By Christopher Dryden
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Daniel 3:14-18 NLT
… Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT
Some people are given messages like “I will let you live if you just bow down to me.” “I will allow you to proceed if you only bow down to me.” “This is the law; you must bow down to me.”
Daniel’s friends, formerly Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, now Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had already gone through a test when they refused to defile themselves by eating from the food supplied by their new masters in their studies. It was one thing to avoid the menu because of religious convictions. It was something entirely different to defy the law of the land and its ruler by refusing to bow to the image as ordered. What was it that made these three so steadfast to risk their lives?
Their commitment to God was not just a quaint religious practice. It was a commitment to God as the king. Wherever they were, however far from Jerusalem, however much the throne was a distant memory, the true ruler of all still ruled from heaven, and His rule covered the whole earth. His command to bow down to none other but Him applied to them even in the strange land. They were convinced of the king's rule even in the land that destroyed their home.
The writer of Hebrews wrote to an audience that was under pressure to turn their back on the real king. It would have been easier for them to revert to an acceptable religious persuasion than maintain their allegiance to the radical ruler who had proved His rule by defeating sin and death. There was no room for both Caesar and Jesus to be Lord. A choice had to be made. The writer of Hebrews was eager for his readers to appreciate that Jesus was supreme over angels, Moses, the Levitical priesthood and all the vestiges that the old system held dear. This meant that He was supreme even over Caesar. Whatever alien situation they found themselves in, he encouraged them to keep the faith even in the light of persecution and suffering.
The pressure to bow down to other rulers at the expense of loyalty to the Creator of the Universe remains a present force. In some areas, the force of the law of man is behind it, with people’s lives at stake. Even in areas that suggest they are friendly to Christians, the pull and sway are there to dismantle genuine allegiance for the sake of other pressing values and trends. The threat is the same, overt or subtle – if you only bow down, you’ll live.
Focus on Jesus is required to have the strength of character to resist these calls. Faith in Jesus is needed to have the resolve to give up everything for the surpassing worth of honouring the Lord. The kingdoms of this world are not the natural habitats for those looking for the city whose builder and maker is God. As pilgrims, though, we can navigate the challenges of competing powers with a keen determination to trust in God and bow to Him alone.
Ask: Why did Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah refuse to bow to the great image as legislated?
Seek: Where are the pressures in your world to bow to others and not the one true God? Are you aware of the persecuted churches around the world who are under pressure to reject the Lord?
Knock: Focus on one area where the church is persecuted and pray for God to strengthen their resolve so they do not bow to the pressure. As you pray for that area, pray that you will also be mindful of the efforts to bow to others and ask God to give you wisdom and strength to retain trust in the true King and His Kingdom.
