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I Will Not Bow, and I Will Not Burn

March 21, 2023

In the Bible, the book of Daniel is a great place to see the qualities of a person with INTEGRITY. Chapter one of Daniel begins with Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieging Jerusalem. Daniel is taken captive along with other wise men, gifted in wisdom (Dan. 1:4).
First, we see that Daniel has “purposed in his heart” not to defile himself with the king’s delicacies. After being tested in all matters of wisdom and understanding, he is found ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers (Dan. 1:8 & 20).

In Chapter two, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that troubles him. It makes this king furious that not one of his magicians or astrologers can give the interpretation. So he seeks to kill all the prophets and wise men. Daniel steps up and asks the king for time to give the interpretation (Dan. 2:16). The LORD gives Daniel the wisdom and interpretation; thus, Daniel and his friends are promoted.

Interesting to note that the very people Daniel stepped up to help are the ones who become jealous of him and his position. They are the ones who develop a wicked plan to get rid of Daniel, the man with INTEGRITY. These colleagues devise a devious plan to make sure the king knows Daniel won’t go along with bowing down to a false god. The only fault they can find in Daniel is his love and worship of the LORD.

“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.”
Daniel 3:1

There was a big ceremony that took place. Everyone was told,

…”when 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; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
Daniel 3:5-6

“There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Daniel 3:12

In the world’s system and liberal customs, there is always a government trying to sell everyone a bunch of lies, usually dressed up as fear, that society is supposed to bow down to.

The king asks, is it true you will not bow down to my god? You will be thrown into the fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:14-15). This is how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego respond.

“. . . “O Nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER us from the burning fiery furnace, and HE WILL DELIVER US from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we DO NOT SERVE YOUR gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18

I WILL NOT BOW, AND I WILL NOT BURN.

With this non-fear response, the king is furious and has the furnace turned up so hot that those who throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the furnace are burned up. Then the king is astonished to see not three men, but four men in the furnace. The fourth looks like the Son of God!

Needless to say, a new decree is made:

“Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is NO OTHER GOD WHO CAN DELIVER LIKE THIS.”
Daniel 3:29

Daniel had integrity and also TRUST in his God!