Bible Reading: Daniel 3:1-7 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. |
| Being a Christian does not mean an escape from trials or even severe testing. Every day Christians face problems and every day there can be temptations to deny Christ. Problems may be an unwanted part of life but they can also be one of the greatest means of strengthening our faith. But do we always face every trial with confidence? The three men in our reading today are a remarkable illustration of how confidence in God can help us stand for Him. They had no idea what the end result of their stand for God might be, but their faith in God was unshakeable. You know the story. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to be worshipped by his people and also remembered by generations to come. About 20 kms. outside the city, he built an image 28 Metres high and about 3 Metres wide. It was completely covered in gold. Imagine how it would reflect the desert sun! The day of its dedication arrived and every government official across the Babylonian Empire was commanded to be present. Then came the announcement, "When the band starts playing, when the music starts, everyone, absolutely everyone, must fall down and worship this image of the King." To make certain everyone understood, the herald told them very plainly what would happen if they didn't obey (v.6). No doubt the smoke of the furnace nearby reinforced his remarks. Can you imagine the scene? The music starts. Immediately thousands and thousands of men are shuffling, pushing each other trying to find room to kneel down. Everyone was doing it. What would you have done when the band started to play? Would you have followed the crowd? Music has tremendous power. It can so easily work on emotions. It can motivate people to do what they might not otherwise do. Hard rock music for example can have a devastating effect morally and in other ways. But music can also have a deep spiritual motivation. It can stir us to decision and devotion. What kind of music do you listen to? What do you do when the band starts playing? |
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