"But even if He does not..."

“But even if He does not…”

I want to take us back today to the Old Testament. We will be looking at the famed story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the third chapter of the prophecy of Daniel.

As the story goes King Nebuchadnezzar (heck of a name ain’t it??) has a great statue of himself erected that is made of gold. He commands that everyone must bow down and worship this statue or else they will be thrown in the “blazing furnace” and burnt alive! (Crazy that I remember learning this story on a flannel graph as a kid… yikes…). 

As you may have guessed our three heroes refuse to bow down and worship. They are thrown in the furnace and the flames don’t even warm them up! In fact, a fourth person appears in the furnace with them (some say it may have been Christ) and they are delivered unscathed and Nebuchadnezzar comes to believe in their God. 

I want to focus on one part of this story that I find profound – I want us to focus on how our guys respond to Nebuchadnezzar when he threatens them with the furnace. What they say here is one of the most powerful statements in all of scripture. We find it in Daniel 3:16-18, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. (they are not saying they shouldn’t respect the law of the land generally, just in this matter. When it comes to worship and bowing there is only One whom they answer to.) If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we service is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. (Here we see these men acknowledging that God is bigger than anything Nebuchadnezzar can do to them. He can deliver you and I from anything – even a coronavirus!!! But what these men say next is profound…) But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” 

These men are saying that they would rather face being burned alive than worship any false god. Behind this great stand in faith is a deep-rooted belief that we must all strive for. 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believe that God can deliver them. No matter what you are dealing with today – no matter what happens God can deliver you from it. In scripture we see Jesus reverse weather, life-long handicaps, and even death. There is nothing you face that He cannot overcome. Do you believe this today?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believe that God will do what is best. There is a great passage in Genesis 18:25 where Abraham says, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Can you find it in your heart to trust that even when God does not do what you believe with all your heart, He should do that He is still good and right?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego believed that there is only one True God. These men knew God – they understood what Jesus meant in Matthew 10:28 when He said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” 

Perhaps for us right now the golden statue is our health or freedom. We are tempted to be overwhelmed with fear at losing those things or maybe something else. Listen, God can deliver us from the Coronavirus, from this unsettling time – but even if He doesn’t – He is still God and He is still good and He still loves you.

And let me tell you something – He already has delivered us from the coronavirus. 2,000 years ago, on a cross He robbed sin of its power! Then 3 days later when He walked out of His own grave He robbed death of its sting!!! Way back then the coronavirus was defeated! 

Today may you have the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – and be able to trust and love God enough to say, “He can deliver me, but even if He does not deliver me in the way I think He should, He has already saved me on the cross and I will worship Him to my last breath.”