Scripture Reading : Daniel 3
Theme : Messiah Delivers His People
Demonic Worship (1-7). Even after God revealed Himself to Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2, he still does not worship God, but continues to worship his idols and make his subjects worship his idol in order to demand highest allegiance from his subjects. This is demonic worship that seeks to snatch a person’s highest allegiance and worship to God and redirect that allegiance to an idol or something else.
Faithful Obedience (8-30) The first and second commandments forbid God’s people to worship anything else except for God alone, not even praying to Mary or human saints, which constitutes as worshiping. Therefore, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (formerly Hananiah, Mishael and Azarish) must disobey earthly authority in order to obey God (Acts 5:29). Their faith is confirmed by their determination to worship God alone to the point of even paying a price for it (Luke 14:33). However, the pre-incarnated Christ miraculously saved them. God is good if he saves them and He is also good if he does not save. Heaven is better than earth.
Praying the Scripture
- In the Bible, we see that people cannot come to God even after they have sure knowledge of God, unless God draws them because everyone is dead in their trespasses and loves their old self more than God. To worship God requires dying to your old self, giving up your identity and worth that are based on your background, your own righteous, your own passion, your self-worship and everything else that you love and has defined you but is contrary to God’s demand (Rom. 8:7). To give up all these things means death to your old self (Gal. 2:20), which is impossible to do unless God enables you to do it. If you have not committed yourself to Jesus, then humbly plead for mercy (Mark 9:24). If God has caused you to die to your old self, praise Him for His great salvation in Jesus. If you know someone who do not worship Jesus, plead for God’s mercy to save the person and share the gospel.
- Following God will cost you. If you are in persecuted countries, it can cost your life. Whatever the cost we pay in this life is worth it for the glory of the next life (Heb. 11:35). Such sacrifice is honourable because it is for a great cause: the honour of Christ and the spread of the gospel. If we are willing to lay down our lives for our country, which is an honourable cause, how much more should we be willing to lay down our lives for the cause of Christ? Highest praise and allegiance to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
经文：但以理书 3
主题：弥赛亚拯救祂的子民
邪恶的崇拜（1-7）。即便神在第二章向尼布甲尼撒显明了自己，他仍不敬拜神，继续拜他的偶像，并使他的官吏向他的偶像跪拜，以表示对自己的忠诚。这是邪恶的崇拜，因为它将人当致神的最高尊崇和敬拜转移至一个偶像或事物上。
忠心的顺服（8-30）。第一与第二条诫命禁止神的子民拜任何人或事物，包括马利亚和其他圣徒，唯独敬拜神。因此，沙得拉、米煞和亚伯尼歌（即哈拿尼雅、米沙利和亚撒利雅）必须违背属世权柄，以听从神（使5:29）。他们决意敬拜神，甚至不惜附上代价，从而显示了他们的信心（路14:33）。然而，未成肉身的基督奇迹般地救了他们。神若拯救他们，祂是良善的；若不拯救他们，祂还是良善的。天堂总比世间好。
用经文祷告
- 在圣经里，我们看到即便人有相关的知识，他们仍无法就近神，除非神就近他们；这是因为人人已在罪恶过犯中死了，并爱旧我过于爱神。若要敬拜神，人必须舍弃旧我，抛下他所爱但又与神相悖的身份和价值，如：背景、自义、激情、对自己的崇拜等（罗8:7）。舍弃这一切代表人已治死旧我（加2:20），而除非神赐人这个能力，人是不可能凭自己做到的。你若还没投靠耶稣，请你谦卑地求神怜悯（可9:24）。倘若神使你能治死旧我，要为神在耶稣里极大的拯救赞美祂！你若认识不敬拜耶稣的，请祈求神怜悯那人，并向他传福音。
- 跟从神是必须附上代价的。你若身在基督徒受逼迫的国家里，你可能会没命。然而，我们这一生所附上的任何代价都是值得的，因为来生的荣耀更大（来11:35）。这种牺牲是光荣的，因为是为伟大缘故而行：基督的尊荣和福音的传播。我们若愿意为自己的国家舍命（这是伟大的缘故），我们怎能不愿意为基督的缘故舍了自己的命？愿至高的赞美和忠诚归于那万王之王，万主之主！
