Bow or burn, prostrate or perish: Dance to the tune or dance in the furnace. Empires exist on these edicts. Reigning monarchs, tyrant dictators, and religious rulers all operate on this terrifying principle.
Compliance or condemnation is their single sermon. By it fear, self-serving, and hypocrisy are instilled, while love, devotion, and sincerity are crucified. No one truly honors such oppressive overlords. Servile sycophants and groveling ingratiating lackeys are the only subjects in such kingdoms.
But freedom of conscience is seared and slain thereby. Independent reflection is quashed and individual initiative is forbidden. Submit or be sanctioned or slain: end of discussion. Discussion there never was. “This has come down from the above” is all that the peasants need to know. So, bow or burn.
“Then the herald loudly proclaimed, ‘To you the command is given, the moment you hear the sound of all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image. But whoever does not, shall be cast immediately into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire’” –Daniel 3:4-6. Ok, that’s clear enough.
But devotion is not derived under duress. Nothing in true spirituality ever results by force. Intimidation does not instill adoration. Threats are not the springs from which worship flows. Punishment does not kindle love’s glow; it rather extinguishes it. O foolish religious men! You are destroying everything Christ is seeking and building everything that Christ will tear down! Are you so blind?
And if there are any in your ash-heap kingdoms that dare to stand erect, gazing into heaven while cowardly congregations prostrate at your every decree, you, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, will rage. “These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up” –Daniel 3:12. O you can be sure, the reigning madman will shower them with hot threats.
“If you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” –Daniel 3:15. And here is unmasked the naked reality of all such dominating dictators; he considers himself to be supreme. He is the god who must be served. No rivals are tolerated.
He will dictate, for he is king. He will pontificate, for as the shrine’s custodian he determines the mandatory traditions. He will execute, for he is the unquestioned judge and authority in that kingdom. In one man are concentrated Prophet, Priest, and King: the legislative, judicial, and executive all in one man. And when all three are combined into one man, you have encountered a Babylonian abomination.
I hope you see the evil of this. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did.
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to give you an answer concerning this matter. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we are not going to serve your gods” –Daniel 3:16-18. Hear their bold rebuff: “Our God is able to deliver us, but if not, we will not bow to your delusion.” To them, devotion did not depend upon deliverance. Consecration must not be compromised by compliance. Christ Jesus alone is Lord and we will bow to none other. This they did and this we applaud.
The Son of God will meet you in the furnace if you dare to stand. And this is what establishes a testimony: They “yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God, violating the king’s command” –Daniel 3:28. The choice is Christ or king; 2 masters cannot both be served. One or the other’s command must be obeyed; and one or the other’s command must be violated.
Nebuchadnezzar’s cousin, Diotrephes, perpetuates this horrid regime of terror. “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us. I will call attention to his deeds, talking nonsense against us with wicked words of gossip; and not satisfied with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders and stops those who want to do so and throws them out of the church!” –3 John 9,10. Diotrephes was Executive, Legislator, and Judge rolled into one.
Christ has “first place in everything” –Colossians 1:18; Diotrephes loves to have that first place. I hope you see a despicable and desperate conflict here. Diotrephes is GO of Prostrate Parish. Bow or burn.
So, when the music sounds, where will you be found: standing or prostrating?