Word of Salvation – Vol. 21 No. 31 - April 1975

 

The God Who Triumphs

 

Sermon by Rev. J. Postma, B.A., B.D. on Dan.3:16-18; 3:25; 3:28,9

Scripture Reading: Daniel 3

Psalter Hymnal: 317; 129 (Law); 37:3 (Creed); 84; 444; 493

 

It would seem that Nebuchadnezzar had quickly forgotten the trouble he felt because of his dream as recorded in ch.2.  As well as Daniel's words that Nebuchadnezzar only ruled as the head of gold by the appointment of Israel's God, whose people he had taken captive.

True worldling that he was, he also quickly forgot the confession of his pagan lips that among the gods there was none greater than the God of Daniel (2:47).  In his pride he soon became obsessed again with the might of Babylon that had conquered far and wide.

Hence an image of gold, approximately 90ft. high and 9 ft. wide, was erected in the plain of Dura.  All the governing officials of the people under Babylon's rule were ordered to be present at the dedication of the image that so perfectly embodied Babylon's power.

Yes, not only present, but when the band began to play, they were to fall prostrate before the idol image, and confess the absoluteness of Babylon's might, and the power of its gods as greater than their own gods.  Babylon planned to glorify itself by a great religious feast.

To ensure 100% participation, Nebuchadnezzar who knew the heart of man, and that every man has his price, had also erected a great burning furnace along with the image.  If not willingly, then out of fear for their life they will fall down and worship.  For in Babylon there is no room for any who do not share its worship.  Either Babylon's gods or the fire.  The issues were made very plain.

No wonder then, that when the moment came, all the peoples, nations and languages fell down before the image and confessed the might and gods of Babylon as the ultimate.  They knew where their bread was buttered.  For a moment it truly seemed that Nebuchadnezzar had triumphed.

But in his foolishness he failed to reckon with the One greater and mightier than himself, Who will not share His honour with the creature.  The Holy One of Israel cannot remain idle when men begin to mock His name.  Hence, the short moment when it seemed that Babylon and Satan had their day, quickly changed to a revelation of the triumph of God.

1.  God's triumph in the faith of the Three Israelites (3:16-18).

God showed the triumph of His Kingdom first of all in the faith of the three young Israelites.  For among the rulers present were Shadrach, Meschech and Abednego, appointed earlier over the affairs of the province of Babylon.  Evidently Daniel was absent for reasons not known to us.

When the multitude fell down they remained upright in silent worship of the One whose kingdom was greater than Nebuchadnezzar's.  The royal seed of Israel which could not worship false gods remained standing.  While others bowed down out of fear of the fire, they, knowing the fear of the Lord, stood and defied the might of Babylon.

Due to the work of some zealous, and probably jealous informers, this rebellious act was speedily brought to the king's notice.  His fury knew no bounds.  How would anyone dare to defy Babylon's might?  How would anyone dare to spoil the harmony of the feast?  They will be given one more opportunity, but let it be clearly understood, if they refuse to worship again, then into the fire: "and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?"  Surely not the God of Israel whom Babylon had conquered.

But God reveals the triumph of His grace as greater than the might of Babylon.  We should marvel at the faith, the obedience, and the devotion of these three.  All alone in a strange land, surrounded by deadly opposition, they steadfastly refused to bow the knee to idols.

But we should marvel above all, at the God, whose instruments they were for His glory.  At the God who had made them thus, who had won their hearts by His mighty grace.  Who were they after all, in themselves?  None but children of Adam, sinners, by nature, idol-worshippers, and fearful.  But the God to whom they belonged had renewed them by His grace; they were born of an incorruptible seed.  He had made them overcomers of the world.

And so fearlessly they answered: "We have no need to answer you in this matter; I.O.W. we will not defend ourselves, the charge is correct, we were fully aware of our action and its consequences.  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace: i.e. if it serves His purposes, if it will serve the revelation of His honour and grace in Babylon, then we will be delivered out of your hand, O king.  But if not, we are prepared to perish and God will reveal His honour in that, or perhaps some other way; but in any case, we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

What a difference between Babylon's kingdom and the kingdom of God's grace.  How hollow Babylon's might and religion looked now.  There worship by coercion.  Here worship out of love and a willingness to die if need be.  God's triumph had been proclaimed in the faith of the three.

That same triumph of the kingdom of God, that makes men fearless before the worst threats of men, has always been revealed in history.  It was shown in Stephen's faithfulness unto death, in the death of Paul, in the persecutions of the early church, in the martyr songs of the Reformation, in the camps of Germany, in the bloodbaths of the Congo.  And it is seen in the suffering church in Communist countries, and in the triumph displayed in the recent deaths of our own missionaries.

That same triumph is shown today in the fact of a faithful cross-bearing church that lives by the Word and power of God.  When parents pay the price and struggle for Christian education.  When providers of families, despite the threat of financial loss, refuse membership of Unions that confess the god of class struggle and materialism.  When covenant young people show in everything they do, that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour.  In their study, in the company they keep, the life they live, despite the cost that it involves.  When Christian businessmen run their affairs according to the gospel and not according to the world.

That such devotion and faith is there, is due to God "who always causes us to triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere". (2Cor.2:14).

Congregation: Is it shown in your life?  Or do you have your price?

2.  God's triumph seen over and in the fire (3:25)

But God's triumph was seen to a further extent on Babylon's feast day.  Since the three refused to worship, they were to taste the destructive powers of the fire.  To match the rage of Nebuchadnezzar, the fire was heated to seven times its normal heat; and having been bound by certain of his mighty men, they were cast fully clothed into the fiery furnace.  If the church in her faithfulness to God will not conform, then let her be destroyed.  Now Nebuchadnezzar will show the nations who is stronger, Nebuchadnezzar and his fire, or the god whom the three profess.

But the God to whom the three belonged was not finished with so easily.  He will show what is the greater.  His kingdom of grace or Babylon's kingdom of worldly might.

The church of God was not so easily destroyed; there was more to the three than met the eye.  When Nebuchadnezzar looked at the fire which in its furious rage had consumed his own mighty men, he saw to his astonishment, that brought him to his feet, that instead of the three men, there were four, and what is more, freed from their ropes.  Walking in the midst of the fire, altogether unhurt with the fourth having an appearance like a son of the gods.

"The fourth like a son of the gods", that is all Nebuchadnezzar could say about him.  A presence that upset him, that made him forget all his royal dignity I.O.W. one of the race of the gods, a supernatural being.

But the Christian sees far more, for who else was this than the Angel of the Lord who encamps around those that fear God?  Who else than the Angel of the Covenant who appeared to Abraham on Mt. Moriah, sparing Isaac and now comes to the aid of the sons of Abraham?  It was none other than the Son of God in a pre-incarnate appearance, the Son of Man of Daniel 7.

There in the fire He protected them by His power, and triumphed over Babylon's flames.  Therefore the flames could go no further than He permitted.  His word controlled all things.  All things are subject unto Him.  There in the fire was the One who makes all things work together for good to them that love God; so while the fire consumed the "ropes that bound them" it could not hurt them.  They were free, for they were in the presence of the One who is greater than fire or cords.

According to the Apocryphal book, "The Song of the Three Young Men", the three sang the praise of God while in the fire.  While we do not base our doctrine on the apocryphal books, yet this is so in keeping with the text and the teaching of Scripture that we may "well be instructed by it".

Outside the oven was the hollow feast of the world – a feast that will go on in its endless monotony until it ends one day in everlasting lamentation.  But here in the fire was the feast of the redeemed, singing and liberty, and anticipation of the New Song that never ends.  The song of freedom and of God's triumph over Babylon.

Because in the fire with them was the One, who in the fullness of time, entered the fires of God's judgement all alone, and emerged triumphant over sin, death and hell.  His presence makes the agony of suffering into a song of praise, for in His presence the flames lose their heat.

Already over the plain of Dura, there was the shadow of the cross judging the world and shining its light in the fire on the redeemed.  God's grace had triumphed.  His hand had delivered.  Already there we hear the triumphant words of Paul: "death is swallowed up in victory".

But congregation let us not conclude from this that no sorrow or loss shall come to us.  Don't make the mistake from the text before us that the church is always delivered as these three were.  God has not promised that.  We saw already before, that many in the history of the church paid for their faith with their life.  Until God consummates His purposes in history, the church will essentially be a suffering church, a church of the cross because of her union with Christ.

Did not our Lord say: "You will be hated by all men for my name's sake"?  The world is always ready to unleash its fury against a faithful church.  Perhaps ours will be the days of the end when the power of the anti-Christ, already present in Babylon, will be unleashed in all its fullness against all who will not worship the image of the beast and therefore will be slain.

But then too, God's triumph will be shown in the fact that none of His people shall be lost.  Sealed as they are by the power of the Triune God, who then too will be present in all the sufficiency of His grace.  And preserve them in the flames of Satan's fury, which can never go further than He permits.  Yes bodies they may put to death, but souls preserved.  Then too the flames of persecution will only burn away the dross of our life; then too, they will only serve His kingdom.

Then too, the word of His triumph will be spoken in the fire, as Paul could say, while bound in a Roman prison "But the word of God is not bound".  Then too there will be the triumph song of the redeemed as there was in Babylon, and at the Reformation:

"Let goods and kindred go,
 This mortal life also;
 The body they may kill,
 God's truth abideth still,
 His kingdom is forever."

3. God's triumph in Nebuchadnezzar's confession (3:28,29)

But let us return to the plain of Dura.  God's triumph was finally proclaimed that day in the confession of Nebuchadnezzar.  At his command the three came out of the oven and stood before the king and the rulers of the nations who had worshipped the image.  They were untouched by the fire that had no power over them.  "Not even their hair was singed nor their clothing harmed, not even the smell of fire was upon them”.

Then the same Nebuchadnezzar who shortly before had commanded the worship of the image of Babylon's gods and might, and had taunted: "Who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands", had to proclaim the glory of Israel's God.

"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in Him, and set at nought the king's command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve any god except their own God."

His supremacy over the gods was proclaimed throughout the nations.  No, tragically they were not the words of a regenerate heart, for had they been, the image would have been destroyed, and the God of Israel been proclaimed as the Only God.  But they were spoken.  And they did proclaim the triumph of God's kingdom.  The tables were completely turned.

Congregation, that God is still the same, and that kingdom still triumphs today, and it will triumph.  How strong Babylon seems at present.  We see it everywhere.  In the blatant secularism, less and less room for God and His Law.  In the wave of materialism that is sweeping the world either through communism, socialism or hedonistic western civilisation.

When God is not openly mocked he is treated as irrelevant, an item from antiquity.  Everywhere the proclamation that man is god.  Everywhere the worship of saviour man.  How God's name is dishonoured and His people laughed at!  How often it seems as if Satan's mockings go unchecked!

But the God who triumphed in the plain of Dura, is triumphing and will triumph.  In Christ He is building His kingdom, subjecting His enemies.  Woe to the one who will not bow the knee before Him.  And glory to God every time a rebel turns to worship the true and living God and to wait for His Son from heaven; for that is His triumph.

The seeming triumph of this present world is but short lived.  The time is certainly coming when Christ will have subdued all His enemies.  When those who confessed His kingdom will be vindicated, dressed in the robes of Christ's righteousness that shelter them from the flames of God's judgement.  Vindicated before a world that then will have no choice but to bow the knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The day is coming when those who taunt His power shall be cast into the eternal flames with Satan and his angels, no longer to oppose.  "And the kingdoms of the world shall have become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ."

Yes, "blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Your God.  Your God.  The God of Triumph.

Amen.