Daniel 3
1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18But 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.
Comments by Joan Boney ...
The statement made in verse 18 settled the matter ... They told the king they would not serve his gods nor worship the golden image which he had set up.
It is over ... yet there was more to the story but basically it ended with the statement made in verse 18. No matter what happens to us we will not serve your god or the image you set up.
From time to time, each of us face the moment when the devil says "if you fall down and worship me (do what I say) all will be thine."
But if you continue in the way you are going, you will be destroyed one way or another.
The devil spoke this to Jesus in Mt. 4 ... 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship (obey) me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
At one point, I was on radio in Seattle. I had been shown corruption in various ministires and was speaking that on radio naming the minister by name and telling of the corrupt offence in the ministry.
The manager of the Seattle radio station was standing at the door of my meeting room when I arrived for a meeting. George said: "Joan, you have many wonderful messages. Just speak those messages. If you keep speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you. We may have to put you off the air."
Out of my mouth came the defining word that would carry me the rest of my life.
"George ... if I don't speak the message I believe to be from God then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, "Do what you will but we will not serve your god nor the golden image you have set up."
Sometimes they kill you, consider Stephen. (Acts 7) Consider John the Baptist. (Mt. 14) Other times you are delivered as in case of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego.
Either way, the end comes when the decision is made ... I will not serve you. I will serve God.
Often these things happen in businesses. Sometimes you have to lose your job.
There is often a price to pay to follow God and to do what HE wants done. But some of us know that is all that really matters.