EPC Australia

Conduct so tried, and so triumphant in the trial, must have had some principle to produce it. He who acts without principle, is the slave of impulse, humour, accident, custom and you can no more rely upon him than upon a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. But when a man is governed by principle, he will be consistent in his practice. He may have infirmities, but a sameness pervades his character. He may err, but he is conscientious, and his excellences will appear even in his mistakes and failings. Can we find a principle adequate to this heroism? The Apostle tells us it was faith. But faith must have something to lay hold of, and the faith of these young men seizes three things.

The first is, the power of God. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace." They knew nothing was too hard for the Lord. And we believe in the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. We, indeed, are not to look for miracles, but the power of God is the same as formerly, and there are cases in which the view of it can alone inspire relief. When difficulties multiply, and means fail, and creatures say, Help is not in us, then we must lay hold of his strength, and remember that he is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think.

The second is, his disposition. "And he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king." This they deemed probable; perhaps they had a persuasion of it, derived from a divine impression, or deduced from the character of God, and the records of his Word. They had read in the Scriptures, along with the experience of his people, the assurance, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Here is another argument of faith: His people eye his goodness, as well as his power; and know that he will appear for them, and save them, in his own way, and in his own time.

The third, is a future state. "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." What, would they refuse, even if death was the consequence? Yes. And this shows undeniably, that they did not consider death as annihilation. They would not have acted thus had they believed that there was nothing beyond the grave. Had they perished in the furnace, their martyrdom could not have been their duty; it would have been the sacrifice of fools; their end would have been madness.

This is the very case argued by the Apostle: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable." "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?" God does not require us to sacrifice our being and happiness for ever to his pleasure. It is not his pleasure; it cannot be his pleasure. By the law of our nature, and the authority of his Word, we are even commanded to seek our welfare, and to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and therefore, to be willing to give these up, would be disobedience and contempt. But the language was wise and noble, when they knew, that though they fell in the conflict, they should yet be more than conquerors, and that, if they lost a dying, they would obtain an immortal life.

It is absurd to suppose the Jews of old had no knowledge of a future state. Search the Scriptures, says the Saviour, for in them ye think ye have eternal life. Abraham, and his fellow-heirs of the same promise, said such things as declared plainly that they sought a country, even a heavenly. David said, "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, acted upon this belief, and must have acted upon it. They endured as seeing Him who is invisible. And what was Nebuchadnezzar, compared with the Almighty? What was the furnace, compared with the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death? What could they gain by complying, compared with what they would for ever lose? And what could they lose by refusing, compared with what they would for ever gain? "We reckon," said they, "that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."

And our faith must regard the future, or we shall be often perplexed and vanquished. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. This believed and realized, explains all, harmonizes all, indemnifies all, glorifies all; "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal." "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

Morning Exercises For Everyday In The Year
By Rev. William Jay