PLACE: BABYLON TIME: 3500 + years ago A powerful King threatened 3 Hebrew young men with an excruciating death by fire for refusing to bow down and worship his gods and an image of him. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego flat out refused the King in front of the whole crowd of people who were already face down in compliance. They told the King that God, the true God, could deliver them if He wanted...but even if He does not your Majesty, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW, your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up -Daniel 3:18. God delivered them from the fire & the Hebrew captives were emboldened and strengthened by their refusal. TIME: PRESENT DAY PLACE: IRAQ ( BABYLON) ISIS makes the same demands of four young Iraqi Christian children. Submit, bow down to their god, and deny Jesus Christ as the son of the Most High God...or face beheading.The children know that their ISIS captors will do it, they have done it before in several other towns across Western Iraq. By the way, a beheading isnt always a clean strike.It is done with a small knife, sometimes dull. It takes effort on the part of the killer.It is slow and deliberate. Facing certain death, a death sentence to be carried out in front of their father, the children reply, WE LOVE YESHUA(JESUS)....WE HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YESHUA They were given chances to bow down, they refused. They were not delivered this day. All four children were beheaded for their refusal to bow down and submit...but their ETERNAL DESTINATION is secure! Like the Hebrew captives in Daniel, I am emboldened & strengthened by their refusal to submit.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 14:21:26 +0000