ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR NOVEMBER 16, 2022  (AT THE ALTAR OF MEN)

TOPIC: ” AT THE ALTAR OF MEN”

Read: Daniel 3:1-18(NKJV)

1. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] sixty cubits [and] its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent [word] to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4. Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
5. “[that] at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, [and] psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;
6. “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
7. So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, [and] lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down [and] worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
9. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!
10. “You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, [and] psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;
11. “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12. “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
14. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “[Is it] true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, [that] you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
15. “Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, [and] psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, [good!] But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who [is] the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17. “If that [is the case,] our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver [us] from your hand, O king.
18. “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

MESSAGE
STUDY: Our text today tells the story of Nebuchadnezzar II. It was he who destroyed the temple of Jerusalem and initiated the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish population, and in the exercise of his self-exalted power and authority, he set up an image of gold whose height was sixty cubits and width six cubits and commanded every nation and people to fall down and worship it. The faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Living God, was the target of this demonic project. The collective response of these three young men is worthy of emulation.

They demonstrated faith and obedience in the service of God regardless of the cost (vv. 16-18). Do we still have such persons in the Church today – Christians who will not compromise their faith by bowing down to worship at the altar of influential men to gain political power, religious or ecclesiastical position or financial prosperity? May God find you worthy and faithful like these three exemplary Hebrew men as you “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude v.3).
PRAYER: Father, make me the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of my generation; one who will never bow down and worship at the altar of men, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

The Anglican Communion is the fourth-largest Christian denomination. Founded in 1867 in London, England, the communion currently has 85 million members within the Church of England and other national and regional churches in full communion.