Daniel 3: 13-26

King Nebuchadnezzar wanted the people to worship what he made. If they didn’t, they’d suffer. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Jews appointed by the king over the affairs of Babylon, were known not to worship the statue.

In this society, we don’t know kings. We know politicians. A candidate running for Congress hired two assistants: one to dig up the facts, and the other to bury them. A politician is a person who shakes your hand before an election and your confidence afterwards. Groucho Marx, back in the day, said, “In America you can go on the air and kid the politicians, and the politicians can go on the air and kid the people.” Will Rodgers said, “Congressmen and fellows like me are alike in some ways, I guess. But when I make a joke, it’s a joke. When they make a joke, it’s a law.” And finally, many a politician starts to behave, not because he saw the light, but because he was starting to feel the heat. That’s a good place to start discussing this story.

Nebuchadnezzar was an earthly king. His business was to maintain and add on to his kingdom, Babylon, by invading other nations and stripping them of their resources, that nation’s treasures and human intelligence. He did so when he besieged Jerusalem and caused Judah to finally fall. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among the Jewish nobles who were to serve in the king’s palace. The four of them interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2). The king dreamed of a huge statue  with a head of gold, the chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. A huge stone not cut by human hands struck the feet of the statue. The whole statue fell to pieces and became dust. The huge stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The four of them interpreted the dream to be a prophetic picture of Babylon and future kingdoms. God will ultimately put an end to all kingdoms and establish his own kingdom that would last forever. Nebuchadnezzar received the interpretation and told Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries. (2: 47)” The king promoted all four to places of responsibility and authority in Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar then made himself his own statute and required all people in the kingdom to fall down and worship it. He tried to replicate the statute from the dream and order all to worship it. His narcissism, excessive self-love and vanity, got the best of him and compelled others to worship his creation or die. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to accommodate his obsession and accepted their fate but trusted their God. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. (3: 16-18)”

An earthly kingdom, a narcissistic monarch and the citizen’s requirements to be loyal to the king alone are supposed to be familiar to us. Earthly kingdoms and related seats of power and authority expect us to pledge our loyalty along with our resources and abilities. Such kingdoms often come in the forms of employment, entertainment, community loyalties, etc. This is not to imply all such associations lead to compromising behavior. We need work, times of relaxation and communal relationships. This story, however, is meant to encourage us to stand for what is true and godly.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told the king they would rather face suffering than worship something created by him. They were not about to compromise their beliefs and loyalties to God. If our God is able to deliver us, let him deliver us. If not, we still won’t serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue you set up. Our loyalty, our devotion, our commitment, our beliefs, faith and love are for God, first and foremost.

In Luke, chapter 12, Jesus is asked an important question:

“One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that (Jesus) answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. (12: 28-31)’”

Two learned professors were discussing the great thoughts on wisdom and the meaning of life. The first professor asked the second, “Henry tells me he is one of your students.” The second professor replied, “Well, Henry does attend most of my classes, but he is not one of my students.” Too bad there are so many distant followers, and so few real disciples.

Are we willing to face a blazing furnace, to lose our job, to abandon our social dignity in loving God with all we are in deeds and words publicly? Are we willing to suffer condemnation to love our neighbor as ourselves? The opposition Jesus faced had nothing to do with idolatry and foreign gods. What opposed him was the kingdom erected by the professionally religious who demanded loyalties to traditions and class bigotries. They believed God honored their observance of law rather than passion for the hurting and lost that God so loved. Jesus didn’t face a blazing furnace, but the cross amounted to same thing, suffering for the sake of truth and righteousness.

The kids will hear in Vacation Bible School today a verse from Ephesians, chapter six: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. (6:10)” This verse is part of a wonderful image constructed by Paul. He told his readers to put on the whole armor of God. “Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (6: 11-12)”

It’s a spiritual battle. Our enemies are not flesh and blood, but there are rulers, there are authorities, there are powers, there are forces. And what are we supposed to do? Paul goes on in Ephesians 6 – Put on the whole armor of God, fasten the belt of truth around your waist, put on the breastplate of righteousness, wear the shoes that prepare you to proclaim the gospel of peace, carry the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and the shield of faith, and wear the helmet of salvation (6: 14-17). If earthly forces and powers demand from us what God expects from us, our business is not to attack human beings in response. Our duty is to oppose the spiritual forces with truth, righteousness in God, the gospel in word and deed, the word of God in the Spirit, the truth of our salvation in Christ, and the strength of faith.

Nebuchadnezzar wanted to intimidate his subjects through fear and control their behavior through spiritual brainwashing. Our enemy in this world wants us to believe we remain his subjects, but our Savior has broken his authority over us. His minions want to intimidate us through fear and control. Jesus said of the enemy: “There is no truth in him. (John 8: 44)” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew what was true. It wasn’t that golden statue. It wasn’t the gods of Babylon. The truth was found in worshiping the God of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the God of the fourth man standing with them in the blazing furnace. The truth and salvation and life of love, joy and peace are found in our God who is with us and never forsakes us. Let the principalities and powers insist all they want. Our devotion is to the one who lives in us and instills in us passion for the hurting and lost. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Preached at Lincoln UMC in Lincoln, AL, June 27, 2021