.
By the way, when fire burns heavily through platforms, it's easier for those platforms to suddenly collapse under the weights they would have carried if there was no fire that burnt them. So those men fell downwards, bound or tied, into the midst or center pit of the fire after they were taken upwards by those soldiers that tied them up and died in the process of taking them up to the fire.
We walk through the edges of hell fire beneath: Take heed lest you fall
God put the Path of life like a Bridge above for the wise to walk through that Bridge without falling into the fire or hell by either side of the edges of the Bridge: but the fools and the careless do fall off into the fire or hell off the Bridge (Path of Life). As it is written,
[Proverbs 15:24] — "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath."
[Daniel 3:24 BSB] - Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied.
[Daniel 3:24 ICB] - Then King Nebuchadnezzar was very surprised and jumped to his feet. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men? Didn’t we throw them into the fire?” They answered, “Yes, our king.”
Two things about the king in the Bible verse above:
PART ONE - AMAZEMENT AFTER ASSASSINATION
*1* The King was shocked (astonished)
Stories would be read and told —That there have been great people who others thought putting them to death or destruction meant ending them or silencing them forever; but they realized to their great shock/amazement that killing those people only made them far more alive and far more influential and powerful than they were before.
In this Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar the king acted like a man who is shocked at seeing the people he killed yet alive; seeing alive and thriving the people he was sure he killed and confirmed dead. It's as if he was seeing ghosts. The way Cain was shocked at hearing the voice of his brother Abel still speaking after he was sure he killed him. The king in Bible above became more shocked, more astonished, more restless and unable to remain sited on his throne of power for those three Christians he condemned, consumed and destroyed by the fire, because those he killed refused to remain dead or to stay dead; and that haunts.
PART TWO - ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER ASSASSINATION
*2* The King asked his advisers/counselors, didn't we threw three men into the fire? And they confirmed it so.
By the king's question and by the answer his advisers/counselors gave him here, then there are these two Accountabilities:
*A* Accountability for the Number of people they cast into the fire or killed; — (In this case they were 3)
*B* Accountability for all those who supported, agreed or were involved in condemning and casting the 3 men into the furnace of fire: — (In this case it was not the King only that was responsible but including his advisers, counselors and ministers, involved)
How many people were killed by us, and how many were we who killed them?
A — How God and His People would account for the number or statistics of those who shall be cast into the lake of fire is by retaining those books the angels used in recording the deeds of every one of those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. Even though the damned shall be cast into the lake of fire, the records of the heavens about them shall remain with the heavens.
B — How God and His People would account for those who were with Him, who supported Him and agreed with Him, in decision of casting anyone into the lake of fire, is by God not conducting the final Judgment alone or in isolation but involving the chosen saints and the Panel of Judges so that it would be in agreement of at least two or three who stand for Righteousness, Justice, Mercy, Holiness, Wisdom and Truth, before anyone is cast into the Fire.
[Daniel 3:25 NKJV] - “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
[Daniel 3:25 FBV] - “Look!” he cried out. “How is it that I can see four men, not tied up, walking around in the fire and not being burned? And the fourth one looks like a god!”
THE SPIRITUAL IMAGE/PICTURES THAT WITCHES AND AGENTS OF DARKNESS SEE ABOUT TRUE CHRISTIANS
Nebuchadnezzar the king continued seeing revelations and visions more than many people of God in his time, though he was a pagan. In the preceding chapter, Nebuchadnezzar saw vision; in this Chapter and Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar saw vision again; and in the next chapter following, Nebuchadnezzar saw another.
When next you tell the story of the fourth Person in the fire, you may well remember that the testimony came from the man who forced people to worship idols and cast the three men of the four men he saw into that fire. It was not a Christian who saw and told that glorious testimony, but an occultist man/king saw and told it.
I remembered incidents of agents of darkness, witches & cultists testifying how they usually saw true Christians in spiritual realms having lights, wearing shining bright robes, surrounded by fire or lights, or under some sort of protection/covering that immunes such Christians from their psychic attacks or spells. Have you not heard were one, who was once in such diabolical group, testifying how they attempted to killed the true or strong Christians in spiritual realms, but they couldn't touch or harm those Christians; and they even saw lights or glories on those Christians, which ordinary people could not see physically? Even the Christians do not see those things while looking at themselves, but the agents of darkness were able to see those things on those true believers.
Well, this Bible verse above is an example of such, wherein a king of an occultist world together with his astrologers, magicians, wise men or counselors, attempted to put three faithful Christians to death by fire and chains, but they saw they couldn't harm those Christians, their chains around the Christians were broken, their seven times fire was ineffective and harmless to the Christians, and there was presence of the Son of God or Angel in their midst.
Who was that man of God that the former occult grand master attempted to attack by esoteric ways, but he saw in spiritual realms that the man of God was in the middle of a field of fire, which neither the occult grand master nor the strong demon in him could approach?
Now, I want you to look beyond the image/testimony/respect of such occultists, cultists, witches, wizards, demons, agents of darkness, etc., about the power and glory of God on you, if you are a true and faithful Christian. Rather be more concerned about the image/respect/testimony of God and the heavens about you.
For usually, what those in darkness celebrate as great light may be a little or insignificant light to those who dwell in far greater light and wisdom. Your night lights may feel like local champion in the night, but at noon day under the sun they're low.
[2 Corinthians 3:10] — "For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels."
So let us who are mature in the light and revelations of the Lord look at that picture, image or vision, the king saw about those three faithful Christian in the fire.
Is that all they saw about you Christians in the fire? That you were free from the chains, you were untouchable and harmless even in fire and the mighty presence of the Lord was manifest with you: and nothing by any means hurt you.
While such testimony would make many pastors, men of God, Christians and Believers, celebrate or feel great about their stand and place in the Lord Jesus Christ; I, Peterch, would have felt so sad as if I was far short of my calling, if those details described me in the position of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the fire
This is because,
*1* I would not be comparing myself to the fire (which though is seven times hotter, yet had no power on me):
*2* I would not be comparing myself to the chains that were broken or yokes destroyed by the anointing present:
*3* I would not be comparing myself to the enemies, the rulers, the observers or people who I overcame or made to wonder at me:
What would I be comparing myself to in the midst of all those?
I would be comparing myself to the Person who was described as the Son of God or as God in the midst of us. Why I would have been sad would be because I was not yet as He is or as glorious as I beheld Him.
They were three the king cast into the fire, but the king saw four of them: but only the fourth Person was seen as "gods" or "Son of God" among them four. That would trouble me because I was not like Him in nature, though I have His Presence/Power with me.
Lord, I want to be like You in all ramifications of your Glory I see. This is not just about the liberty/freedom/power in wherever You or Your Spirit is, but about me seeing You and changing more and more into Your Image by Your Spirit or Presence. As it is written,
[2 Corinthians 3:17-18] — "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit."
Why should we be four in the fire, but only You appeared as the Son of God to those agents of darkness, whereas we see You but we were not like You nor seen as sons of God too? This has changed by the Father's Love and Grace. As it is written,
[1 John 3:1-3] — “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called "the sons of God:" therefore the world does not know us, because the world did not know Him. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall become like Him; for we shall see Him the way He is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure."
So, if I have to choose between "how the agents of darkness were seeing Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego in the fire" and "how the agents of darkness were seeing Samuel ascending from hell"
I would rather choose how they saw Samuel ascending from hell, because the witch saw him as a "god" or "son of God." As written,
[1 Samuel 28:13-14 GW] — "“Don’t be afraid,” the king said to her. “What do you see?” “I see a god rising from the ground,” the woman answered. “In what form?” he asked her. She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground."
[Daniel 3:26 TLV] - “Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and exclaimed, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out from the middle of the fire."
[Daniel 3:26 GNT] - So Nebuchadnezzar went up to the door of the blazing furnace and called out, “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Servants of the Supreme God! Come out!” And they came out at once.
COME OUT
Let's relate what Nebuchadnezzar did in this Bible verse above with what the Lord Jesus Christ did in the next Bible reference below:
*1* Like Nebuchadnezzar approached the door-opening or mouth of the furnace in which Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were cast, the Lord Jesus Christ also approached the grave where Lazarus was laid and had the stone rolled away from it's mouth.
*2* Like Nebuchadnezzar shouted with a laud voice; "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out (come forth)." So the Lord Jesus Christ also shouted with a laud Voice; "Lazarus, come out (come forth)."
*3* Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, heard the king's voice and came out (come forth); So Lazarus heard the Lord's voice and came out (come forth).
*4* However, unlike Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, came out not bound or tied because they left their chains in the fire like Paul left the viper/snake in the fire: — Lazarus came out bound or tied; and the Lord Jesus had to command, "Loose him and let him go."
As it is written,
[John 11:43-44 GLW] — "Now when He had said these things, He called loudly, “Lazarus, come out!” He who had died came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus told them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”"
Other kings who almost did similar things as Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible verse above included "Darius" who called out to Daniel in the lion's den, and "Saul" who invoked Samuel from the dead.
Why was it important for Nebuchadnezzar, Darius and the Lord Jesus Christ to issue those words before the ones who were saved or delivered by God could out of their pits or graves? Why didn't those servants of God who were saved from the dangers or death in their buried places/pits simply escape from there or leave the pits where they were trapped but saved? Why was it important for the Lord or King outside to call or summon them to come out before they came out?
Almost all those kings I mentioned here had cast away the same men they called out (recalled): only the Lord Jesus Christ had not cast away Lazarus at any time, though the death and burial of the same Lazarus meant he was already cast away before the Lord Jesus Christ recalled him.
*** Nebuchadnezzar had cast away Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, by casting them into the furnace of fire; but here he with authority recalled them by his "Come Out."
*** Darius had cast away Daniel, by casting him into the lion's den; but later he with authority recalled him by his "Come Out."
*** Saul was the cast away himself by God and Samuel, but Saul later used such authority/means to invoke Samuel from quietude.
So this means the "Come Out" used by Nebuchadnezzar here or used by the Lord Jesus Christ was a "Recall" and an "Invitation" which meant the "Come Out" is the same as "Come forth."
Note, there are "Come out(s)" that means casting away, and there are other “Come out(s)" that means comeforth (inviting).
The "Come Out" the Lord Jesus Christ used towards the unclean spirits in the possessed man was casting away (exorcism) and not an invitation or recalling of the unclean spirits.
If you recall what we read about how occultists, cultists, witches and agents of darkness, see Christians in spiritual realms: Demons, evil spirits or unclean spirits saw and testified the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and yet the Lord Jesus would not have those demons to continue blowing his trumpet (praises) for Him, but rather cast them away by "Come Out!"
[Mark 5:6-8] — "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped Jesus, And cried with a loud voice, and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, You Son of the most high God? I adjure You by God, that You do not torment me. For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit."
Another man of God who would cast away the unclean spirits than allowing them broadcasting his spiritual image/picture/glories they see about him in the spiritual realms was Paul by 'Come Out!'
[Acts 16:17-18] — "The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation." And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out the same hour."
Don't be shocked to hear that some of the people who market and promote their pastors, G.Os, prophets, etc., with such testimonies about the power, signs and wonders of those pastors, G.Os, prophets are either possessed by unclean spirits, are agents of darkness, are witches, etc., just like that demon-possessed girl did to Paul and Silas, calling them servants of the most high God the way Nebuchadnezzar here in the top Bible verse above called the three, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the most high God.
Speak of Paul and Silas, they too had their chains broken and their prison doors opened, but they did not escape (which helped in saving the Jailer with his household); and later the authorities came to officially told Paul and Silas to "Come Out" before they came out.
Always use the opportunity presented to you by God's "Come Out" when it means "Come forth" to Him out of where you were.
[II Corinthians 6:17-18 NKJV] — Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Come Out from among the occultists, from among the unclean, from among the sinners, etc., "Come Out" to "Come forth."
[Revelation 18:4] — "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: “Come out of her, my people, so that you may not have fellowship in her sins, and so that you may not receive of her plagues."
[Daniel 3:27 AKJV] - And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, on whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
[Daniel 3:27 GNT] - All the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.
PART 1 - BODY SCANNING/EXAMINATION
You are seeing in the Bible verse above that all the princes, governors, officials and kings there present, gathered, scanned or examined thoroughly the bodies of those three men that came out of the fire. Their Bodies were being searched and scanned for the depth of the fire in their bodies: No effect, no power and no sign, of the fire passing through them, even though they passed through the fire.
I believe you know what getting scanned, searched or bodily examined means. But have you integrated the use of body scanning in Spiritual path and judgment ahead? Scanning is part of the trials we have to go through. There is in the ministry of the priest, the work of body-scanning and quarantining [Leviticus 13]. The Lord Jesus Christ told the ten Lepers to go get Body-Scanned by the priest, and on their way going for body-scanning they were healed; but only one returned to the Lord Jesus Christ.
*** The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, after rising from the dead, submitted His Resurrected Body for people like Thomas to scan or examine His Body.
*** Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, came out of the fire, but have their bodies submitted to be scanned or examined by governors, officials, rulers, princes of this world.
And Jesus Christ said, [John 14:30] "... the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me."
When the princes of this world come or scan the body of a Servant of God, those princes of the world should find nothing that belong to their fire or to their nature on the body of that Servant of God just as those princes of this world could not find on the bodies of those three servants of the most high God anything done or belonging to their fire. But on the flip side, when the righteous/saints/angels scan the body of a Servant of God, they are looking for the properties or marks of the Lord Jesus Christ on the body.
And Paul said, [Galatians 6:17] — "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
You see why there's difference between when the world "Body-Scans you" and when the heavens "Body-Scans you." When the prince of the world Body-Scanned the Lord Jesus Christ, finding nothing of his marks in/on the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was the excellent score for the Lord Jesus Christ. But when Thomas Body-Scanned the Lord Jesus Christ, finding the Marks of the Lord Jesus Christ in/on the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was rather the excellent score for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine you are to enter highly secured office for the first time, and you had to go through two check points:
*Check Point A* - At the first check point, the armed men there scanned/searched your body against you carrying arms, weapons, etc., which they themselves who are searching you are having or carrying on them. They carry those things (weapons/marks), but they are searching you to be sure you are not carrying them though they are carrying them: and if they find nothing (of those things/weapons/marks) on you when they body-scan you, then they rate you "Cleared" and allow you to enter.
*Check Point B* - At the Second/Last check point, the men there scanned or searched your body but they are looking for what you have or should carry along with you, such as ID, Passport, Invitation or Marks that shows you have been in communication or contact before with the person(s) you are looking for inside before they clear you and allow you to enter.
"How did you come in here without having your wedding garment?"
You see the difference between the two checkpoints and between their "Body-scans?" Now let's apply Check Point A to the context of the top Bible verse above:
CHECK POINT A
The Princes, Governors, Rulers of this world Body-Scanned the three servants of the most high God after they came out of the fire. In that case, they were looking for the fire's report card because it's the fire that actually did the body-scanning on them while they were looked for the results or reports on them. The fact the fire had no power or impact on them meant they had nothing belonging to or nothing in common with those rulers.
And may I add that they did not find any "Charms, Protection Spell, or Diabolical fortification" against fire or arms on their bodies when they Body-Scanned the three men out of the fire.
In the last Day, God's Fire would be used as one of the greatest Scanners. The rulers or princes of this world do not need to be there to check or scan anyone because God's Fire will do the Scanning and the Day would declare it. Whatever belongs to the world or whatever the princes of this world have in common marking with anyone shall surely not escape the fire.
[1 Corinthians 3:13-17] — "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abides which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."
[Daniel 3:27 GNT] - All the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.
PART 2 - SUPERIOR BODIES OF MEN BY GOD
The same calibers of dignitaries that once gathered to dedicate, to behold, and to adore, the "Golden Statue" are now in the Bible verse above gathered to behold wonders that are far above that which the golden statue had — Those were the wonders and glories of "Supernatural Bodies and Clothing" beyond the powers or effects of any natural fire to seventh degree.
Those people thought a magnificent body of man built completely of the gold (riches) of this world was the most glorious body adornment to man, until they began seeing supernatural bodies of real men which the gold in the entire planet cannot buy or afford. These supernatural bodies of men could be like:
*1* The Supernatural Bodies Adam and Eve had before their sin: Adam and Eve had supernatural and bright bodies that matched the best of all realms or all worlds as if they were Stars/Lights themselves.
*2* The Supernatural Body Moses had when his unveiled face was shine like light or his natural force unabated: Through Moses' Body, we saw that old aging, depreciation, failing of strength/freshness, dying, decaying of worms, and waxing old, had neither power nor effect on Moses' Body.
*3* The Supernatural Body Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had when they walked in the midst of the 7-times burning fiery furnace: Through Bodies of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we saw that natural fire had neither power nor effect on those class of supernatural Bodies or on the Clothing of those bodies.
*4* Above all, The Body of Immortality, Resurrection, Life and Glories the Lord Jesus Christ now has forever. Through Him, with Him and inside Him, we shall have or become parts of His Body.
Let's Grade the Bodies according to their Classes. But let's also assume all the Bodies we are grading here are in Sanctification, Virginity or Undefiled Bodies: No fornication (or adultery) and no defilement ever on these Bodies/Bed in marriage.
*Class 1* — The Virgins (Undefiled):
All the men/women of God I mentioned here in this second segment before or after were either virgins (before married) or undefiled (both before and during married). Moses was a virgin for 40 years before he married a virgin daughter of Jethro. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, were all virgins (eunuchs). Adam and Eve were virgins throughout their stay in the Garden of Eden, even though they were married and naked there. The Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and remained a Virgin.
Those in this class possess "Holy Bodies" or "Holy Vessels in Honor and Sanctification. Reproach (shame) and dishonor have no power on their bodies. Therefore, being virgins/undefiled in body, they were holy both in body & in spirit [1 Corinthians 7:34].
I am telling you to pursue holiness of the body:
[2 Corinthians 7:1] - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
[Revelation 14:4-5] — "These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those which follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."
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*Class 2* — The Anointed/Consecrated Virgins (Custodians of God's Holy Spirit on/in their Bodies):
Those in this class possess higher Bodies than those in the preceding because the Anointing, Grace or Spirit of God attached to their physical Bodies. These include men like Anointed Priests like Aaron, Samson as Nazarite, Elisha who's dead bones could raise the dead, John the Baptist, Samuel, Anointed Nazarites or special people that came with special Bodies that come with special rules like no cutting hairs, no eating certain foods or drinks, or nearing dead bodies/corpses in connection with their bodies and the Spirit attached to their bodies. Hence, Separation.
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*Class 3* — The Supernatural Bodied Men
Those in this class were higher in Bodies than those in preceding class of Bodies. They had their bodies translated or transfigured into possessing some supernatural attributes on their bodies. And it's like God shared or distributed different portions of those supernatural attributes to different men whom God translated so.
Enoch was translated with portions that his body should not see death, but the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured that His Body should see death and become the most acceptable Sacrifice to God but His Body should not see corruption in hell/grave. Moses was transfigured with portions that his body should bear the glory of God on his face and shine like stars/small sun, and his body should not see aging, depreciation or oldness failures. Elijah was transfigured that his body should be able to switch between the visible and invisible at his will, making him able to appear and disappear or become invisible like angels or ghosts, making Elijah with his body a spirit, and not just carnal flesh. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were transfigured that no lesser fire should have any power or impact on their bodies by any degree.
There are others who attained and received transfiguration of the bodies with just portions of the abilities of angels through those bodies. No man of God seemed to have had all there are to angel's bodies & abilities while dwelling on the earthly body before death.
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*Class 4* — The Spiritual Bodied, Resurrected Bodied, Eternally Glorified Bodied, and Immortal Bodied Men
This is the highest class of Bodies, and those who have these Bodies of immortality are called, "Sons of God." All those various portions exhibited by different supernatural bodied men and more would be complete in the Glorified Bodies of immortality that the sons of God shall have.
Like demonstrated with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the top Bible verse above:
[Revelation 20:6] — "Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
[Daniel 3:28 NKJV] - Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
[Daniel 3:28 ICB] - Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God. They refused to obey my command. And they were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god other than their own.
[Daniel 3:28 BSB] - Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
THEY OVERCAME IN WORDS OF TESTIMONY
In this Bible verse, the king gave an open "Testimony-Blessing” or "Testimony-Praise" to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who proved to be true worshipers that worshiped God in Spirit and in truth even in the face of death and furnace of fire. The key contents of the Testimony-Blessing of that great world's king in ancient days include:
"A" What God did/sent His angel to do, against what the king had doubted if the same God or any gods could ever do before.
"B" What the three faithful Christians did, against what the king had said or commanded in all his authority and presence.
Remember the message about gradation of faith from what God can do, then what God will do or has done, and then what the men who have faith in God will do and have done by their faith and trust in God.
Talking about what those men who trusted and loved God did has overshadowed what God did or sent His angel to do in my analysis of that king's "Testimony-Blessing/Praise" to God of those men
It's not, let God's Light shine before men, but rather let your own light shine before men in ways those men would see your good works (not just see the miraculous/angel of God's work) and then glorify your Father (your God) in heaven (Matthew 5:16). That was what Nebuchadnezzar and the world in the Bible verse above were doing to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who did the goodwork and shined their light together with the Angel through the fire before all men there witnessing
I have cited these three translations because I like the different ways each of them phrased their concluding sentences about what those men did in that testimony of the king to the world:
*1* One Translation, (which did put the entire Bible verse as one single but long sentence), put its last pasts of the sentence thus: "and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!"
*2* Another Translation, (the one that put the entire Bible verse as group of five sentences), put its last two sentences thus: "They refused to obey my command. And they were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god other than their own."
*3* The next Translation, (the one that put the entire Bible verse as group of two sentences), put its last sentence thus: "They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."
The equation here implies that "Yielding their Bodies" is the same as "Willing to die" or the same as "Risked their lives." Whatever term used for it, it was the "Cost or Price" they had to pay both to overcome the king's word (overcome the world) and to upgrade the price of worshiping/serving God by standing against idolatry at the cost of putting their lives/bodies on the line. And you may later see how this price they paid for worshiping/serving only the true God resulted in the entire world praising/blessing the God of those men, and a decree to hallow the Name and fear the God of those men of God was issued throughout the world.
In the Bible verse above, the king who was very furious and angry against those three men for defying the king's command or refusing the king's compromise, the same king is now praising the God of those men and praising those men for defying the king's command and standing for the truth and for God in faithfulness.
The society that was against those men and wanted them cast away because those men were not doing like them in compromise, the same society was here celebrating those men who held their integrity. Have you not seen or heard such?
The Stone which the builders rejected is the same Stone the builders are now celebrating and praising as the Chiefest or Best Stone among the rest.
Those for whom you compromised your faith, your truth and holiness, because you desire to have their love — they would later lose their trust, their love and respect, for you. But those for whom you never compromised your faith, your truth, and your holiness, even despite the hatred or danger you had to face for refusing them — they would later trust, love and respect you for your devotion and faithfulness in God. If you are true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and worshiper of God in Spirit and in Truth, you don't have to change for the world because the world is changing for you. All things work together for good to those who love God without compromise/backsliding, and are called according to God's Purpose.
The king was even celebrating a testimony that those men defied, rejected and disregarded the king's words and wrath, to stand for their faith, their religion and righteousness, in worshiping/serving God in Spirit and in truth, in life or death, in furnace fire or not.
The Bible that says, "Obey those in authority" also praised the faith/faithfulness of those who "Disobeyed those in authority in order to uphold their faith/obedience to God." Example:
Moses was a man who yielded his body, and was not afraid of the king's wrath: Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer for Christ than to enjoy the sin life of wealth and riches in the king's palace. As it is written,
[Hebrews 11:24-27] — "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible."
We have many Christians in the world now than in history past, but how many of the Christians are ready to give up sin and riches for the reproach and suffering of Christ? How many Christians today would yield their bodies to be burnt like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or put their lives at risk on the line, striving against sin and against the entire world government and people?
[Hebrews 12:3-4 FBV] — Think about Jesus who endured such hostility from sinful people so you don't grow tired and become discouraged. Your resistance so far hasn't cost you blood as you fight against sin.
[Luke 9:23-27 BSB] — Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truthfully, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
[Daniel 3:29 NKJV] - Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or 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 an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
[Daniel 3:29 FBV] - Consequently I am issuing a decree that if anyone of any nation or language speaks disrespectfully about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they will be torn to pieces and their houses will be destroyed. There is no other God who is able to save like this!”
THOU SHALT NOT BLASPHEME AGAINST GOD
Do not speak anything against God in any nation, in any tongue, or in any language. There have been decrees, laws and governments, instituted in all ages to give the greatest capital punishment against those who "Blaspheme God."
- In Babylonian Kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar the king of kings then decreed far greater capital punishment against blaspheming the Lord God, above the capital punishment for not worshiping the king's idol or gods.
- In Medio-Persian Kingdom, Darius the king of kings then decreed and none dared to blaspheme, disrespect, nor spoke against the God of Daniel [Daniel 6:26-27]
- In Israel, God the Lord Himself decreed death upon anyone who blasphemed or spoke evil against God,
[Leviticus 24:10-16 ICB] — Now there was a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father. The son was walking among the Israelites. And a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman began cursing and speaking against the Lord. So the people took him to Moses. (The mother’s name was Shelomith. She was the daughter of Debri from the family of Dan.) The people held him as a prisoner. They waited for the Lord’s command to be made clear to them. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the one who spoke against me outside the camp. Then bring together all the people who heard him. They must put their hands on his head. Then all the people must throw stones at him and kill him. Tell the people of Israel this: ‘If anyone curses his God, he is guilty of sin. Anyone who speaks against the Lord must be put to death. All the people must kill him by throwing stones at him. Foreigners must be punished just like the person born in Israel. If someone speaks against the Lord, he must be put to death.
Blaspheme is a sin that God would not even tolerate from kids or children. About sixty two little children were killed by two female bears from the woods simply because they were blaspheming a highly anointed man of God, who was chosen to replace Elijah and to possess double portions of the Anointing of Elijah. David's little child had to die no matter how much David fasted, prayed and laid on the ground, because for that child to live the enemies would have reason to blaspheme God. As it is written,
[2 Samuel 12:14] — "However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."
Are you the kind of Christian or pastor that gives people reason to blaspheme because of your indiscipline, sin and hypocrisy? Paul is putting it to you thus:
[Romans 2:21-24] — "you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”"
[James 2:7] — "Do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by which you are called (Christians)?"
Blaspheming or speaking against God is both unforgettable and unforgivable:
[Matthew 12:31-32] — "Why I say to you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven to men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
One of the major reasons why receiving the Mark of the Beast, 666, means the receiver is eternally damned to perdition is because the Mark of the Beast is equal to the number of name of the Beast: the Beast is full of names of Blasphemy against God:
[Revelation 13:1] — "And I stood on the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads the name of blasphemy."
[Revelation 17:3] — "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit on a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
So blasphemies built the name of the Beast, which is substitute for the mark of the Beast. This means some would have the Mark of the Beast (666) and others would have the name of the Beast (Blaspheming). Please don't think like others, who thought it's about avoiding the mark of the Beast (666) only; but they don't know it's also about avoiding the name of the Beast (Blasphemous name or mantra).
If you see the Mark (666) you put up your defense, but you foolishly do not mind when you see the Name/Mantra (Blasphemies) of the Beast, especially when you sing the name or mantra in some of the worldly music of popular musicians trending. When the antichrist rules, it's either the Mark (666) or the name/mantra (Blasphemous things) of the Beast.
[Revelation 13:17-18] — "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six (666)."
God's Word told Him not to forget the Blasphemies and Reproach people used or said against God. So all those Blasphemies that Atheists and Fools have been uttering against God shall be judged:
[Psalms 74:18] — "Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed Your Name."
[Jude 1:14-16] — "...“Behold, the Lord comes with myriads of His holy ones, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the sinners concerning all the works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against God.” These are grumblers, discontented, following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks great swelling words, flattering faces for the sake of profit."
[Daniel 3:30 TLV] - Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.
[Daniel 3:30 GNT] - And the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in the province of Babylon.
HOW THE STORY OF SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO WAS CONCLUDED
I will speak of this promotion of the king in the Bible verse above, but allow me to speak of the "Threefold Cord" - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, because this Bible verse above is the last verse that mentioned them in the Bible. After this Bible verse, nothing else was said or heard about these "Threefold Cord," on who's bodies and clothing the fire had no power after the king's word, power, and forces could not take away their true worship or service to God. They presented (yielded) their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy (undefiled) and acceptable to God, which is their reasonable service. And they were not conformed to this world but rather were transformed, by renewed mind in holy bodies; and they were able to prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect Will of God — Romans 12:1-2.
I call them "Threefold Cord" because the Bible says:
[Ecclesiastes 4:12] — "And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not easily broken."
Were they Threefold Cord because they were Triplets? Not really, and infact they were not triplets nor twins among them. But they stuck together better than I have seen twins or triplets sticking together. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were stuck or knitted together in an uncommon way to the degree that:
(a)... No Bible verse could mention one of their names without mentioning all three of their names: No Bible verse mentioned "Abednego" alone or "Shadrach" alone or "Meshach" alone, unless the verse mentioned all three together. One would think they are like first name, middle name and surname, the way their names were always mentioned together with the same order/arrangement of Shadrach first, then Meshach and Abednego last every time their names were expressed. I have my first name, middle name and surname, but the three of my names do not always get used or mentioned together or in the same order like the names of these Threefold Cord.
You can call the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" by the name, "God of Abraham" or "God of Isaac." But unless you are calling the same God the "God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego," don't split or omit the mention of the names of these three men in the name of their God; and more importantly, do not speak evil/blaspheme the God of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego.
(b)... No Bible verse could separate what one of them said without mentioning all three of them said it. Their level of one speech was alarming and there was nothing like "I" or "me" or "my" when it comes to whatever this Threefold Cord said in the Bible, for they used "We"/"Our."
Holy Spirit Himself separated Barnabas and Paul for the work He called them; but later the order of their names was rearranged from "Barnabas and Paul" into "Paul and Barnabas." And then you hear Paul said this or that, without Barnabas saying it. Infact, those who gave them names of Olympian gods gave Paul the name "Hermes or Mercurious" because they saw Paul was the one talking more while Barnabas was rather more silent (Acts 14:12). Later along, Paul and Barnabas differed and separated from each other, and they walked no more together in the same calling or ministry the Holy Spirit Himself paired them. Remember the Lord Jesus Christ paired seventy of His disciples in pairs of two men each, and sent them into evangelism or mission as training for them before He finally left (died, rose and ascended) into heaven.
Who paired or joined Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, to degree that they spoke with one speech, and not even the order of their names were rearranged nor anyone of them outdoing the others?
(c)... The idea of the "Fourth Man" was not just in the fire, but also with Daniel in connection with this Threefold Cord: It's easy to see Daniel was different among the four men, though they were friends and family of God together in one house. Any fourth Person in their midst will be conspicuous because the three of them synced perfectly as one in many ramifications.
(d)... Their position in class exams, in performance, and in promotion: If one of them scored ten times, all three of them scored the same ten times. If one of them got promoted, all of them got promoted; and if one of them was drafted or deployed to work in a particular field, state or province, the three of them must be in the same field, state or province.
In the top Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar the king then promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
That was an incredible turn of events in the end of that Chapter, which had begun with the same king promoting a golden statue and commanding worship and honor to the idol. But here the repentance or conversion brought the same king into honoring and promoting the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, confessing no other god can save or deliver; and the king promoting those whom the Lord God has delivered and honored with such deliverance or great salvation.
This is the message: There is certain deliverance of God that comes with promotion and honor among men and angels. That God gave a man/woman such deliverance means God favors, respects or honors such man/woman. That was the kind of deliverance God gave to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — A Deliverance that shows God Respected, Honored or Promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And because God honored them before kings and governors by such deliverance, naturally those kings and governors would promote and honor those whom God has thus honored in their presence.
See, not every deliverance or intervention of God is just by God's mercy; some are by God's respect and honor, and He would not let the person He honors to be disgraced/shamed, so He intervenes to honor the person in the presence of honorable men or enemies. Such deliverance of God comes with promotion/honor. You know such deliverance for it is either "Deliver you and set you on high (exalt/promote you)" or it is "Deliver and honor you:"
[Psalms 91:14-15 NKJV] — “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
There's certain deliverance of God that cannot come to a person unless God is exalting or honoring that person, and God has respect for the person. Any deliverance of God that involves God suspending the laws of nature and God's ordinances and sending God's angel errands, etc., like in the case of the fire or rising from the dead and God showing up for just you, means God really respect, honors or exalts you beyond the ordinances and natural laws God has ordained in the foundation of the world but suspend on your behalf to deliver or save you. Seek God's validation and honor, and you shall not be ashamed: His grace removes disgrace.
[John 12:25-26 BSB] — "Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him."