Text: Daniel 3:13-18
(13) Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
(14) Nebuchadnezzar spake 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?
(15) Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
(16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
(17) 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.
(18) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
The example of these three Hebrew men – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – tugs at our heart, penetrates our mind, and attaches to our soul because it calls to something greater and nobler within ourselves.
The notion, the belief, the conviction to stand in holiness for Jesus Christ no matter what threats, attacks, and fiery darts, seen or unseen, the adversary brings our way.
These three stood their ground BEFORE the pouring out of the promise of the Holy Spirit, and their example of holiness and faithfulness gives us great hope to stand in this evil day.
Today, we have the added benefit of Holy Ghost empowerment to face, as they did, persecution and martyrdom:
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses [Greek: martus[1]] unto me…” (Acts 1:8a)
“Those who after His example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death.”[2]
It was their total commitment to God that wouldn’t allow them to compromise their faith and holiness — They Would Not Bow.
Because they refused to set aside their principles of faith and holiness:
- Nebuchadnezzar got mad – the adversary always gets angry when his plans are thwarted.
- A fiery furnace was heated up seven times hotter than normal
- The Three Hebrews were thrown bound into the fiery furnace by the king’s mighty men
- Those same mighty men died from the heat of the furnace
- But there still standing, are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego unbound, unharmed, and not alone.
- Don’t ever think that The Purpose of Holiness goes unseen and unaccounted for by God.
- He sees, hears, understands and knows all things: “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalms 34:15).
- “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death…” (Psalms 33:18-19a).
- Psalms 147:5, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
- Isaiah 40:28, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
- Romans 11:33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
- Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
- Yes, the LORD saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stand.
- Yes, He heard their declaration of faith and their commitment to remain holy, even if they were not delivered.
- Yes, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Peter 2:9).
They were not alone, the Lord showed up, just in time (Dan. 3:24-28):
(24) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, 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.
(25) He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
(26) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
(27) And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
- When you understand The Purpose of Holiness you will know that you can walk in faith and holiness untouched, unharmed, unscathed by the adversary’s attack.
- You will not be burnt, singed, or even carry the stench of hell on you.
(28) Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
- That is the The Purpose of Holiness: The willingness to die, to become a martyr if necessary, rather than serve or worship any god except the Lord Jesus Christ and to become His witness to this world.
The Purpose of Holiness
David K. Bernard on Holiness:
- “God is holy; holiness is an essential attribute of His nature. With respect to Him, it means absolute purity and moral perfection. With respect to man, holiness means conformity to the character of God. We must be holy because God is holy (I Peter 1:15-16). It means thinking as God thinks, loving what He loves, hating what He hates, and acting as Christ would act.”[3]
- “The essence of true holiness is to be Christlike, to live as He lived and, in any given situation, to act as He would act.”[4]
- “Inward holiness will produce outward holiness, but the outward appearance of holiness is worthless without inward holiness. For example, a modest spirit will produce modest dress, but modest dress is of little value if it conceals a lustful heart.”[5]
Righteousness and holiness are inseparable (Romans 6:16-23):
(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
(17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
(18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(19) I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
(20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
(21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
(22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
(23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Purpose of Holiness is realized when you allow the Holy Spirit of Christ to abide in you and submit to His influence in your life
Our Jesus lived a life of holiness with the purpose of saving you from being beat down by the self-destructive lifestyle of sin.
He purposed to redeem you from the enslavement of sin by breaking every chain and fetter to it when He condemned sin in His flesh.
The Son’s life of holiness delivers you from the wages of sin (Death) by granting you the gift of God (Eternal Life).
Jesus’ purposeful life of holiness has inexorably, inevitably, and most certainly empowered you to live a holy life, even to the point where the threat of death will lead you so say, as those three Hebrew men of Daniel’s day said to a heathen king:
“…we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then He will. But even if he doesn’t…we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up” (Dan. 3:16-18).
2 Cor. 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Jesus was not just a substitutionary sin offering for you and I, and He certainly did not become a sinful person on the cross.
But, He became the Sin-Bearer for all of humanity: you, and I, and all that have lived, are living, and shall ever live.
“He has made Him to be sin for us!”
When we consider Jesus and The Purpose of Holiness:
- It was “for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b).
- “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem [another word they could have used was purpose[6]] Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But
- He was wounded for our transgressions,
- He was bruised for our iniquities:
- the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;
- and with His stripes we are healed.
- All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).
Doesn’t Jesus deserve your praise right now?
This moment right here is the perfect time for you to lift, or clap, your hands in praise to the One who bore your sins and your iniquity.
Right now, raise your voice in a victorious shout to the One who has healed you, delivered you, and given you peace.
Right now, let the love for the One who is your Savior break forth in a symphony of praise and worship.
Right now, Let’s all praise our Jesus together!
[1] Thayer’s Greek Definitions. G3144.
[2] Ibid.
[3] David K. Bernard. Practical Holiness: A Second Look
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Strong’s. H2803
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