Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.
This post is part 3 of 3 of the image of gold.
click for part 1 0f 3 of the image of gold.
click for part 2 of 3 of the image of gold.
In the previous verses (part 2 0f 3 of the image of gold) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the image of gold, they continued to worship God. That refusal sent Nebuchadnezzar into a rage, and he gave the three men of God an ultimatum, either worship the image of gold or be thrown into the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied that no matter what happened, they would not bow down to worship the image of gold. The following verses pick up from there.
- Christians and all of Chrsitianity are thrown into the fiery tribulation.
- The fiery tribulation is not survivable without Jesus Christ.
- Christians are tossed into the fiery tribulation with faith in God.
- The government of the beast watches the burning of Christianity.
- Jesus Christ comes back after the burning fiery tribulation.
- Every eye will see our victory in Christ and the return of Jesus Christ.
- We give our body to the Spirit of Christ not the image of the beast.
- Eternal rewards and eternal punishment.
Christians and all of Chrsitianity are thrown into the fiery tribulation.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.” Daniel 3:19a.
Those who govern by the image of the beast are infuriated when people are outright defiant to their authority. That’s because they have their authority through the beast that gives them what to do, think, feel, and say. To reject their authority is to reject the image of the beast. Those in authority are employers, schoolteachers, politicians, managers of every type, law enforcement, judges, etc. To accept God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is to reject the beast that governs through thoughts and feelings to influence what people say and do. We shun being conformed to the mark, name, number of the beast.
“He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.” 19b.
The hotter the rage of Nebuchadnezzar the hotter the heat of the furnace. That describes the hatred and despise that exists in this world today towards Christianity. A fiery rage is incited towards we who uphold the teachings of the Bible within a culture that welcomes the image of the beast to live and speak through them,
What would happen if someone tried to explain to employers, school officials, politicians, judges, law enforcement, managers of every type that their policies are wrong because they violate the Gospel of Christ? It would incite negative reactions and hostility towards the Christian. There is a fiery furnace prepared for Christians who defiantly oppose the authority that comes through the beast as we refuse to allow the image of the beast to live and speak through us.
The fiery furnace is rooted in the disapproval coming from the culture of the beast, which is global, existing in every city, state, and nation on all seven continents of the world. They oppose belief in God the Creator, reject teh need for Jesus Christ, and do not want the Holy Spirit to be part of who they are. “It was granted to [the beast] to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelations 13:7-8
“And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:20
The global “democratic” society of the beast has a great army of people in every city around the world. They are valiant in their opposition to Christianity and with their rage and despise they cast Christians into their burning fiery furnace. The followers of Christ are made to suffer hardships and afflictions of many types and even suffer death at the hands of the silent killer of the psychotic “lamb.”
The way of Jesus Christ is bound to prevent our ability to have any type of leverage within today’s culture. When we are cast into the fiery furnace of social hostility, our hands are tied to prevent us from being able to lift a finger against them. The collective force of the masses of the community prevails over the voices of we who live on the difficult and narrow way leading to life. Our feet are bound to prevent us from escaping the presence of the culture of the beast, which exists everywhere on a global scale. Upon the thoughts of our mind is a crown of thorns to render ineffective any reasonable or just appeal that we might present to them. Our heart is pierced to bring heartache and pain to see the suffering of we who shun the beast to live for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20
“Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:21
In the Spirit of God, when He speaks of the clothing we wear, He is speaking of being clothed in the Holy Spirit, to be clothed by our faith in Jesus Christ. The masses of the global culture, who welcomes the image of the beast to speak and live through them, throws the followers of Christ into their fiery furnace just as we are. We wear the clothing of the Holy Spirit from head-to-toe, which is to be clothed with the fruit of Spirit. That fruit includes a meek and gentle Spirit of peace.
We wear the Armor of God, which includes; the truth of the testimony of Jesus, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, walking in the Gospel of peace, having the shield of faith to guard against demonic attacks, always knowing that Salvation is ours because we believe in Christ Jesus, we hold to the word of God to separate us from today’s atheistic culture, and we always pray in the Spirit [Ephesians 6:14-20]. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
The fiery tribulation is not survivable without Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, because the king’s command was harsh, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.” Daniel 3:22
Without Jesus Christ, people cannot tolerate what a hostile society throws at them, and the way society restricts them. They cannot tolerate having their thoughts oppressed, their hands tied from being able to do what they want, their feet bound from being able to go where they want to go and having their heart broken time after time. Even though people are doing according to what those in authority have them to do, the toll on them mentally, emotionally, and physically is devastating. They suffer from the same fiery blast of the furnace that they throw decent human beings into. Today’s society is a beast, living for the beast that gives them what to do and say, where love has gone cold and there is no compassion present for one another. Many are not able to survive the “blowback” from the fiery furnace that comes towards them from the culture that serves the beast. They are not clothed in the Holy Spirit and do not wear the Armor of God.
Christians are tossed into the fiery tribulation with faith in God.
“And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:23
Christians are bound and not able to do a thing against being thrown into the fiery tribulation of the global culture of the beast. Many people resort to aggressive and violent rebellion or other self-destructive behaviors to fight against their unwanted circumstances/bondage. As followers of Christ, we respond differently to the hostility coming from the culture that serves the beast that gives them what to do, say, think, and feel. We put on the armor of God, we believe in God, acknowledge our need for Jesus Christ, and embrace the Holy Spirit. We desire to be clothed with the Holy Spirit.
As Christians, we know our battle isn’t against anyone on this earth, it is a spiritual battle that can only be won by faith in God through Jesus Christ. The armor of God is written about in Ephesians 6:14-20.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
above all, taking the shield of faith
with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Ephesians 6:11-18
The government of the beast watches the burning of Christianity.
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king. 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 Son of God.” Daniel 3:24-25
Nebuchadnezzar was watching to make sure his order was carried out to burn Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Today, the global government of the beast is watching to make sure their agenda is carried out in every city, state, and nation around the world. That includes dismissing belief in God, discarding the need for Jesus Christ, and trampling on the Holy Spirit. They do not tolerate disobedience to their authority. In cities of every nation around the world, governments are watching over their intent to drive the way of Christ into extinction, as described in the post on Revelations 12.
The global government depends on the image of the beast living and speaking through people to progress with turning up the heat on we who speak of Jesus Christ. That is happening silently but is very visible to we who live for Christ Jesus. The churches have abandoned the message of the Cross to form a comfortable partnership with the community culture, government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible into laws, policies, and executive orders, the educational system has banned teaching Bible values within the classrooms, and the spread of the Gospel of Christ is not wanted in any sector of society.
The global government is watching Christianity being burned in the fiery furnace as national, state, and local laws discard Biblical values to establish the global culture of the beast. They are watching to make certain that the influence of Christians is burning in the fiery furnace. They are watching to make sure Christians are in that burning fiery furnace.
King Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and that Fourth Man is our Lord Jesus Christ who walks with us within the fiery furnace of today’s culture. Christ Jesus is with us as we walk the difficult and narrow way that leads to life. He is with us during the turbulence, hardships, affliction, and tribulation within the fiery furnace of this present world system. He gives us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, by the remission of sin to enable us to walk in Holiness. Walking in Holiness is to put away ugly attitudes and behaviors that might arise from the fiery darts and trials hurled at us.
The prayer of Jesus Christ is not to take us out of this world, not to avoid the fiery furnace but to send us the Holy Spirit. Fiery trials are part of our sanctification, our walk of Holiness. In fact, a faithful and few followers of Jesus Chris will exist to the very end of this world until the day that Jesus Christ comes back. Those who live and govern through the image of the beast will see the durability of Christianity surviving within the burning fiery furnace of persecution.
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Set them apart hem by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:15-21
Jesus Christ comes back after the burning fiery tribulation.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the 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.” Daniel 3:26
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were called out of the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar, but it is not the global government of the beast who puts an end to the global tribulation happening around the world. The servants of the “Most High God” are going to be called to Christ at the end of the global tribulation when He comes back.
Our Lord Jesus says to us upon His return, “Come out, and come here.” as quoted “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
The Day of the Lord is amidst a burning fiery furnace, as quoted, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:10-13
Christ Jesus says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31
Every eye will see our victory in Christ and the return of Jesus Christ.
“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 3:27
Everyone of Nebuchadnezzar’s governing officials saw how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego survived the burning fiery furnace and were not at all singed. As followers of Jesus Christ, we hold to His testimony through the burning fiery furnace of the culture of the beast. The clothing of the Holy Spirit that we wear within our heart and soul are not singed, but those fiery trials perfect our faith, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 1 Peter 4:12-19
Those who enclose us into their fiery furnace of afflictions will see our victory in Christ, and they will see the return of Jesus Christ. That is a sad day for them and a glorious day for us, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7
We give our body to the Spirit of Christ not the image of the beast.
“Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!” Daniel 3:28
The Holiness we live in the Spirit of Christ has nothing to do with trying to earn the praise of those who govern through the image of the beast. We trust in God through Jesus Christ as we embrace the Holy Spirit through the global fiery furnace.
Those who live and govern by the image of the beast use harsh tactics to try to make Christianity undesirable, then they use sweet humanitarian and churchy sounding words to try and make us responsive to their will. They are trying to modify our behavior to deny God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and to make us welcome the image of the beast to live and speak through us.
Behavior modification is a process where people are saturated into difficult and undesirable circumstances in order to make them forsake whatever is undesirable to those modifying behavior. Today, those who live and govern for the beast find the way of Christ undesirable, so Christians are subject to undesirable circumstances. After a time, those of the culture of the beast will pull us out of those negative experiences with smile, flattery, social approval etc. to encourage us to serve the beast with them. Even so, they have no intention of ever acknowledging the need for Jesus Christ within their culture.
Our Lord Jesus gives us the victory over this world, and the victory belongs to Him and no one else, “He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” Revelation 21:7 “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’ Revelations 2:7 “He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”’” Revelations 2:11 “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’” Revelations 2:17 “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘He will rule them with a rod of iron; They will be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.” Revelations 2:26-28 “He who overcomes will be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelations 3:5 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” Revelations 3:12 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelations 3:21
Eternal rewards and eternal punishment.
“Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego will be cut in pieces, and their houses will be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Daniel 3:29
For the global government to make a decree that no one can speak against Christianity doesn’t mean a whole lot. That’s because everyone is required to praise, worship, and live for the image of the beast that gives them what to say and do. The written law will never be able to change a person’s heart to legislate a born-again experience, only the Holy Spirit can change a person’s attitude about God and Jesus Christ. In order for the way of Christ to be accepted, it must come from the heart and through our lips, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:10-13 There is no other God who can deliver like that.
“Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:30
Being promoted in this world by those who govern by the image of the beast doesn’t mean much when God is going to promote us into the province of the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. “Then he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God’…And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” Revelation 19:9 and Revelation 21:6-7
“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1
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