This past week our VBS was based on stories from the book
of Daniel. One of the stories was about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being
thrown into the fiery furnace. They were not thrown into the furnace for doing
anything wrong. In fact, they appear to be the only ones in the story who were
standing for God’s truth.
Because the stories in Daniel occurred about 2,600 years
ago, they can seem distant. But in our modern world, Christians still face
fiery trials and persecution for doing what God wants them to do. While we were
living in Indonesia, three Indonesian women were arrested for including some
Muslim children, with the approval of their parents, in a Sunday School program
they ran. We didn’t know these women personally as they lived on a different
island. But we followed their story closely and prayed for them. We shared
their story with Christians in America for prayer. At their trial, a radical
Islamic mob showed up. When you watch this short video clip, you’ll easily see
why I view Rebekka, Eti, and Ratna to be a modern-day equivalent of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego:
God did not keep Shardrach, Meshach, and Abednego from
being thrown into the fiery furnace. Neither did He keep Rebekka, Eti, and
Ratna from being unjustly thrown into prison. But just as God was with the His
three faithful servants in the fiery furnace, He was with the three Indonesian
women in prison. This short video tells how God helped them and worked through
them:
How should these two stories – the story which took place
in Babylon 2,600 years ago and the one which took place in Indonesia in our
lifetime – affect our lives?
I would like to suggest two applications, each based on
Scripture.
1. We should pray
for our brothers and sisters in Christ who experience intense persecution in
many places around the world today.
Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison
with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.
(Hebrews 13:3 CSB17)
Take some time to learn about persecuted Christians.
Christians often experience severe persecution in Muslim, Communist, and Hindu
majority nations. Your prayers can help them. The Lord may show you other ways
to help as well.
2. Be prepared
with God’s help to suffer for righteousness and for the gospel.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
(Matt. 5:10 CSB17)
Dear
friends, don't be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you
as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in
the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his
glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are
blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
(1 Peter 4:12-14 CSB17)
In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12 CSB17)
Some of you may be called to serve God in dangerous
places where there is intense persecution of Christians. Even if you’re not,
you should expect to suffer some forms of persecution at some point in your
life for doing what God wants you to do. That persecution could come in the
form of a lost job opportunity, false accusations and slander, loss friends, or
opposition from your own family. Tragically, sometimes even people who claim to
be Christians persecute other Christians.
You will be better prepared to face opposition and
suffering for Jesus if you have been staying close to Him. Stay close to the
Lord through prayer, Bible reading, and Christian fellowship. Then, when you
are facing pressure to bow to modern day idols or to stop serving God in some
way, you will have the supernatural courage you need to follow the example of
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the example of Rebekka, Eti, and Ratna.
May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you!
Here are some other blog posts about Christian persecution:
Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .
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