In the old, king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and said to Daniel, "Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou could reveal this secret." (Daniel 2:47)
We understand in this current dispensation of grace that Jesus is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) We know that after Jesus was taken up [resurrected], He then through the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3) And also, because of the apostles, we recognize that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) Why? Because after the kindness and love of God our Saviour, toward man He appeared. (Titus 3:4-7)
It is for this reason that we worship the Lord our God and Saviour Jesus the Christ with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) This is the first and foremost commandment of the Lord, and as such, there is no other idols or earthly trinkets in the middle.
However, as we see from this same king Nebuchadnezzar referenced above, he may have recognized the God of Daniel as the God of gods and a Lord of kings, but in his heart he wanted the people to worship him. So, Nebuchadnezzar makes a statue of gold in his own image and commands that the people fall down and worship it. From the scriptures:
Nebuchadnezzar "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. then Nebuchadnezzar the kings 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 the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Indeed, these gathered together before the image at its dedication." (Daniel 3:1-3)
It is for this reason that we worship the Lord our God and Saviour Jesus the Christ with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) This is the first and foremost commandment of the Lord, and as such, there is no other idols or earthly trinkets in the middle.
However, as we see from this same king Nebuchadnezzar referenced above, he may have recognized the God of Daniel as the God of gods and a Lord of kings, but in his heart he wanted the people to worship him. So, Nebuchadnezzar makes a statue of gold in his own image and commands that the people fall down and worship it. From the scriptures:
Nebuchadnezzar "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. then Nebuchadnezzar the kings 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 the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Indeed, these gathered together before the image at its dedication." (Daniel 3:1-3)
Then an herald cried aloud, saying, "To you it is commanded, O people, nations and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sack but, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up: and whoso falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." (Daniel 3:4-6)
Thus, when the people heard the sounds and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. But as we also know from the scriptures, not everyone obeyed the king's order.
"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews, saying to the king Nebuchadnezzar, "O king live forever, thou O king hast made a decree, that every man ... shall fall down and worship the golden image; and whoso falls not down and worships that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." (Daniel 3:7-11)
"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews, saying to the king Nebuchadnezzar, "O king live forever, thou O king hast made a decree, that every man ... shall fall down and worship the golden image; and whoso falls not down and worships that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." (Daniel 3:7-11)
What the Chaldeans were getting at is that certain Jews who the king had set over the affairs of the province of Babylon were not obeying the king's order. In particular, three men -- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego -- these men that did not regard the king's order, and served not his gods, and neither did they worship the golden image which the king had set up.
When he heard this, the king "in his rage and fury" commanded that these men be brought before the king. When they were, the king asks, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ... 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?" (Daniel 3:12-15)
What was their response?
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter, 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. 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." (Daniel 3:16-18)
And as we know, the king did throw these three into the fiery furnace and they were safely delivered by the King of kings and Lord of lords. The God of gods whose handiwork can not be replaced by earthy idols made of gold. But this is not just a witness from the Old Testament side that points to what the Lord God did in the past, but a testament to the promises of our Lord God and Saviour which will always hold true for those who love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
In this dispensation of grace, we are to worship the Lord thy God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The Name He gave to us is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins.
So, when the tribulation comes, and laws made with the intention of forcing believers to worship earthly treasures and men, we know that our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus will bring us the victory in all things. The re-reward will be ours. Yes, " ... he that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5)
The ONLY ONE worthy of worship and honour and praise is the Lord God who Himself brought us His free gift of salvation when He was in the world, and thus, we who have the testimony of Jesus understand that the things of this world -- the earthly -- are as dung. For our treasure, our hope, our joy ... the Author and Finisher of salvation, our King of kings and Lord of lords who is the same Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is also the God of the living; for all who live unto Him.
And He saith unto me [John], write: "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." And He saith unto me, "These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at His feet to worship Him. And He said unto me, "See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy ... His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God ... And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, "King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19: -16)
Therefore, don't let the treasures of this earth distract you and lead you from the One and Only Lord God and Saviour who loves us beyond any measurement that can be found in this world. His Name is JESUS and He has a purpose for each and every one of us to fulfill.
Stand in the offering plate.
So, when the tribulation comes, and laws made with the intention of forcing believers to worship earthly treasures and men, we know that our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus will bring us the victory in all things. The re-reward will be ours. Yes, " ... he that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5)
The ONLY ONE worthy of worship and honour and praise is the Lord God who Himself brought us His free gift of salvation when He was in the world, and thus, we who have the testimony of Jesus understand that the things of this world -- the earthly -- are as dung. For our treasure, our hope, our joy ... the Author and Finisher of salvation, our King of kings and Lord of lords who is the same Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is also the God of the living; for all who live unto Him.
And He saith unto me [John], write: "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." And He saith unto me, "These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at His feet to worship Him. And He said unto me, "See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy ... His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God ... And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, "King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19: -16)
Therefore, don't let the treasures of this earth distract you and lead you from the One and Only Lord God and Saviour who loves us beyond any measurement that can be found in this world. His Name is JESUS and He has a purpose for each and every one of us to fulfill.
Stand in the offering plate.
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