Idols – Me From the Inside Out

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

They Would Not Bow Down

Posted on October 14, 2024October 14, 2024 by

based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w3d1

Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey / Daniel 3:1-18, (SOAP: 17-18); 1 Peter 1:3-8

If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. ¹⁸But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”
Daniel 3:17-18. NET / KJV

Observations and Applications

When we last observed King Nebuchadnezzar,¹ he had proclaimed the God of Daniel to be the God of gods and the Lord of kings. Yet, here he is threatening Daniel’s friends with ‘death by fiery furnace’ – saying, “Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?” It is doubtful that the king had truly forgotten the god of Daniel and the interpretation of his dream, but rather that the king’s proclamation of “God of gods²” wasn’t necessarily an indication of a changed heart. This is proved true in today’s journey as he unveils a giant gold statue of himself and orders everyone to bow down and worship the statue.

I remember this story being played out on the flannelgraph boards of many Sunday School classes and/or Jr. Church hours of my childhood: the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar, the golden statue, Daniel’s three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), and, of course, the fiery furnace. But what hit me as I was reading the story today is that Daniel wasn’t part of the story. Where was he? Why wasn’t he being forced to bow or die?

After digging through the Scriptures and some trusted commentaries, it appears that while the Bible never addresses where Daniel was³, the most plausible explanation is that he was away on the King’s business and not subject to the command to bow to the statue. However, his friends were there, and they faced the king’s ultimatum: to worship the gods of the Babylonians and the golden statue or die. The king not only threatened the three young men, but he questioned the power of their God. Yet, the men stood firm in their beliefs and bold in their stand against the idols, the false gods, and the King’s ultimatum.

A deep-seated faith leads to a firm foundation,
which graces us with bold courage
in the face of real and present dangers.
Me from the inside-out 🦋

They refused to bow not once but twice, assuring the king that their God could rescue them from the fiery furnace and the king’s power. For me, the most impressive and inspiring part of their response was their bold declaration that even if God did not rescue them, they would still not serve the gods of the Babylonians nor pay homage to the golden statue.

When I heard this story as a child, I’m quite sure that I did not fully comprehend the lesson with the clarity that I have today. As the LGG journal entry⁴ points out, “… the world is constantly pulling at us to worship false gods. We often find ourselves worshiping beauty, money, success, fame, popularity, family, politics, entertainment, etc. The truth is that these things have no eternal value. We are called to so much more?”

The journal entry goes on to say, “It is not always easy to stand firm for our faith. But like Daniel’s friends, knowing who God is and trusting His ways, no matter the outcome, allows us to persevere through trials. What we experience here on earth is not the end. We have an eternal hope waiting for us.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

May this hope help us to stay faithful even in this faithless land. Help us to worship You with all our hearts. Over the difficult circumstances of our lives, we pray, not our will, but yours will be done. Help us know we can trust You in all situations. May how we react to difficulties and trials show the genuineness of our faith in You alone. Amen

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight into today’s journey, be sure to check out today’s LGG Blog Post.

Would you like to share in the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Check out the Know These Truths Link –

Know These Truths

Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 2, Friday – Do Not Be Deceived

Posted on May 7, 2021May 2, 2021 by

READ: HOSEA 4:15-19; PSALM 47; SOAP: PSALM 47:8

¹⁵“Though you, Israel, are a prostitute, may Judah not be guilty of such things. Do not join the false worship at Gilgal or Beth-aven, and do not take oaths there in the Lord’s name. ¹⁶Israel is stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. So should the Lord feed her like a lamb in a lush pasture? ¹⁷Leave Israel alone because she is married to idolatry. ¹⁸When the rulers of Israel finish their drinking,
off they go to find some prostitutes. They love shame more than honor. ¹⁹So a mighty wind will sweep them away. Their sacrifices to idols will bring them shame.
Hosea 4:15-19 New Living Translation

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
¹Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! ²For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. ³He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. ⁴He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. Interlude ⁵God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. ⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! ⁷For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. ⁸God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. ⁹The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.
Psalm 47

In today’s verses, Hosea gives Judah a warning, similar to that of 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.”
Check out the full LGG Blog

REFLECTION QUESTION: WHAT CORRELATION, IF ANY, DO YOU SEE BETWEEN OUR TWO PASSAGES TODAY? IS THE COMPARISON HELPFUL? IF SO, HOW?

Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 2, Thursday Idols, Then and Now

Posted on May 6, 2021May 2, 2021 by

READ: HOSEA 4:1-14; MICAH 6:8; SOAP: HOSEA 4:12

Hosea 4:1-14
The Lord’s Case against Israel 4 Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! The Lord has brought charges against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. ²You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere— one murder after another. ³That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing. ⁴“Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! My complaint, you priests, is with you. ⁵So you will stumble in broad daylight, and your false prophets will fall with you in the night and I will destroy Israel, your mother. ⁶My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. ⁷The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols.
⁸“When the people bring their sin offerings, the priests get fed. So the priests are glad when the people sin! ⁹‘And what the priests do, the people also do.’ So now I will punish both priests and people for their wicked deeds. ¹⁰They will eat and still be hungry. They will play the prostitute and gain nothing from it, for they have deserted the Lord to worship other gods. “Wine has robbed my people of their understanding. ¹²They ask a piece of wood for advice! They think a stick can tell them the future! Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute, serving other gods and deserting their God. ¹³They offer sacrifices to idols on the mountaintops. They go up into the hills to burn incense in the pleasant shade of oaks, poplars, and terebinth trees. “That is why your daughters turn to prostitution, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
¹⁴But why should I punish them for their prostitution and adultery? For your men are doing the same thing, sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes. O, foolish people! You refuse to understand, so you will be destroyed.
New Living Translation

Micah 6:8
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good and this is what he requires of you to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
New Living Translation

I think Hosea’s time was very similar to what we experience today: A lack of faithfulness or steadfast love.
See other comparisons in today’s LGG Blog: Idols, Then and Now

REFLECTION QUESTION: WHAT THINGS IN YOUR OWN LIFE CAUSE YOU TO TURN AWAY FROM GOD OR LEAD YOUR HEART INTO IDOLATRY? – I KNOW THIS ONE IS TOUGH, BUT WHETHER YOU SHARE YOUR ANSWER HERE OR NOT – I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER IT AND WRITE IT IN YOUR OWN PRIVATE JOURNAL OR AT THE VERY LEAST TALK TO GOD ABOUT IT IN PRAYER. I BELIEVE WHEN WE SEE AND NAME THE PROBLEM IT’S HALF THE BATTLE.