Stand up for God

The laws and decrees of men sometimes go against the laws and instructions of God. As Christians, we must not fear man above God, nor disobey God by obeying man. It is better to lose your life obeying God and disobeying man, than the other way round. If you lose your life to God, you will gain your soul. You will have a better eternity.


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three people that stood for God in spite of imminent danger. They disobeyed the King of their land in order to obey God. God had instructed the Israelites via Moses that - You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. …Exodus 20:3-6


However King Nebuchadnezzar had decreed that everyone ought to bow down and worship a golden image he had made - “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:4-6 .This law of the King clearly contravened God's law.


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(the three Hebrew boys) defied the King's command. They ignored the opposing voices and braced themselves to face the punishment spelt out for them. They did this because they loved God, and obeying God was paramount. They were ready to stand up for God, even though they were alone. Every other person was taking the easy way out. They were all ready to walk on the broad way, but the three Hebrew boys were willing to walk the narrow path with its dire consequences. In defiance to the King's decree, the three Hebrew boys declared - “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18


The King kept his word, he ordered for the three Hebrew men to be thrown into a very burning furnace. This was adhered to, and the faithful God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came to their rescue. Daniel 3:23-25 ...and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”


Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego trusted God to the point of death. Therefore God protected and promoted them - Daniel 3:26-30.


In Hebrews 11:35-40 we read of some who trusted and obeyed God and died as a result of this - Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.


To them to live was Christ and to die was gain. You can never lose with God. If you are obeying God , it's a win-win situation. So stand up tall and win!







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