MEN ON FIRE

A. Daniel… Book of Prophecy and people

1. An outline of the ages
2. Views of the end time
a. The triumphal entry
b. The Cross… the destruction of
Jerusalem
c. The anti-christ … the tribulation… end-
time rulers
3. But it is also a book of people
a. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
b. Trials and triumphs of men of faith
B. Three men who are tried by fire
1. The great image
2. Bow or burn
3. They refuse to bow… but did not burn
BODY
A. THEY WERE DIFFERENT (V. 12)
 Daniel 3:12 New King James Version
12 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 New Living Translation
12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province
of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty.
They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold
statue you have set up.”
 Daniel 3:12 Magandang Balita Biblia
12 Hindi po sumusunod sa utos ninyo sina Shadrac,
Meshac, at Abednego, ang mga Judiong inilagay ninyo
bilang mga tagapamahala sa Babilonia. Hindi po sila
naglilingkod sa inyong diyos ni sumasamba sa ipinagawa
ninyong rebultong ginto.”

1. They regarded not the king, nor his gods, nor his
golden image
2. Our Lord was different
a. He was righteous in a sinful world
b. He was light on a dark planet
c. His teachings demanded a different
lifestyle
3. We are to be different, changed by the power of
the gospel
a. Born-again, new creatures
b. Changed Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:9-11)
 1 Corinthians 6:9-11New King James Version
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [a]homosexuals, nor
[b]sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but
you were [c]sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
 1 Corinthians 6:9-11New Living Translation
 9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit
the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who
indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit
adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,
10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are
abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the
Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But
you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made
right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
 1 Corinto 6:9-11 Magandang Balita Biblia
9 Hindi ba ninyo alam na ang mga makasalanan ay walang
bahagi sa kaharian ng Diyos? Huwag ninyong dayain ang
inyong sarili! Ang mga nakikiapid, sumasamba sa diyus-
diyosan, nangangalunya, nakikipagtalik sa kapwa lalaki o
kapwa babae, 10 nagnanakaw, sakim, naglalasing,
nanlalait ng kapwa, o nandaraya, ay walang bahagi sa
kaharian ng Diyos. 11 Ganyan ang ilan sa inyo noon.
Subalit nilinis na kayo sa inyong mga kasalanan at ginawa
na kayong banal ng Diyos. Pinawalang-sala na kayo sa
pangalan ng Panginoong Jesu-Cristo at sa pamamagitan
ng Espiritu ng ating Diyos.
c. Changed Paul (Phil. 3:7-10)
 Philippians 3:7-10 New King James Version
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted
loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for
the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count
them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in
Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the
law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may
know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
 Philippians 3:7-10 New Living Translation
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I
consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the
infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake
I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage,
so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no
longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the
law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[a]
For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on
faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty
power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with
him, sharing in his death,
 Filipos 3:7-10 Magandang Balita Biblia
7 Ngunit dahil kay Cristo, ang mga bagay na
pinapahalagahan ko noon ay itinuring kong walang
kabuluhan ngayon. 8 Oo, itinuturing kong walang
kabuluhan ang lahat ng bagay bilang kapalit ng lalong
mahalaga, ang pagkakilala kay Cristo Jesus na aking
Panginoon. Ang lahat ng bagay ay ipinalagay kong walang
kabuluhan at itinuring kong basura, makamtan ko lamang si
Cristo 9 at lubos na makipag-isa sa kanya. Ang aking
pagiging matuwid ay hindi sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod
sa Kautusan, kundi sa pananalig kay Cristo. Ang pagiging
matuwid ko ngayo'y buhat sa Diyos, sa pamamagitan ng
pananampalataya. 10 Ang tanging hangarin ko ngayon ay
lubusang makilala si Cristo, maranasan ang kapangyarihan
ng kanyang muling pagkabuhay, makibahagi sa kanyang
mga paghihirap, at maging katulad niya sa kanyang
kamatayan,
B. THEY WERE DARING (V. 16)
 Daniel 3:16 New King James Version
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said
to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to
answer you in this matter.
 Daniel 3:16 New Living Translation
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O
Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves
before you.
 Daniel 3:16 Magandang Balita Biblia
16 Sinabi nina Shadrac, Meshac at Abednego, “Mahal na
haring Nebucadnezar, wala po kaming masasabi sa inyo
tungkol sa bagay na ito.
1. “We are not careful to answer thee”
2. The thrill of new Christianity
a. Taking new stands
b. Risking position, job, friends
c. Fresh zeal in soul-winning
3. Then we become careful
a. So tactful that we never witness
b. So tolerant of sin that we compromise
with the world
c. So conservative that we make no
advances for Christ
4. The walk of faith is a daring walk
C. THEY WERE DEDICATED (VV. 17-18)
 Daniel 3:17-18 New King James Version
17 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. 18 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 3:17-18 New Living Translation
17 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. 18 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 Magandang Balita Biblia
17 Gawin ninyo kung iyan ang gusto ninyo. Ang Diyos na
aming pinaglilingkuran ang magliligtas sa amin sa
naglalagablab na pugon at mula sa inyong kapangyarihan.
18 Kung hindi man niya kami iligtas, hindi pa rin kami
maglilingkod sa inyong mga diyos ni sasamba sa rebultong
ginto na ipinagawa ninyo.”
1. He is able to deliver us
2. But if He does not deliver us, we will still be true
3. You may be angry with God. He has not come
through
a. He did not save your marriage
b. He did not heal your loved one
c. He did not rescue your home from
foreclosure
d. He has not yet provided work
e. He has not yet saved your children
4. But notice their total commitment
5. They are like Job: “though He slay me, yet will I
trust him” (Job 13:15)
 Job 13:15 New King James Version
15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
 Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
 Job 13:15 New Living Translation
15 God might kill me, but I have no other hope.[a]
I am going to argue my case with him.
 Job 13:15 Magandang Balita Biblia
15 Hindi ako natatakot kung ako man ay patayin,
maiharap lamang sa kanya itong aking usapin.
6. They are like Jesus in Gethsemane
CONCLUSION
A. THEY WERE DELIVERED (VV. 25-27)
 Daniel 3:25-27 New King James Version
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in
the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of
the fourth is like the[a] Son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the [b]mouth of the
burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God,
come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the
satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s
counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on
whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head
was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the
smell of fire was not on them.
 Daniel 3:25-27 New Living Translation
25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men,
unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the
fourth looks like a god[a]!”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the
door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,
come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the
fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and
advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had
not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed,
and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell
of smoke!
 Daniel 3:25-27 Magandang Balita Biblia
25 “Bakit apat ang nakikita kong walang gapos at
naglalakad sa gitna ng apoy nang hindi nasusunog? At ang
tingin ko sa ikaapat ay parang anak ng mga diyos.”
Pinalaya at Itinaas sa Tungkulin sina Shadrac, Meshac at
Abednego
26 Lumapit si Haring Nebucadnezar sa may bunganga ng
pugon. Sinabi niya, “Lumabas kayo riyan at halikayo rito,
Shadrac, Meshac at Abednego, mga lingkod ng Kataas-
taasang Diyos!” Lumabas nga silang tatlo mula sa pugon
27 at lumapit sa kanila ang lahat ng mga pinuno ng
kaharian. Tiningnan silang mabuti ng mga ito ngunit wala
man lamang nakitang bakas ng apoy sa katawan ng tatlo.
Hindi nasunog ni bahagya man ang kanilang buhok at ang
kanilang kasuotan. Hindi rin sila nag-amoy usok.
1. And what a deliverance!
a. Jesus walked with them in the fire
b. Only the ropes burned off
c. The smell of fire was not on them
d. Not even their hair was singed
2. Why??? Because they were already on fire!
B. WANTED: Men on fire!