The freedom to choose is one of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed on created, intelligent beings. The very act of creating us with the option to choose or to reject Him tells us that He must be a God of love. Whenever man invents some new gadget or computer it is always pre-programmed to do exactly what its inventors stipulate and nothing else. But not so with God, for He can only accept the service of love that is based on an intelligent knowledge of His character.
However, there are certain responsibilities that come with our freedom of choice, and these must be clearly understood by all, for we are ultimately the arbiters of our own destiny. For instance, if a person so chooses, he or she can drink as much alcohol as they choose, as long as their drinking does not put the lives of others in danger.
The state and federal laws against driving with elevated levels of alcohol were instituted to protect the lives of others against the excesses of one or more persons.
However, that’s where the legal jurisdiction ends, for the government cannot tell a person how much alcohol to consume within the confines of their own home. A person can choose to drink until they die from an overdose of liquor, however that’s their own business, to be settled between themselves and the Creator, if they refuse treatment and counseling.
Similarly with gambling. An individual can choose to spend all of their hard-earned money at the hard-rock café, or at one of the Seminole Indian gambling parlours, or they may opt to squander their entire life savings in Las Vegas. This is all their choice and not to be interfered with or questioned by anyone if they prefer not to be bothered or counseled. It’s called freedom of choice.
The same principle goes for eating. A person can choose to eat healthily, or they can choose Mc donald’s burgers and fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The sure results of their choices will be made manifest in various ways, but under no circumstances can they be legally compelled to eat veggies. It’s called freedom of choice.
However, there is a disturbing pattern of intrusion into our God- given freedoms, of which we should all be cognizant, for they are but faint omens of what will transpire on the earth in the very near future. And so to get a better understanding of the issues involved we turn our attention to an incident which took place thousands of years ago in the ancient city of Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar was given a dream by God informing him of the rise and fall of kingdoms, including his own, with the intent that he would then order his steps in harmony with what was thus revealed. Let’s read:
Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible.
2:32 This image's head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
2:37 Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold.
2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
2:42 And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
However, after his initial response of thanksgiving, for the revelation of the dream and its meaning, Nebuchadnezzar begun to mull the whole thing over in his mind, together with the obvious implications, and what he deduced was not in harmony with his desires or expectations.
He correctly reasoned that if he were the head of gold, and a body is comprised of several different parts, then it means that his kingdom would one day be threatened by an inferior kingdom, and this very thought wounded his kingly pride. Furthermore, according to the dream and its interpretation, the God of Heaven is one day going to bring all earthly kingdoms to an abrupt halt and will subsequently order and establish His own kingdom of righteousness.
This thought did not bode well with the king and he therefore set about to immediately reverse and annul the dream and its interpretation, by making an enormous statue of pure gold, thereby symbolizing that the kingdom of Babylon should stand forever. Let’s read:
3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
We cannot help but observe the numerical dimensions of the statue as pertains to its height and width, and also the location in which it was set up. The number “6” seems to somehow, and for some unknown reason, have played a pivotal role in the construction of this image. If it sounds familiar, it’s because the Bible clearly states that history repeats itself. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.
1:10 Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
However, after the dedication rites and ceremonies had begun, it was observed that in that vast assembly, three Hebrews were standing tall whilst everyone else was doing obeisance to the image. This utter disregard of the kings orders obviously caught the attention of the hierarchy of Babylon, and the three Hebrews were consequently called in for questioning by king Nebuchadnezzar himself. At the hearing it was made known to the king that they had no intentions of ever bowing to any graven image, and their decision so angered the king that he commanded them to be thrown into a fiery furnace that was heated seven times hotter than usual so that the three Jews could be roasted alive.
What happened next constitutes the first of several major issues that we must of necessity address today, for as stated before, history is going to repeat itself, and if we do not understand the nature of the beast we’re dealing with, we would be ill-prepared for the climactic events soon to be unfurled across the entire globe.
Issue # (1) The freedom of religion and freedom of worship. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Here in these two verses we see king Nebuchadnezzar trying to force his form of worship and his form of religion upon others, a practice that is absolutely unscriptural by any stretch of the imagination. God has given no such authority to any mortal man, to force their ideas of worship and religion on any person.
It is the will of God that all people everywhere should believe on Jesus Christ and thus become Christians, but he does not force anyone to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. He gives to all the freedom to accept or to reject Jesus, to obey or to disobey, to do good or to do evil, and this fundamental freedom must not be trampled upon by anyone for any reason.
This sacred truth about man’s freedom of choice is highlighted in the following passages of scripture. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Here again is the same principle on display. Let’s read:
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.
In other words, to put the principle in a modern context, Christians are not to coerce Muslims into becoming Christians, and Muslims like-wise should not endeavor to force Christians to accept Islam. Christians should not force their views on atheists and secularists, and atheists in turn should not force their beliefs or lack thereof on Christians. God has granted to each group the freedom to choose who, what, and how they worship and thus, the many religions of the world are to respect each other’s creeds, and should be contented to live and let live. In other words, everyone is completely free to worship and believe according to the dictates of their own conscience. The results of our choices, whether good or bad are written in the Bible for our information and consideration, but the choice is ours.
Issue # (2) The use of force for religious purposes.
Any attempt to use force for the implementation of religious dogmas, will incur the displeasure of God, and history has often shown that it’s at this point that God makes a decided intrusion into the affairs of men. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
God has often intervened when force is used for religious purposes in the persecution of His people. He sometimes permits individuals and nations to rack up sins and iniquities to an alarming level that cries out for justice, but when the enemies of righteousness try to force His people to violate their conscience and His laws, He sometimes says thus far and no further. Let’s read again:
6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.
6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
Thus far the plot against Daniel was permitted to go through, but this was only to achieve a certain end. Let’s read:
6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
Issue # (3) Freedom of speech.
Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
This decree was made in response to the special interference from heaven, where Christ came down in person to defend His faithful followers, and so it was obviously done with the best of intentions. However, good intentions do not form a correct basis for the inhibition of free speech, especially as it pertains to religions and creeds. Christ is not presented in the scriptures as a bully, who compels the conscience of men against their own will. In Revelation chapter 3 He is shown to be standing at the door of each human heart, asking for admittance to do His good work of restoration. Let’s read:
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Again, the methods God employs in the salvation of His earth-born children is displayed in His gracious overtures to reach us through his loving-kindness. Let’s read:
Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine
These and many like overtures are quite unlike the methods used by satan and satanic agencies who through the use of deception, fraud, and brute force, push down the door of our hearts and take up residence as squatters in the domain of our minds. Freedom of speech as it pertains to religion must therefore not be prohibited merely on the grounds of preference. Nebuchadnezzar’s motives in this instance were right, but his methods were completely wrong, and totally unacceptable to God.
So let’s recap the three major issues we have investigated today as pertaining to our freedom of choice: [1] Freedom of religion and freedom to worship. [2] The use of force for implementing religious decrees. [3] The freedom of speech.
The freedom of religion, the freedom to worship God according to the dictates of one’s own conscience, and the freedom of speech are all guaranteed in the constitution of the united states of America, and highlights the genius of its composition. These freedoms are what sets the great land of America apart from dictatorships and countries where a person’s freedom of choice is stifled by governments that force their own concepts of religion on the populace. However, when the constitution of the United States begins to be manipulated for the purposes of enforcing one form of religion, the greatness of which we are so proud will rapidly disintegrate into nothingness, and as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar and the three Hebrews, God will intervene in a marked manner for the deliverance of His people.
To this time we are now hastening, and thus it is incumbent upon religious leaders and politicians to safeguard our freedoms so that everyone can choose to worship or refuse any religion according to our individual choices.
The Bible gives a very stern warning, that any efforts to enforce a false day of rest will meet with very severe retribution that will annihilate the entire planet. This will occur whether we believe it or not, so let’s read the following four prophecies while we can, in a friendly, and peaceful environment. Let’s read:
Prophecy # 1: Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
13:15 And he had power to give life unto 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.
13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
13:17 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.
13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.
Prophecy #2: Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.
12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Prophecy #3: Isaiah24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
24:4 The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Prophecy #4: Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
For those who might not be aware of what the Bible is speaking about, the following current facts should give us a clue. The following countries have active Sunday laws on their books, banning shopping in favor of Sunday sacredness as the official day of rest, better known as the “Christian Sabbath”.
Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Tasmania, New Zealand, Victoria, and New South Wales amongst others. And right here in the united states we have several states which currently ban the sale of liquor on Sunday, because it is thought to be the Christian Sabbath. Here they are:
Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklhoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
However, the Bible explicitly states that the first day of the week is a regular working day, and thus, any efforts to enforce its observance as a holy day will constitute an infringement on religious freedom, freedom to worship, and freedom of speech, just like Nebuchadnezzar assayed to do. That’s why God gave Him the dream with its correct interpretation so that all may know what will shortly come to pass on the earth. Let’s read:
Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible.
2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
We are now living in the very toe nails of this image, and the various disturbances, uprisings, and violence in many countries, together with the wanton murders of school children that are becoming more and more frequent, are but symptoms of a much larger problem that will soon make itself manifest across the entire globe.
It is therefore very important that every intelligent man and woman, boy and girl, examine carefully the prophecies written in God’s word pertaining to these momentous issues, and hopefully make their decision for Christ and His righteousness. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to do just that. Let’s read:
1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
Let us not put off for another day, that which we need to do today, for the time is at hand. God bless!