THE FIRE MUST NOT DIE!(3)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE FIRE MUST NOT DIE! (3)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Daniel 3:19-27:

*Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.*

*And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.*

*Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.*

*Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.*

*And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.*

*Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, 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.*

*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.*

*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.*

*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.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Eccl 10:8 *".......and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him."*

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Daniel 3 again gives us an account of one of Bible's most fearless confrontations in the face of death.

It records yet another saga of people who truly overcame one of the most ferocious, wicked and deadly kings by an unwavering belief in God whether or not He saved them.

The three Hebrew boys gave credence to John's writing underscoring the truth that there are people whom dying in the course of truth was nothing to them as long as God is held in awe and reverence. The story of the three boys was one of many faithfuls of God who had bravery, resillience and unshaken trust in God.

Just as John wrote *".......they loved not their lives unto the death.*, Rev 12:10.

They were willing to die for their faith rather than renounce it.

This is the true definition of Christians who truly carry fire!

Truly the righteous are as bold as a lion, Prov 28:1.

If we keep the fire of God burning within, the fire set to burn outside to destroy us can not have any effect or harm on us at all.

The one who control fires can not place us under the control of fire.

Dan 3:27 says *".....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.*

The fury of a king whose command against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that *"..they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated."* referred to as the *"......burning fiery furnace."* (Dan 3:19-20) became momentarily harmless.

The story of the boys brought back the memory of the bush that burned *"......with fire, and the bush was not consumed."*, Exd 3:2.

The power of the flames of the fire was activated when it slew *"......those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego."* (Dan 3: 22) but was suspended when the *".......three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace."*.

Three men became *"......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."*, Dan 3:23-25.

The story teaches us further that in as much as God protects us by His fire, the righteous can be referred to as God's fire.

We live with His fire and are rescued from it.

While fire remains one of the deadliest and fastest consuming agent of God's nature and judgment, the righteous are preserved from it.

2 Thess 1:8 says  *In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:*

While He takes vengeance through His fire on them that do not know God, He pulls some out of it.

Jude 23 says *And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.*

Isaiah 33:14-15 says only the righteous can endure or stand the sight of God's *"....consuming fire...."* and *"...continual burning,..."* yet not be burned unlike the sinners who do not walk righteously.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, kept the fire burning in them. They did not let the fire go out. When the time to test their faithfulness came, they tended the fire more. The fire in them was more than the human created fire. It could not overcome the Spirit's fire!

They did not compromise with king Nebuchadnezzar to bow to the golden image. They did not break the edge of fire round about them so the ferocious burning like a serpents poison could not hirt or bite them!

Are you carrying the fire?

Does the Spirit's fire still burn in you?

Make sure the fire does not die!

*Remorse corner.*

God will not quench the smoking flax. He will not quench His own fire. If it ever dies, God is not to blame but you.

*Call to Word action.*

Isaiah 42:3 *A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Fire can not consume fire!

There are righteous people living with fire and are rescued from it.

*Prayer.*

Lord, help me to keep Your fire burning.

Save me, snatch me out of fire which destroys in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.