Great Leaders Fall
That's Not What I Remember • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewThe trio of faithful Jews who are the colleagues of Daniel are given an opportunity to place their trust either in the image of man or the image of God.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Who will you follow? A hunting story.
It was a rough year for hunting. The final week of rifle season was on us and our group had no luck. My brother Troy told us he knew a spot that was hard to get to but worth it. We piled in the truck way before dark and headed out. Troy was dubbed our fearless leader. We arrived at the gat and let Troy take the lead. It was a hard hike through some of the thickest laurel and undergrowth I had ever been through. Much of it had us crawling and this went on for 45 min until finally, Troy said “we’re almost there. You are really going to love this area. I have never seen anything like it. We got to a clear area where we were able to stand up. Troy stood up and is satisfied with our efforts until our cousin Matt burst out laughing uncontrollably, our other cousin Donnie joined in the laughter. That’s when Troy and I turned around and we saw it— we were standing just 15 yards from where we parked the truck.
Now picture a time when Americans were able to place the kind of trust in leaders that we see placed in the stories of the kings of the Bible.
Trust is a hard topic to discuss in the U. S. right now. In fact a humorous satire article though using real results took a pole as to what Americans trust more than its leaders.
Web MD diagnosis
Facebook privacy settings
An Imperial Storm Trooper’s aim.
Flat Earth Theorists.
Gas Station Sushi.
That guy who found you to let you know about your car’s extended warranty expiration.
Who we follow is a great responsibility. They can either lead us faithfully or take us down the wrong path. The amount of trust we give to another to look out for our best interest, security, and fruitful labor is immeasurable.
Historical Context
Historical Context
1. Post Israeli exile. (597 B.C.)
1. Post Israeli exile. (597 B.C.)
Psalm 137 (By The Waters of Babylon)
Babylon defeated the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
Babylon located in southern Iraq.
Emperor Nebuchadnezzar II installed a vassal king Zedekiah over what remained of Jerusalem and Israel.
587 B.C. Zedekiah rebelled aligning with Egypt but Babylon crushed Egypt and Israel, and destroyed The Temple of Solomon 2 Chr. 36:20-21, 2 Kgs 24-25.
2 Stage deportation (diaspora)
Daniel 3: Introduction into exilic period of Israel.
The third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim
Son of King Josiah. 2 Chr. 36:5.
Jehoiakim is referenced frequently by the prophet Jeremiah. He killed the prophet Uriah, son of Shemaiah who preached a similar message to Jeremiah.
More to the story
More to the story
A foreign land? Is our God with us?
A foreign land? Is our God with us?
It is critical to remember that God is the cause of Israel’s exile because of covenant violations.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, along with the Israelite population found themselves far away from the Covenant Land and the Temple of Yahweh.
Daniel challenges his Babylonian overseers by not eating from the king’s table but a strict diet of only food approved by Yahweh. He and his companions (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego grew in health and wisdom and God blesses them in their obedience while in captivity
The Israelites were challenged to set themselves apart even in a foreign land.
Because they could not worship through offering of sacrifice they found a way to consecrate themselves through the Levitical Laws.
Background:
Background:
1. Dan. 2 the king dreams a dream that wrecks him and he calls the wisemen (Chaldeans were a people group highly trained in cultic practices)
1. Dan. 2 the king dreams a dream that wrecks him and he calls the wisemen (Chaldeans were a people group highly trained in cultic practices)
The king demanded the wisemen tell him both the dream and interpretation without him revealing any information.
A crisis of trust seems to have occured.
Daniel comes and credits Yahweh for all his ability and is promoted along with the three others (S M A) likely higher than the Chaldean which is the likely cause of hostility.
The Statue Dream is the antagonist in chapters 2-3. In the dream Nebuchadnezzar is at the summit of the statue and the head (Babylon) is plated in gold.
An interesting turn of events is that all kingdoms under the head and including the head are symbolically destroyed by a “sky rock” or supernatural rock that would be the eternal kingdom established by God Himself.
3. Chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzer builds that same statue some years later. Here demands its worship ultimately exalting his own status beyond the earthly kingship.
Power corrupts, it is sickness of the mind that promotes ego and self centered exaltation that ultimately births the worst of sins. The Hobbit and the the story of the dwarves conflict with Smaug the Dragon.
Nebuchadnezzer though acknowledging the God of Daniel and the divine work of Yahweh by interpreting his dreams, in a pluralistic cult, it is not surprising that he thought he could worship Yahweh and the Babylonian gods.
The Israelites were the only culture exclusive to their monotheism.
The king cannot understand why the trio will not bend a knee to his statue. In his ignorance he sends for them and asks them to defend themselves and submit. He seeks god status.
“no human wisdom is more reliable than the actual history in which God is omnipresent.”
― Thomas C. Oden, A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir
The trio refuses an argument but simply acknowledges the king’s resoluteness matches their own. He became so angry he sends his best people to their destruction.
Note that there is no insurgency, no prominent rebellious act, no attempt to flee. It is a quiet dissonance.
What does this mean for us?
While God wants us to worship Him we cannot worship Him just any way we will. The One who made us to worship Him has decreed how we shall worship Him. He accepts only the worship which He Himself has decreed.16
A. W. Tozer
God is the ultimate authority in all times and all places.
Those who live in covenant with God the Almighty are called to faithfulness no matter what foreign earthly place we find our selves.
Dan. 3 is the battle of the deities, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cling that either Yahweh will deliver them or they will die. A direct challenge to Dan. 3:15.
Dan. 3 is the battle of the deities, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cling that either Yahweh will deliver them or they will die. A direct challenge to Dan. 3:15.
They exemplify the fidelity to Yahweh that Israel’s elite should have done all along.
Nebuchadnezzer orders the furnace to be heated to its maximum capacity. So hot that the guards who bound the trio are killed when they throw them into the flames. The king notices an image walking with the trio in the fire. Dan. 3:25
Whether God chooses to save us or not, he is still God!
the image in the fire is actively battling against Nebuchadnezzar's image and the image of God.
Neb, doesn’t have the power over life and death- only Yahweh.
The statue’s destruction and the deliverance from the fire are the absolute actions of Yahweh declaring the ultimate authority and power over all creation.
In the heart of the greatest power in the world God steps into the ring.
Heb. 1:3 Jesus is the ultimate supernatural rock come down from heaven to destroy evil in this world. It will be the Logos in flesh, the visible image of the invisible God that declares his power over this world and exalts himself over all authorities on earth.
Heb. 1:3 Jesus is the ultimate supernatural rock come down from heaven to destroy evil in this world. It will be the Logos in flesh, the visible image of the invisible God that declares his power over this world and exalts himself over all authorities on earth.
How do we see this as Christians?
:God is God and no thing or one is.
NO PRESIDENT< JOB< COMMUNITY< MOVEMENT<MATERIALISM
God sets up and tears down.
He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
We can trust our God! Ps. 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
The challenge for the church:
The challenge for the church:
The church is in crisis with each passing generation there are less believers willing to stand as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
The saints we celebrate today: Among the names listed are the legacies left over time who left their conviction to their faith define their lives.
Perpetua and Felicity (Latin: Perpetua et Felicitas) were Christian martyrs of the 3rd century. Vibia Perpetua was a recently married, well-educated noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant son she was nursing.[6] Felicity, a slave woman imprisoned with her and pregnant at the time, was martyred with her. They were put to death along with others at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa.
We can be courageous in the face of adversity.
I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
We do not bow to the idols of rulers, culture, or crowds.
They have no power over your soul. Matt. 10:28
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
We do not cause a scene but firmly declare we shall not go along. Jn 15:18.
1 Peter 1, we are the diaspora today. The Church holds citizenship in heaven. We are aliens in a foreign land.
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Not all nor will most be called to martyrdom but are are called to be living. We celebrate the legacy of the faithful who have gone on before and handed their faith down to the next generation. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were so certain of their faith they were willing to suffer the fires of this world trusting in God of all the universe. Perpetua and Felicitus gave up their future and seeing their children grow because they refused to compromise their faith.
Not all nor will most be called to martyrdom but are are called to be living. We celebrate the legacy of the faithful who have gone on before and handed their faith down to the next generation. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were so certain of their faith they were willing to suffer the fires of this world trusting in God of all the universe. Perpetua and Felicitus gave up their future and seeing their children grow because they refused to compromise their faith.