Refuse To Bow

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” [Daniel 3.16-18]

Until God's people are prepared to get painfully honest and vulnerable with themselves and the world about idolatry (like the three Hebrews above), it will only continue.

Idolatry today is masked. Human intelligence has advanced much too far for people to give credit to primitive objects of metal, wood or stone. Instead, credit is now given to highly advanced and technical sciences that still share one very important characteristic with those godless primitive idols: They are the work of man!

To trust in any work of man for that which God said to trust Him, is idolatry!

But God's people today don't want to hear what is being said here! They are like the people of Jeremiah's day:

But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. [Jeremiah 7.24]

Yes, God's people are guilty of idolatry!

The people of Judah have sinned before my very eyes,” says the LORD. “They have set up their abominable idols right in the Temple that bears my name, defiling it. [Jeremiah 7.30]

When God's people discourage each other from trusting God alone for healing, provision, and every promise of God, they are commiting idolatry. They are putting idols (the works of man) above God. Just like Judah brought idolatry into the Temple, God's people today have brought idolatry into the Church!

It is time for faithful followers of God, with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as their example and Jesus Christ confirming, to say NO to idolatry - to say NO to man's solutions to problems God said He would remedy! "But we might die!" is the argument. According to the three Hebrews, death in faith is far better than life in fear! They simply refused to bow!

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up. [Daniel 3.17-18]

Will we refuse to bow?

Father, it is becoming more clear every day that Christianity is grossly polluted with idolatry. God, help us see! And when we see, help us repent! And when we repent, fulfill Your promises to us before the eyes of the watching world for Your glory!