A very lame form of Christianity has emerged over the years since Christ established His church, beginning with the apostles. This new mindset that has taken hold on millions, places the teachings of scripture in a subjective framework, meaning that the principles and statutes of God’s word are obeyed only when it does not cross our path or interfere with our personal interests.
It is a form of Christianity that focuses on praises, and good deeds, while at the same time violating God’s law if it does not align with our desires or our own ideas of what we think is right.
In other words, when we are placed in a situation where the firm implementation of godly principles would cause us loss or harm, or would otherwise
interfere with our desires, then the word of God goes out the window, or is modified to suit our own preferences. This form of Christianity God neither endorses or recognizes, for it is foreign to the example which Christ himself has set, and is nowhere advocated in the scriptures.
However, this form of religion also existed back then in the days of the Hebrews, and what we are witnessing today in Christendom, is just a repetition
of the ages old practice of modifying or changing the word of God to suit our personal tastes and desires. Let’s read:
Judges 21:25 In those days [there was] no king in Israel: every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.
As Christians, we are not called to do what we think is right, neither are we to let our consciences be our guide, for if we subscribe to such a creed, we open the door for the doctrine of relativism, where the standards and principles of the Bible vary from culture to culture and from person to person, and the plain teachings of the word of God are either changed, altered, or removed altogether, in order to accommodate popular demand, or personal advancement.
This form of religion is expressly forbidden in the word of God, even though it has become very popular and acceptable in many Christian circles and theological seminaries. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 12:8 Ye shall not do after all [the things] that we do here this day, every man whatsoever [is] right in his own eyes.
12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
12:13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest.
When a true Christian has to make a decision, the first and foremost question he asks himself is “What does the Bible say? Personal preferences, desires, and popular opinion are all held in subjection to the teaching of the scriptures, for this is what is meant by “Living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”.
In other words, if standing firmly for the truth puts a Christian at risk of ridicule, or puts him or her in danger that otherwise cannot be avoided, then the Biblical thing to do is to follow the straight and narrow path, leaving the results up to God. Any other form of Christianity will be severely shaken and dismantled by the final conflict between the forces of good and evil, that is soon to be unfurled across the globe.
We are not to think that life as a Christian will be a bed of roses, with guaranteed deliverance only a prayer away. Neither are we to believe that the devil will permit us to follow the plain teachings of the word of God unmolested, for at every step of advance in the Christian’s life, a challenge and an assault is mounted by satanic agencies to test our sincerity, and also to cause us to stumble if possible. Let’s read:
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This is what Daniel and his companions found out, whilst they were residing in Babylon, for in several instances, their loyalty to God was severely tested in very radical ways that would have caused many of today’s Christians to relinquish their faith in God.
What is worthy of note is that thousands of other Hebrews were actually taken captive by the king Nebuchadnezzar, yet the Bible only records the steadfastness of these four believers, who stood firmly for righteousness, at the peril of their lives. That’s why from this point forward they will be referred to as “Certain Jews”. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
God had given to king Nebuchadnezzar a dream, delineating the future history of our world, beginning with his kingdom of Babylon. The king was granted to rule the then known world, after which three other monarchies or world powers, were to come upon the stage of action, culminating in the permanent establishment of the kingdom of God upon the earth.
The interpretation to this dream was given to the prophet Daniel, which he then related to the king so that there would be no misunderstandings as to what the outcome of the future would be. 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 threshing floors; 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.
2:36 This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
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.
2:44 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, in direct defiance of the dream and its correct interpretation, King Nebuchadnezzar decided to build an image of gold, thus signifying that his kingdom of Babylon was to stand forever, instead of God’s eternal kingdom of righteousness. The dimensions of this image and the use of force in its worship have meaning for us today, and should be clearly understood by all students of the scriptures. Let’s read:
Daniel 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.
3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
3:5 [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
The number six surfaces twice in the measurements of the cubits which, were at that time based on the distance from the elbow to the fingertips. And so we observe that the measurements were determined by the hand. The death penalty was also attached to a violation of the religious decree, very similar to what took place during the dark ages, where millions of Christians were put to death by Rome for refusing to “Bow”.
If this sounds familiar it’s because it is, for the Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun, and what is transpiring now behind closed doors, and even being publicly advocated by the world’s prominent religious leaders, is just a prelude to the repetition of what took place back then in Babylon. Let’s read:
Revelation 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.
13:18 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.
This is the dire situation that the three Hebrews faced, a condition in which an unscriptural form of worship was forced upon them on pain of death, and therefore it is imperative that we study closely their response to the mandates of the king, so that we also may be instructed in our response to the soon to be revealed religious mandates. Let’s read:
Daniel 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.
3:3 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 unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
It is of critical importance for us to understand why the king called only certain people, the leaders who had jurisdiction over the day to day operations of the kingdom of Babylon, to the dedication. And there are many valid questions about their specific offices that beg for an explanation, in the context of enforcing the executive orders of the King.
Question: What do governors do? They govern- the people who fall under their jurisdiction, and they can implement laws even though the masses of people might not agree with them. Right here in the sunshine state of Florida, the then ruling governor used his authority to approve the destruction of over 635,000 citrus trees, even though there was an angry uproar over the decision.
What do judges do? They judge - according to the statutes and laws that are written even though the some of these laws are arbitrary in nature and make absolutely no sense. For instance, there is a law currently on the books in Pensacola Florida that says you cannot be caught sitting down without at least 10 dollars on your person, so if you see a man standing up very often in the area, chances are that he is broke. What do sheriffs do? They enforce the laws that are on the books, irregardless of whether or not they are fair.
But the most disturbing of all the King’s appointees who were called to support the dedication of the golden image is the treasurer. Question: What do treasurers do? Here in America, the treasury secretary is responsible for the financial health and stability of the nation.
All economic activity is directly or indirectly linked to the treasury, that’s why when the former Ben Bernanke spoke at the meetings of the Federal Reserve, the stock market would spike or plunge rapidly based on the content of his statements.
The buying and selling of all goods and services is directly linked to the treasury, and so we ask the question again, why did Nebuchadnezzar require the allegiance and support of the treasurer?
Let’s observe for a moment again the prophecy in Revelation, for God has been warning us of a dramatic change in the way we do business, that will be inevitably tied to the issue of unbiblical worship, an issue in which all treasurers must of necessity be involved. Let’s read:
Revelation 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.
The officers who were called to the dedication of the golden image, all answered to the king, and therefore their support of his religious mandates were of critical importance, for if they subscribed to the king’s form of religion, they would inevitably enforce the religious dogmas he thus instituted. But there was one big problem!
“Certain Jews” who were appointed to public office were not supporting the king in his sacrilegious efforts to enforce a false form of worship, and they refused be bribed, intimated, ridiculed, promoted or bullied into recanting their Biblical principles. Note well, it was only “Certain Jews”. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
3:10 Thou, O king, hast 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:
3:11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, [that] he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
We are just wondering which of the officers present were given the command to arrest the “Certain Jews”. That duty would most likely have devolved upon the “Sheriffs” who were present, for as stated before, there is a valid reason why the king called them to the dedication.
However, arraignment by the king was not sufficient to deter the three Hebrews in their steadfast purpose not to bow, and so the enemy of all righteousness, inspired Nebuchadnezzar to turn up the heat, not one notch but seven notches, to try and force obedience and coerce the consciences of the “Certain Jews”. 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?
3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
3:20 And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
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.
Conventional wisdom would certainly decry the decisions made by the “Certain Jews”, as being inhumane and downright stupid. Human rights activists would probably have gathered to protest their set determination to be roasted alive rather than bend the knee.
And their family members who were not of the same mindset, would certainly have emailed them, angrily denouncing their stubborn resistance to the religious and secular authorities combined.
The department of children and families would have shown up with their kids, crying uncontrollably for the potential loss of their fathers, and aunts and uncles, in-laws and outlaws would have severely criticized their firm stand for principle, over a simple issue such as worship.
Their resolute purpose in favor of righteousness, and their consequent placement in the furnace of fire would then go viral over the internet, and those on the left and right of the political arena would revile them as being religious extremists who have taken Christianity to the outer fringes of sanity.
But try as they might, using all available means and methods, the three Hebrews refused to recant their position, even at the cost of their very lives.
Some may be wondering why such graphic explanations of this incident are being given, and what is the purpose of bringing these issues to the forefront now, when life seems like a dream and most Americans are “Christians” anyway.
The Bible accurately predicts that a time of religious intolerance will come, and that those who dare to resist the decrees thus handed down are going to face the ire of the dragon, who is hell bent on the establishment of a new world order, in which one central economic system and one central religious system will be put in place. Let’s read:
Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
2nd Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
To this time we are rapidly hastening even though the masses of people know it not, and thus in our preparation for the coming crisis, we should begin by standing firm for principle in the little things, so that when the big one comes, our minds would have already been set in a mold of faithfulness. If we cannot stand firm for anything, we will then fall for everything, and eternal life is promised only to those who are faithful, even unto death. Let’s read:
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
It is indeed a true statement of fact, that practice makes perfect and it begins with little things, for he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and faith that is not tested, cannot be trusted.
A Christian man by the name of Jon Peterson had gotten into a serious accident with a school bus, but by the grace of God, he had escaped unharmed. The police investigation and subsequent reports were then made, and it was found that the school bus driver was at fault, and so the state insurance company would have to pick up the tab for all the repairs done to Jon’s car.
However, in his discussion of the matter with his attorney, he found out that he could receive a significant amount of money if he claimed for neck and back injuries. He thought the matter over carefully, and would have done the right thing by refusing such enticements, but he was currently out of a job from the great recession, and was on the verge of losing his home to foreclosure.
After much deliberation, he decided to visit a fraudulent chiropractor in his hometown so that he could then file the necessary claims to receive the reimbursements for his alleged injuries. He ended up receiving a substantial settlement for the accident and hundreds of thousands more for his concocted spine and neck damage, however, in the process he sacrificed the eternal principle of honesty for a temporary, pecuniary advantage.
And so the battle for principle rages on and is played out in the arena of every Christian’s mind. The question is, what, if anything will cause us to budge or bow even a little? Do we bow to the mega-millions jackpot, and do we bow when our school agenda falls on a Saturday?
When pressure is exerted against us at the work place to work late on Friday evenings, or to forge documents in order to do business, are we found bowing? Do we habitually bow during tax season by claiming for relatives who only exist in Neverland, or do we bow by signing off on claims and deductions that are fictitious in nature?
When satan comes around offering us the kingdoms of this world in exchange for bowing, would we like the “Certain Jews” stand for the right whatever the cost, or would we like Mr. Peterson, sell our souls for some temporary advantage?
The answers to these pressing questions lie within the domain of every heart, but the Lord would have us understand, that if we decide to sacrifice godly principles for any reason, we will meet with eternal loss, for the path that Jesus trod, is a path of self denial, and to all who desire to walk in His footsteps, He says “Follow Me”.
We sincerely hope and trust that as we face a turbulent future in which the principles of the secular world are pitted against the principles of righteousness, that we will take a firm stand for righteousness, for God is able to strengthen us if we choose to do the right thing always. God bless!