Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak
any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be
cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other
God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (Dan 3:29-30).
Separation of church and state? Our Bible text today reminds me of that subject. Please indulge my short detour from Babylon to America. We hear a lot about this in America today but most of it is completely out of context with its history and constitutional meaning. There is always a need to keep the government out of the exercise of religion and conscience. In our country, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"….(Amendment I to the Constitution of the United States).
That's the whole thing. All of it. It's all about what Congress cannot do. There's nothing about what churches can't do or about prayer or Bible reading in public schools or football games except that Congress shall keep out of it. The Supreme Court has never been appointed by the Constitution to be a legislating body. Thomas Jefferson feared it would one day do that— corrupt into an oligarchy (a government controlled by a small group of people).
There's nothing in our constitution about preventing religious influence on government. Our Supreme Court made that up out of thin air. It could become lawful by an act of Congress and ratification by the states as a constitutional amendment. But that has never occurred. Nine old men in black robes have begun telling the churches what they can do and not do and to tell graduating seniors they cannot mention God.
In our Bible text today, the first world-power monarch is telling everybody in his kingdom that if anyone says a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego he will be cut to pieces and his house made into a garbage heap. But isn't that a good thing when the government says you can't talk against the true God of Heaven? In a theocracy such as in Old Testament Israel there was a death penalty for speaking against God. Well, in this case Nebuchadnezzar got it right but it's close to an accident and with his case of insanity he's just as liable to go the other way if his mood changes.
If God is running the show, that kind of power works. If fallen man is running the show, that kind of power is extremely destructive. When Christ rules the world from the throne of David His Father in Jerusalem, it will be with a rod of iron. But while corrupt humanity rules, we have to have a separation of powers and limit the powers of government.
Nebuchadnezzar is using coercion; brute force to shut every one up. We don't have such a government in the United States. We have a republic where we elect people in our behalf to make and enforce laws. In a pure democracy, everybody votes on everything. It's a very inefficient and crude kind of government. Everybody votes on what color to paint the Whitehouse. In a republic, the elected congress empowers someone to decide what color to paint the Whitehouse and everyone has to chip in to buy the paint.
In America, people decide matters of religion and conscience by persuasion but not by coercion. But our nine-judge Supreme Court has begun to decide church matters directly and indirectly. It is going to get worse before it gets better. The so-called "hate crimes" bills are just a warm-up. Bible Christianity is increasingly being singled out in America by hostile groups in our courts and all levels of government.
…there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. This is the big picture in our verses today. Nebuchadnezzar got it right. It is also true that the God of heaven is in charge of the human governments of the world as we are going to see in the next chapter of Daniel. We may be called upon to suffer as the despised ones. Today around the world thousands of Christians are in jail and thousands in our life time have died for their faith in Christ. "When Peter preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, he got three thousand souls. When Stephen preached in the power of the same Holy Spirit, he got three thousand stones and gave up the ghost" (Evang. Fred Brown).
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (1Pe 4:12-13).
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters (1Pe 4:14-15).
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1Pe 4:16).
I am including these verses because I believe a time of increasing persecution is coming upon genuine Christians in America if there is not a great spiritual awakening. I would be glad to be wrong about this but I don't think I'm wrong. If you go with the flow you'll make it ok. But if you live Bible Christianity, you will suffer for it. The worst persecution against Christians is always from government power. Patrick Henry witnessed Baptist preachers in stocks and others preaching from the jailhouse windows in Virginia just before making his famous speech: "Give me liberty or give me death."
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God (1Pe 2:19-20).
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1Pe 2:21).
Dan Carr
Memory Verses for This Week: (We are carrying these verses over another week for memorizing. Copy onto cards and carry with you. If you know your phone number and where you live, you can memorize Bible verses.)
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. 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. (Dan 3:17-18)
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