As we noticed previously, the Church is in a predicament with regards to this time of being lukewarm, and we want to explore a remedy for this malady. We know that Jesus will vomit the lukewarm people out of his mouth, and we do not want to be in that group. Esther’s uncle suggested that maybe it was for this time that she was reigning. It may be that it is for this time when we are on the earth during the age of lukewarmness, to reinvigorate the fire within our brothers and sisters. The young men who were companions of Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar’s courts had to take a bold stand one day. It is recorded as The Prayer of Azariah. We also see that over four hundred years later people were still reminding each other of this prayer. They were still telling the story and they were gaining courage for the battles that they were facing. As it turns out there is an understanding that we seem to be lacking that causes us to be lukewarm. We should try and cure lukewarmness for these last days.
Esther had become the wife of the King, but as we know, there was a man named Haman who did not like the Jews in his land. He had devised a plan to murder them, but Esther's’s uncle (via messenger) told her of the plan and asked for her help.
Est 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
“And anyone knows whether into occasion you reign.”
Esther did reign, she lived in the palace. If Esther didn’t speak to Artaxerxes then Yahweh would use someone else, but Esther and her relatives would die. That is good motivation. She was speaking up because she might die. She did save the nation when she spoke to the king, but even if she didn’t, Yahweh would find another way to save the Israelites. Today, we have a better position than Esther did. She was born to save her people, and so are we. We are not outsiders looking in, we are insiders looking out.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Adoption is the word uihothesia, which comes from the word for “son” or “descendent”, uihos; and the word tithēmi, “to place or appoint”. We are appointed descendants. We are heirs. To be an heir, klēronomos, means “lot assigned or portion parceled out”. This means that we have an allotted portion, which is already parceled out for us because we believe on Jesus as Lord and that he rose on the third day; therefore we are now adopted. We are sugklēronomos meaning “together with lot assigned” or “along with portion parceled”. We have an allotted portion together with Jesus.
We are children of the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. We are adopted and heirs of The King. With this understanding we should be full of fire for the kingdom and our King. Instead we see lukewarm evanjellyfish (evangelical jellyfish). If Esther didn’t speak up then Yahweh would find another way to save the Israelites. If we are sons and daughters of the King, shouldn’t we be acting like it? We have a better position than Esther. Maybe we were born for such an occasion as this. Notice the three young captives from Jehoiakim’s household and what they and Daniel went through. They had more conviction for Yahweh than we will ever see. They lost a lot when they were kidnapped, yet they realized the position that Judah put herself in and were willing to take the punishment for the nation.
Dan 1:3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
Dan 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were all from Jehoiakim’s/Joakim’s household. They were all born during the reign of Josiah. After Josiah was killed, his third son Jehoahaz (aka Shallum) reigned for three months, was kidnapped by Pharaoh Necho, and then died. Jehoiakim was king for three years when these young men were kidnapped by Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 1:6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Dan 1:7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzar which means “Bel’s prince” or “who Bel favors”. When we read the apocryphal work of Daniel 14, we see a story about a temple and idol named Bel. This is the idol Daniel was named after. The three young men had their names changed as well. Hananiah/Ananiah, named Shadrach/Hadrach after a Syrian god of the seasons. Mishael/Meshach/Meshah is the name of the Chaldean sun-god. Azariah/Abednego was named after Nego or Nebo, the Chaldean name for the planet Mercury who was the “interpreter of the gods”. It was a custom that when people were kidnapped and taken to another country that the host country changed the names of those who they took in and let live. They also usually made eunuchs of all the men, which is what happened to these young men.
Dan 1:19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
Dan 1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Josephus gives us a historical record about this in Antiquities of the Jews. Josephus tells us that theses young men were kinsmen of Zedekiah. Zedekiah was a son of Josiah and the last king of Judah after Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim.
Josephus 10:10:1 BUT now Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took some of the most noble of the Jews that were children, and the kinsmen of Zedekiah their king, such as were remarkable for the beauty of their bodies, and the comeliness of their countenances, and delivered them into the hands of tutors, and to the improvement to be made by them. He also made some of them to be eunuchs; which course he took also with those of other nations whom he had taken in the flower of their age, and afforded them their diet from his own table, and had them instructed in the institutes of the country, and taught the learning of the Chaldeans; and they had now exercised themselves sufficiently in that wisdom which he had ordered they should apply themselves to. Now among these there were four of the family of Zedekiah, of most excellent dispositions, one of whom was called Daniel, another was called Ananias, another Misael, and the fourth Azarias; and the king of Babylon changed their names, and commanded that they should make use of other names. Daniel he called Baltasar; Ananias, Shadrach; Misael, Meshach; and Azarias, Abednego. These the king had in esteem, and continued to love, because of the very excellent temper they were of, and because of their application to learning, and the profess they had made in wisdom.
The young men were made eunuchs and had their names changed. The phrase “flower of their age” would tell us they were young, teenagers, past puberty, but not old enough to marry. They had to learned the ways of Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he could not remember, he called for the magicians and enchanters to tell him his dream. Daniel heard about this as well, and when Nebuchadnezzar called for all the wise men to be killed, Daniel stepped in.
Dan 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
Dan 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel explained the situation and then they all prayed. Daniel then reveals the dream, explaining to Nebuchadnezzar that the Elohim in heaven is a revealer of secrets.
Dan 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
The dream concerned the latter days. We are in the latter days. We understand this dream as the ages of dominant kingdoms.
Dan 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
There are two things here that we should notice. One is that the beasts of the fields are given into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands, but later we see that because of his pride he spends seven years as a wild animal in the field. The second thing is that Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold. The reason that he is the head of gold is because after Judah went into captivity, Babylon was the first kingdom to keep them captive. As the kingdoms run into the ages, the kingdoms represent the nations that held Israel in captivity.
Dan 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
Dan 2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Dan 2:49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
This is a great honor for Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. No doubt there were many native rulers in the kingdom who resented these young men. Even though Daniel saved the lives of all the wise men, the native Chaldeans were probably not happy that these young men took these positions in Babylon’s government.
Josephus 10:10:5 When Nebuchadnezzar heard this, and recollected his dream, he was astonished at the nature of Daniel, and fell upon his knee; and saluted Daniel in the manner that men worship God, and gave command that he should be sacrificed to as a god. And this was not all, for he also imposed the name, of his own god upon him, [Baltasar,] and made him and his kinsmen rulers of his whole kingdom; which kinsmen of his happened to fall into great danger by the envy and malice [of their enemies]; for they offended the king upon the occasion following:….
Dan 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
We now know why Nebuchadnezzar made the image of gold. He was the head, the first king over the captive Jews and he was the king that others would remember as capturing Judah. Therefore it must have seemed logical for Nebuchadnezzar to want the kingdom to worship him as this golden image. This is what the jealous Chaldeans had to say.
Dan 3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
It would seem Nebuchadnezzar did not like these boys defying him. The young men had a wonderful answer.
Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Dan 3:17 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.
Dan 3:18 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.
Daniel 3:16 G2532 And G611 answered G* Shadrach, G* Meshach, G2532 and G* Abed-nego, G3004 saying G3588 G935 to king G* Nebuchadnezzar, G3756 [3no G5532 4need G2192 2have G1473 1We] G4012 concerning G3588 G4487 this matter G3778 G611 to answer G1473 to you.
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah say that they don’t have to answer Nebuchadnezzar because the Elohim in heaven will rescue them. But even if the Elohim does not rescue them, they are not going to serve this golden image. This is a very bold stand. But really, what do they have to lose? Their identities were changed, their ability to procreate was disabled; they were not eating dainties (which were the best foods) because they were first offered to idols. They were not living in their homeland, and they were not allowed to see their families. They did not have girlfriends or wives. They were not free young men. We do realize that while they were growing up during the years of Josiah, they had the teaching of the scriptures from Moses through to the prophets of their time, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. Yet they could not re-read the scriptures because they were in a foreign land. They may have known their situation from Isaiah’s prophecy.
Isaiah told Hezekiah because he showed the envoy from Babylon all the treasures in his house that his sons would be taken away and made eunuchs in Babylon.
Isa 39:5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
Isa 39:6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
Isa 39:7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
Isa 39:8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.
Hezekiah missed the point. It was not good for the heirs of Hezekiah to be taken to Babylon and made eunuchs. We can see that Hezekiah realized what he did was foolish, but he was glad that he would not be punished for it. The punishment would come later. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were going to pay for this sin and they probably realized that Isaiah prophesied that it was they who were born for such a time as this. Therefore if they didn’t bow, maybe they wouldn’t burn.
The next section of this story is called The Prayer of Azariah or The Song of the Three Holy Children. Azarias/Azariah, who is Abdenago the “interpreter of the gods”, must have been the well spoken, eloquent one of the three.
Dan 3:23 (Brenton) Then these three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace, and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God, and blessing the Lord.
Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,
Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore: For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.
In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins. For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us. Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.
Notice that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah include themselves in the sin of the nation. They were not the sinful ones. But the prophecy they had most likely read was being fulfilled in real time. Now they include themselves among the sinful who departed from Yahweh. Whatever they were living through was due to Yahweh Elohim’s true judgment.
And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world. And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants; and to them that worship thee.
They recognized that all of Judah was a reproach to Yahweh Elohim. These young men were paying the price for the sinful nation and the sins of Manasseh. They then pray as if they know the scriptures and Yahweh Elohim’s promises.
Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant: And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Isaac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake; To whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the seashore. For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins. Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.
Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted. Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.
“They shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.” They pray that they are the sacrifice. They pray for them to be the sacrifice for the nation, like burnt offerings, and that they may wholly go after Yahweh.
And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face. Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.
Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed; And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken; And let them know that thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
They pray for their deliverance, either rescue from the fire or acceptance in Yahweh’s presence. But they also pray for those hurting them. They pray that Nebuchadnezzar and those accusers would be ashamed and confounded and that they would have no strength. They pray that those hurting them would know the Elohim. Notice the two sides of their prayer, that they would become confounded and weak, and also that they would come to know the Elohim.
And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood; So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits. And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
The people putting them in the fire were burnt. Something happened that was unexpected. An angel shows up.
But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven; And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them. Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,
The angel caused the flames to go out of the oven and made the inside of the oven of fire a moist whistling wind. In other words, the angel was not alone, but an ophanim caused a whirlwind in the middle of the fire that protected Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and pushed the flames out to burn the Chaldeans.
Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified for ever.
As they are being thrown into the fire they are praying for their rescue. As they are praying, an angel shows up and they start worshipping Yahweh Elohim. This part shows the turn of events in Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah’s situation. They started out repenting for the sins of the entire nation. They pray for their deliverance. Now they worship. This is a wonderful example for us when we pray. They continue in praise and exaltation to Yahweh. They call on the heavenly sons of God, the heavens and earth, as well as all of the created beings in creation to praise and exalt Yahweh Elohim.
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever, O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever, O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever. O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye things that grow in the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye mountains, bless ye the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Now they pray for humans to bless, praise, and exult Yahweh.
O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
This is a wonderful prayer. Imagine praying in the middle of an oven of fire when an angel shows up, and then continue in prayer until they are called to come out of the fire. They recognize then that they have been delivered. They come walking out of the fire still praying.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: for he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us. O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever.
His mercy endures forever. Nebuchadnezzar heard them singing praises. This entire event took place because Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah refused to bow. They refused to be spineless jellyfish. They refused to submit to an evil king no matter the consequences. If we are going to “go out”, we might as well “go out” taking a zealous stand for our Lord and King.
Dan 3:24 And Nabuchodonosor heard them singing praises; and he wondered, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? and they said to the king, Yes, O king.
Dan 3:25 And the king said, But I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there has no harm happened to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of God.
The Son of the Elohim. The Son of the Most High. Nebuchadnezzar realized who was with them. He saw the Son of the Elohim in the fire with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Dan 3:26 Then Nabuchodonosor drew near to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, proceed forth, and come hither. So Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, came forth out of the midst of the fire.
Dan 3:27 Then were assembled the satraps, and captains, and heads of provinces, and the royal princes; and they saw the men, and perceived that the fire had not had power against their bodies, and the hair of their head was not burnt, and their coats were not scorched, nor was the smell of fire upon them.
Dan 3:28 And king Nabuchodonosor answered and said, Blessed be the God of Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants, because they trusted in him; and they have changed the king's word, and delivered their bodies to be burnt, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah changed the king’s, word. Now Nebuchadnezzar realized as the young men had prayed, that the Elohim of Israel was the Elohim of all Creation. Not a silly gold statue made by the hands of men.
Can you imagine what it will be like to meet these three guys one day? They were willing to die for Yahweh. They would not worship an idol. Today we have weak pastors bowing to the image. What would Shadrach, Misach and Abdenago think of us who cry and whine, when in reality our life is easy. Remember, Hezekiah made the first mistake, and these young men knew the prophecies before they happened. When they were being carried off to Babylon they probably knew that if they were allowed to live, they would be made eunuchs, as Isaiah said.
When Pharaoh Necho killed Josiah, they were probably watching the prophecies. When Jehoahaz was killed they were probably watching the prophecies. When Jehoiakim became the vassal for Nebuchadnezzar they probably knew that someone was going to Babylon. Josephus continues.
Josephus 10:10:5…..When therefore all the rest, upon the hearing of the sound of the trumpet, worshipped the image, they relate that Daniel’s kinsmen did not do it, because they would not transgress the laws of their country. So these men were convicted, and cast immediately into the fire, but were saved by Divine Providence, and after a surprising manner escaped death, for the fire did not touch them; and I suppose that it touched them not, as if it reasoned with itself, that they were cast into it without any fault of theirs, and that therefore it was too weak to burn the young men when they were in it. This was done by the power of God, who made their bodies so far superior to the fire, that it could not consume them. This it was which recommended them to the king as righteous men, and men beloved of God, on which account they continued in great esteem with him.
Josephus makes Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, out to be superheroes. Josephus says that because they were sinless the fire would not burn them and their bodies were fireproof. They didn’t bow and they didn’t burn. This should cause us to burn hot for Yahweh. This example of fearlessness should cause us to reevaluate our positions in life. Are we kneeling, bowing, and cowering? Are we making friends with the enemy hoping the enemy will be nice to us? Do we believe that passivity is the answer? Do we believe that we are not to fight against the devil, the satan, or the evil people oppressing us? What if our Bibles are confiscated? It will be too late. What if our churches are closed by rule or mandate? It will be too late.
If we remember the Maccabean era, where the Apphus brothers and the people of the region fought the Seleucids, we see that they often reminded themselves of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were an example of courage to this age of people fighting to take back Jerusalem and maintain the temple. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken captive around 607 BCE, and the civil war of the Maccabees started in 167 BCE. Notice that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were inspirational to the army.
1Ma 2:59 (Brenton) Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.
3Ma 6:6 When the three friends in the land of Babylon of their own will exposed their lives to the fire rather than serve vain things, thou didst send a dewy coolness through the fiery furnace, and bring the fire upon all their adversaries.
The only place we can read of the dewy coolness in the fire is in the Septuagint or the Apocryphal works of The Prayer of Azarias or The Song of the Three Children. This was obviously a common written work at their time.
4Ma 13:9 Brothers, may we die brotherly for the law. Let us imitate the three young men in Assyria who despised the equally afflicting furnace.
4Ma 13:10 Let us not be cowards in the manifestation of piety.
Today we have a rash of cowards in the Church. As the Apphus brothers reminded themselves, if they should die, they should die for the law. There seems to be nothing worse than cowardly religious people. This is why Jesus is vomiting.
4Ma 16:21 And the righteous Daniel was cast unto the lions; and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael, were slung out into a furnace of fire; yet they endured through God.
4Ma 16:22 You, then, having the same faith towards God, be not troubled.
4Ma 16:23 For it is unreasonable that they who know religion should not stand up against troubles.
If you know religion, if you believe you know Yahweh Elohim, then it is unreasonable for you to not stand up against any and all evil. If you believe you are a son of the Most High God, then you must know the satan’s plans for this world as he is the god of this world. It then becomes the obligation of the sons of the Most High God to enforce the Creator’s rule until the Creator calls us home. We fight the fight for our Lord Jesus. We fight the fight for the God and Father of our Lord Jesus. We have no excuse.
In basic terms, the satan’s plan is to enforce a one world government and a one world religion. We need to fight against this plan until we are no longer on the earth. We see political choices in front of us, but many are too lazy to study the details of those choices. One day we may not have the option of choice. The cure for lukewarmness is burning hot zeal for the Lord. Fight for the Lord at every turn. Don’t be afraid of the fire. The writer of Hebrews points out that there are great witnesses who have gone before us, who quenched the violence of fire. But what does the eleventh chapter of Hebrews tell us?
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is understanding hope, which is matters of proof and conviction that are not yet seen. To cure lukewarmness we have to recognize that it is faith that is lacking in our lives. We have belief, and hope, and conviction in the unseen reality. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, had faith.
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Is any of this too hard to endure? If we think it is, we will be vomited.
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
They will not be made perfect without us. They are waiting for us. Then the dead in Christ will rise first and we will be caught up with them. We are encompassed by all those who stood in faith and went before us. They, as well as we, are waiting for the number of the nations to come into the sheepfold, Romans 11:25.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Run the race. Remember our study a few weeks ago, regarding no retreat and no surrender? We are in a marathon, not a skirmish. Continue to run. Notice what Jesus tells us.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Jesus loves us, he corrects us and trains us. He then tells us to be hot, zēloō. Burn with zeal. Then repent. Repent for what? Repent for our lukewarmness. We need to change our mind and our behavior.
If the young men from Judah who were taken by Nebuchadnezzar were made into eunuchs, had their identities changed, and were never allowed to see their families again, stood strong in faith, facing a fiery furnace, then we can too. Even as they walked towards Babylon remembering Isaiah’s prophecy, they had faith for such a time as this. Maybe it is as Mordecai said, maybe we were born for this very occasion. The very occasion where we burn hot for Jesus, and push the satan and his evil plans back. The very occasion where we fight hard to keep Christianity free. Maybe we were born and adopted as Sons and Daughters of the King so that we make his kingdom known in our age of the lukewarm church. We are the authorities on the earth until we are caught up with the cloud of witnesses. What are we lacking? Faith. Faith, which is the understanding of events we hope for, but we have not yet seen.
