(Daniel) in the Furnace for God — Willie Mullan

675 please. 675. There's a royal banner given for display to the soldiers of the King. As a men's fine fare we lift it up today while as ransom ones we sing. 675 please. And we're at this great third chapter.

Daniel's Three Hebrews and the Historical-Prophetic Meaning

Book of Daniel and at this great third chapter. And you'll notice that we're trying to do the whole chapter this evening. 30 verses. And these 30 verses bring the historical record of these three stalwart Hebrews.

Sometimes we call them three Hebrew children. They were really men. And this chapter brings the historical record of these stalwart Hebrews who faced death. Faced death in the furnace rather than dishonor of God.

It was death before dishonor as far as they were concerned. And this gives us the historical record of this mighty event at that particular time. Now I think you remember me saying this when we were starting the book of Daniel.

I said there are 12 chapters and they divide themselves into three great divisions. As we take these chapters you will find that there are many historical records here. The record of what Daniel did and of what the three Hebrew children did.

There are many records here, inspired, divinely inspired records, historical records. But this book has not only historical parts, it has great prophetical parts. And the prophecies that's lodged here in Daniel for us, my they will fill us up a day's goodbye if the Lord will.

But I pointed out that not only have we an historical section and a prophetical section, but at the same time we have a spiritual section. There are great spiritual things hidden in these stories that we must get out.

But then there's something more, there's something even deeper than that. You see we're looking at an historical record this evening. This great record of these three who took the stand for God. And although it's an historical record, and I shall take the time to point out the spiritual truths that are here.

Remember sometimes these historical records become illustratively prophetical. Now that's something that's not seen by everyone. O. G. H. Lange who was a great Bible scholar said this once. He said the histories of Daniel are prophecies.

Now many people took him up on that and there were great debates about this statement that G. H. Lange made that these histories are prophecies. And many people said it's not even logic to say this. But I would like to take my stand beside O. G. Lange this evening.

And I believe what he believed. I believe the histories are prophecies. At least they're illustrative prophecies. And we've got one of them this evening. You see watch me while I explain what he and I meant.

Me. You see we're going to look again tonight at Medjugorje. And he was the one who began the times of the Gentiles. Now right at the beginning of the times of the Gentiles this mighty monarch. He made a great image.

And he commanded the whole world to bow and worship or those that refused would be slain. Now that's the historical record right after the commencement of the times of the Gentiles. Now this book takes us away on to the end of the times of the Gentiles.

And it passes by where we are tonight in history. And a few years ahead we will come to the end of the times of the Gentiles. And there at the end of the times of the Gentiles a mighty monarch again will make a mighty image.

And ask the world to bow and if they don't they'll be slain. So you see what we're talking about. That the very histories are illustrative prophecies. And we must get the grasp of that. Because that makes the book interesting.

Not only have we the historical bits and the prophetical bits and the spiritual bits. But even the histories are illustrative prophecies. I think that we shall notice this this evening. That these three Hebrew men were in the furnace for God.

That's what I've called this chapter. In the furnace for God. And I think we shall know that they were literally in the literal furnace in the literal fire for God. And I think that we are going to learn that if we take our stand for God the way they did.

And we obey God's word and we bow to God's will in this day and hour. If we tell you you'll find yourself being afflicted and persecuted. And in the spiritual sense you'll find yourself in the furnace for God more than once.

You just take your stand and stand steadfast and unmovable by the word of God and its teachings. And you'll find out that you'll be in the furnace for God. And of course in the Greek tribulation when the Lord takes the church out and the tribulation period begins.

And the Antichrist is full sway. God will have witnesses for himself in that period. And every one of them will be in the furnace for God. There will be 144 ,000 Jews that God will bring through the furnace.

Yes there will be some slain. So that there are deep things and great things and mighty things in this wonderful book of Daniel. Now we're starting the third chapter. And the first thing I want to underline for you this evening is the dedication of this idolatrous image that Nebuchadnezzar made.

Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image and the Demand for Worship

This one. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold whose height was three square cubits. And the breadth there are six cubits. Now some of the Bible scholars argue about the length of the cubits in Bible days.

Some of them say it was 16 inches. Some of them say it was 18 inches. Some of them say it was 20 inches. And if you get a Bible encyclopedia you'll find that they don't know for sure. So we'll take the middle one we'll just say 18 inches.

And if it's three square cubits it's six. And we see that this would make it 90 feet high. It's got the whole of that you know. Six feet. One foot and a half. Eighteen inches. So that it's 90 feet high.

Can you see it towering like the church tower almost? Yes. 90 feet high. And you can see that it's six cubits broad. It's nine feet across. It's 90 feet high. It's made of gold. It was worth a pound or two I assure you.

Yes. Let's get this bit in. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold. His height was three square cubits and the breadth thereof six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Jura. In the province of Babylon.

Now the plain of Jura is just the end of the Syrian desert very near to the Earl of Ricaldi. And we had a gentleman here one evening he's the managing director or one of the managing directors in the engineering department of Shell Next.

And he was away out there because they were sinking some new pumps in the very place called Earl of Ricaldi. And it was on this very plain of Jura. And when Jim Scott was here with me one evening I questioned him about it afterwards because I wanted to know.

And it's a long level stretch of burning sand it belongs to the Syrian desert that actually goes out from the Earl of Ricaldi for miles and miles of level sand. So this was the very place to erect this.

So that the king could draw all and sundry before him countless thousands. And he stood them before this image. Jim Scott told me a very interesting thing. He said you know very near to where this great image must have stood.

I got quite a number of Arabs all seated on the ground one evening. The sun was just going down, the sand was still burning hot. And they prayed this very message of yours. And they sat right through the message and listened.

Well this is most interesting that I preached on this very spot this very message that I'm giving you this evening. So I want you to get this image into your mind and I want you to think about it. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king 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 come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Then the princes, the governors and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together onto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

And they stood before the image. That's why I took the time to sort of sketch for you the scene. There was plenty of room here for all the notable characters from the provinces. And remember this was one of the greatest gentile world powers this world has ever seen.

It was the great gentile empire of Babylon. I want you to try to get the image into your mind. I want you to try to see this great thing set up and the command is going forth just in the moment that when the band plays, when the orchestra strikes up everybody must bow and worship.

And there's going to be something like this in a day to come. Let's go to the book of Revelation just for a moment. And we're at Revelation chapter 13. Book of Revelation chapter 13. And you remember last week we were looking at this great chapter.

John says verse 1 I stood upon the sound of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his head the names of blasphemy. And I pointed out that this was the man of sin.

And we took time to prove this last week. Now we go down the chapter a little bit further, verse 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he speaketh of Dagon and he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was he.

And he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those medicals which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.

Mind you the word medicals is really there because this is the devil these are diabolical medicals this is the devil up his medical business and you know they are getting a speak of this in the United States even now and I can tell you that the devil could bluff you as easy as you like you know it's been well known now and it's being found out day after day that there are some fellows pitching great big Kansas tents at New York seeking maybe three or four thousand people they profess to be able to heal any disease that's presented to them and what they're doing is they're sending a plane from New York to California three thousand miles away from New York and they're getting down and out in California and they're bringing them back and they're bringing them into the meeting at night as blind men some of them in wheelchairs some of them on stretchers.

What will you do if you're in a big audience. The blind man's brought in with a stick and the fellow touches him and he drops his stick into the canteen. That's from hell. That's what it's from the devil would bluff.

You hope that they're not saying that I don't believe in healing. I believe that God can heal anything. I believe also that God can do without healing. There are people who are going to die. I believe that God can heal miraculously.

I believe that God can heal medically. He can use means. I believe that God can heal surgically. I believe that God can do without healing. But I can tell you we're going to have bother with the devil at the end of the age and it'll get worse.

In fact it does say there I'm deceivers them that dwell on the earth by means of those medicals which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image of the beast which had the wound by a sword and had left and he had power to give life onto the image of the beast.

That the image of the beast should speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. So you can see that Daniel chapter 3 while it is an historical record it is illustratively prophetical of this particular day.

That's yet to be when the Antichrist and the false prophet who will work for him. You see at the end of the day in this world we're going to have the dragon. And we looked at the dragon last week the devil and Satan.

And we're going to have the Antichrist and we're going to have this false prophet. You see the devil has always tried to eat God. And as there is a trinity in the Godhead Father, Son and Holy Ghost so we'll have an evil trinity at the end of the day.

And remember the work of the Spirit of God in this age is to get the whole world to worship Christ to bring men to Christ. So the false prophet will work to get men to worship the beast. And all the time the devil will be behind this because he wants the glory of everything.

Yes you know there's going to be this image in the future. But let us get a hold of this. This is really tremendous. Let's go back to Timothy. Paul's letter to Timothy. 2nd Timothy. And it's 2nd Timothy chapter 3.

A Form of Godliness That Denies Its Power

And Paul's writing to Timothy and saying this verse 1. This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. And I think that we're almost there. Aren't we. You see he's writing to young Timothy and he's saying perilous times shall come for the church.

Of course for believers. And these perilous times are going to come from men. For men certain kinds of men. Men shall be lovers of their own selves. Covetous boastless proud blasphemous disobedient to parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truth breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good get that bit in trickers heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

Now these men. And they're described very fully by the spirit of God. If we take one or two phrases out unholy men despisers of those that are good men that love pleasure more than they love God they're going to have a form of godliness.

Well I have a big image. You know this ecumenical movement is going to build an image. Oh yes it is. You know they tell me they're going to get together. And the leader of course is the present Archbishop of Canterbury.

And he believes. This is what he believes. Now you can check up on it. He believes that atheists will be in heaven. This is what he believes. Well if he were right Jesus Christ is wrong. Because Jesus Christ said he that believeth not shall be damned.

But the Archbishop says he that believeth not shall be in heaven. Is this the foundations that they have in the ecumenical movement. This big image is being built. And you're going to be in the fires of affliction if you don't bow.

Well I have no notion of bowing. Not for a moment I'll tell you folks what the Bible says. Are you listening? Watch it watch it very carefully. We're going to have trouble in the last days because these men these unholy men these men that despise those that are good these men that's building this form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

Here's what the Bible says from such turn away my dear friends I think that that's plain enough. You couldn't make it any plainer. Is that uniting with it or getting away from it. Oh I'll leave it to yourself.

But when you think you stand like this and say no we can't go with men who are modernists. And we can't go with men who deny the teachings of Christ. Then we're despised. You see. Well we might have to be in the furnace of affliction and persecution for God.

Yet I wonder are we prepared for that. So you can see there was an image in the past. There'll be an image in the future. They're building one of the present from such turn away. Let's go back to Daniel chapter 3.

We're at Daniel chapter 3 and we're at verse 4 just when the king got everybody assembled in this great plain of Judah. Verse 4 says then on herald cried aloud. As far as I know they had no loudspeakers in those days.

And it would take a very great herald to cry to this crowd mind you. Because I would think that there would be thousands here. But you know I've had one or two of these heralds in the far east. When I was in Jerusalem on the very first night I was ever there Mr. Ervine and I were together and we got talking to the proprietor of the hotel.

It was a terribly warm day it was about a hundred and four in the shade it was really warm and we were allowed to sleep out on the roof top. Lovely sleepin' out on the roof at night whenever everything's congenial.

And as he was getting his pajamas on he looked over the edge of the great building and here were the Jordanian soldiers marching on the edge of the wall in this case up and down. So to me what are those boys doing there?

I said you see the Israelis make a move of themselves in the middle of the night. He says my God we shouldn't be on the top of the roof and we juked together you see and then lay down to sleep but nothing worries him too much.

Before long he was snoring and I really mean snoring you know but about four in the morning one of these heralds on the top of one of these great temples calls the Muslims to prayer and you should hear them.

You can hear this easily two miles away and it comes out like a foghorn. AHHHHH. And Ervine's out to bed and he says what's that? I said it's the Israelis calling yeah I've heard these heralds you know and they can really shout.

And the old king was employing one of these fellows and when he got the cloud there the herald cried verse 4 to you it is commanded and I want you to underline the word commanded in your mind there to you it is commanded all people, nations and languages that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute harp, set book, pottery dulcimer and all kinds of music.

You shall fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up now I want you to notice exactly what Nebuchadnezzar was doing. He had gathered the people, he had made the image, he had employed the herald and he had this orchestra just prepared and you can see that when he's making the appeal to the people he's using music to bring it home.

I sometimes think that it's diabolically used at times. I don't think we should try to play on the emotions of the people in any way at all but he used it anyway and he probably was one of the first that used the music when he was making the appeal.

Worship Cannot Be Commanded or Purchased

I want you to notice this. This is the king of a great state and he's commanding his people to fall down and worship, you can't command people to worship. It will never be done. People don't worship by commands.

You can't command anybody to worship. Worship is not done by commands. You can neither command worship nor buy it. The old devil took the lord up to the highest mountain and let him see all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time he says all these will I give you if you fall down and worship me.

And he learned you can't buy worship. And you can't command worship. And you know the states and the statesmen who think that they can command any sort of religious worship, they're fools because Russia you know wants people to worship the state.

Sometimes they bow people in the millions to worship the state. But there's a lot of them bow because they're afraid but there's a cynical smile in their heart all the time they're not doing any such thing.

That's not how worship works. You know when the lord Jesus is talking to the woman at the well he says God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit. And in truth you know we hear them talking about going to the place of worship.

Let me say this very carefully to you unless you know Jesus Christ God son personally a way deep down with an experience in your heart experientially know him then you cannot worship God. It's only when you know what God has done for you in Christ and what Christ has done for you.

And when you get this great tremendous truth into your heart and you've given your life to him then your heart comes out with worship. You can't command people to worship. You can't bow them like that.

And the state the child will find out it has failed. It doesn't work like that. And so you can see the expectation of this proud potentate. You know he wanted to bend these people. Or in verse 7 verse 6 who so falleth not down and worshipeth.

Shall the female be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute harp, samba, paltry all kinds of music all the people, the nations the languages fell down and worshiped because of the image of the King etc.

But there were three men there just at that time who didn't fall down and worship. These three men were doing no such thing. You see they knew the truth about bowing to images. They had the truth taught to them to bow before a plaster cast or an image of any kind be it gold or silver or anything else it is an insult to the living God.

These men didn't bow. And I want you to notice this next little bit. I've called it the accusation of these bitter Babylonians. Verse 8 wherefore at that time second Carl Deans came near. Now that's very wonderful that the word Carl Deans is used there.

Do you remember when we were at the last chapter. Let's go back to chapter 2 just for a moment. You remember the King had a dream and it went from verse 2 then the King commanded to call the magicians and the astrologers and the sorcerers and the Carl Deans to show the King his dream and it was the Carl Deans that speak.

See verse 4. Then speak the Carl Deans to the King and there it is. Verse 5 the King answered and said to the Carl Deans. Verse 10 the Carl Deans answered before the King. You know these were among the wisest of the wise men of Babylon.

And of course at that particular time they were puzzled they couldn't answer the King's dream. And then of course Daniel came in. You remember how he got the secrets from the Lord through prayer. And then he very nobly went in and asked these men to be spared that the King wouldn't destroy the Carl Deans.

And although he defended them and saved them yet here they are just waiting their chance to do his friends in when. For at that time certain Carl Deans came near and accused the Jews. You see there's a bit of professional jealousy here because Daniel and his three friends were the wise men who got many of the King's secrets.

They speak and said to the King that you could never O King live forever. Thou O King hast made a decree that every man that shall hear the sound of the music shall fall down and worship the golden image.

Whoso falleth not down and worshipeth that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego.

These men O King have not regarded thee. They serve not their gods thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. And this is the accusation that was brought by these bitter Babylonians.

The Tested Trio Refuses to Compromise

Now here's a special bit of the chapter and I want you to watch it. Verse 13. Then that you could measure in as rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king that you could measure and said unto them is it true.

O Shadrach Meshach and Abednego do not ye serve my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up. Now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet flute, harp, sackcloth, psaltery dulcimer and all kinds of music.

You fall down and worship the image which I have made. Well but if you worship not ye shall be cast with him out into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand.

I want you to learn the tremendous lesson of how these men answered. Verse 16. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king O nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

There is an older translation which says we have no need to answer thee in this matter. Their answer had already been given. They had learned the truth and they were standing by the truth. These were truthful men and so there is no need to answer, you know exactly our convictions.

And then they go a bit further. 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 you know they were not only truthful, they were trustful.

These men were being severely tested, I have called this the determination of the tested trio. And in this test they were trusting God. But they went a bit further. They said in verse 16 but if not be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou have set up.

You know they were faithful men. These men had truth in their souls and they would stand by the truth. They had a trust in their hearts. It was a trust in the God who was able to deliver. There was a faithfulness a way down deep in their spirits, they would neither bend nor budge.

And finally they wouldn't burn. They neither bend nor budge nor burn. I wish we could learn this. I wish we would stop compromising with God's truth. There are so many today and so many things in this book doesn't seem to matter to them.

All that would disturb somebody. If I just said somebody said to me once the way you preach believers baptism to this great crowd you'll haunt them. Well friend if I haunt you by God's truth you'd be far better.

You never were here. You don't mean to tell me that I would hide God's truth just to keep you in that seat. I had this class for 20 years every Tuesday. Look at it tonight. In these days the American said to me the other day how long have you had the class.

20 years. I said except there's not a film being made even gone with the wind would hold a crowd of almost 700 for 20 years every.

Tuesday, neither is and it isn't my.

Ability. It's God's truth I learned early on to preach God's truth. Never to see the people smile. Never to fear the people's throne. I neither seek your smile or fear your throne. I'm here to teach God's word and by His grace I'll stand by it.

I know this that if you're truthful and if you're trustful and if you're faithful nobody gonna burn you. God whom you're honoring will honor you. And there's a great lesson to learn here friend. You never lose anything by being faithful to God.

Verse 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury and the form of his village was changed against Shadrach Meshach and the Bednigo. Therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was want to be heated.

And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach Meshach and the Bednigo and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats their hoses, their hats and their other garments and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace was exceeding hot the flame of the fire flew those men that took up Shadrach Meshach and the Bednigo. You see sometimes those that plan evil it turns upon themselves and I'm sure this has been evident in these last days that sometimes those who were working diabolical things got burned.

Themselves, yes it has.

Always been so you know when the devil cuts a rod it usually beats himself and these three men Shadrach Meshach and the Bednigo fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. You know somebody came to argue with me about this once you know this is not just possible you know you can't throw a man into the flames and he'll not be burned, you can't do it and I told them a story and there's a man here who knows the story very well, Stanley.

Stanley's there somewhere and there was a little negro fella came to my door, Stanley knows him very well, Stanley Seyfried I'm talking about and the little negro fella said to me as he came to the door, you're Mr. Mullen, I said that's right he said you know I've enjoyed these pics of yours come from the West Indies I said come on in brother we belong to the brethren.

This little man quite a capable preacher, we had an afternoon together and tea together and then he told me a story about his brother. He said you know my brother went and joined a religious sect who gave themselves to the devil, he said you know to be fully fledged in this sect you have to shut yourself up in a cage no food no water for three weeks and you had to close your eyes and get into a kind of a state where you asked the devil to take your eyes and your ears and your tongue and your hands and your feet and every part of you and then you were completely taken over by the devil.

They built a huge fire outside, it had to be ten feet in width and it had to be flaming into the air and he said I went along on the day my brother was being initiated as one of the priests and he came out of the tent stark naked a man possessed as ever there was one walked straight to the fire flung himself in said I was sure I'd never see him again and in fifteen minutes walks out not a blister on him.

Surely if the devil could do it you would allow God to do it. I can tell you that the devil could do things with your body you never dreamed about. You know there's a man in the scriptures and he's possessed by the devil, he'd wear no clothes he lay out every night he was in the tombs, when they came to him he just snapped the fetters he cut himself each night with stones, you can see him taking a piece of rock, tearing it down his face, across his breast he never dies.

You know nothing goes wrong with him. There's a little kid who's possessed with the devil and many times the devil threw him in the fire, he's never born, many times the devil threw him in the river he never drowns.

We don't know how much the devil can do, that's our trouble. I think that Dr Barnhouse was probably one of the great authorities on demonology and he said to me once going down Port Stewart Harbour he said Willie do you believe the devil touched Job, of course I do.

This is what happened to him. I said the devil just touched him. And at the next second from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet he was covered with these.

Boils, he said. It was a mighty touch wasn't it.

He said do you think the devil could have come round the next day and touched him and healed him if he could. You know else some night we'll take up demonology in all its stark reality, but we're not talking about demon power tonight, we're talking about God's power there.

The Son of God in the Furnace

God saved them in the furnace, you don't limit God. Do you, you'd nearly believe what the devil can do and you wouldn't believe what God can do. If I can tell you this, watch the story. Do you see verse 24.

Then Nebuchadnezzar became astonished and rose up in haste and spake and said unto his counsellors did not. We cast three men bound into the midst of the fire. They answered and said unto the king true O king.

He answered and said O I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no heart and the form of the force is like the son of God. You know that's a tremendous statement. Please don't come round after the meeting and ask me how he knew.

The force was like the son of God because I don't know.

Unless this fourth person was so majestic and so divinely especially divine looking there must be something that made them say he's like the son of God but there's no question at all. You see I believe that if you're steadfast and unmovable and you're going to obey God rather than men and you're not worried about what men say or think about you and you're going to be standing for God in this evil day I believe you know the son of God will walk.

With you, he'll walk with you.

It's a great experience. You know I've seen the bride in the song of Solomon and she's coming up out of the wilderness for some reason. She's been away down in the wilderness and she's coming up out of the wilderness leaning on her beloved, he's walking with her.

You remember the two in the road to the mass. Now quick watch me. You know they were wrong the whole way through these two, oh they were two followers of Christ but they took the wrong turn that morning you know they're going from Jerusalem to a mass, they turned their back on the city, it was back where the morning meeting was.

The disciples were meeting back there they turned their back on the morning meeting. Sunday morning they turned their.

Back, it was the wrong turn. They're going the wrong way if you listen to them talking and they're saying the wrong thing.

If you watch their thoughts they're thinking the wrong thing. Everything's wrong. Friend, if you love Christ, even when you're wrong he'll come and walk with you but he needs to turn you back. He'll walk with you even when they were going wrong, as you have made a blunder.