Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Will You Bow? Persecution On The Rise Around Us

And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Daniel 3:6&25

"All you have to do, boys, is worship this image," said the King.  He continued, "We'll supply the worship music and you shout the praise!"  He further stated, "If not I'll destroy you and who is there that can save you?"  
"Our God is quite able to deliver us, Sire, but even if He does not we will not bow,"the three Hebrew boys replied.
At this, King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fire.  It was heated 7 times hotter than it was ever heated before.  Later, he was the one singing praise as the Fourth Man walking in the fire showed up.
This story is a classic to read to children, but the events it outlines and the direction that our world is heading is not a child's bedtime story!  It is a present reality.



Always pay attention to repetition in the Bible.  God has a purpose in the way He inspired scripture and subtle things sometimes add to our understanding.  The actual event of throwing the Hebrew heroes in the fire takes up less space then the decree to worship, and why mention the instruments used to call worship four times?  Really, the instruments are mentioned four times.  "That 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..." Daniel 3:5.  These instruments were repeated again in verses 7, 10, 15.  Why did they mention the instruments four times--basically the writer did what I just did.  Why?

He was drawing your attention to the number four. They were mentioned four times because four is a number symbolic of the world in scripture. The point the author is making is that the world is trying by force to make believers follow their tune.  The message is, "fall in line with our ways or else!" What makes this story more important to us today is that worldly control of belief is growing around us as we draw closer to the great prostitute religious system of the Tribulation where all religious concepts are united into one amalgamated mess.  There will be a time when believers will be called to give an account for their authentic faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Persecution, my friends, is on the rise in Western Society.  



Jesus warned that oppression would occur in the last days, yet most seem blissfully unaware that persecution and hate towards believers is seething across lands once bastions for the cause of Christ.   Jesus repeated this warning three times, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22--Also see Mark 13:13 and Luke 21:17)"

Like the Jews who were vilified and then robbed of their rights, possessions, livelihood, property, family, and ultimately their lives in Nazi Germany, Christians in the West are being vilified at every turn.  Now their right to earn a livelihood is threatened as godlessness veils the world.  In New York, the Governor, the protector of the peoples rights in a state, is saying that Christians need to play by the states wicked music or face termination.  (Where is this story in the pro gay Christian biased news media?)   Christian Clerks Face Same-Sex License Showdown | Worthy Christian News

Because the pledge mentions God, a judge in Texas has ordered that a county clerk who said the pledge of allegiance be investigated for disrupting a meeting.

Just a couple of months back, Christians were banned from being able to provide foster care in Britain over their issues of faith and views of homosexuality.  

Can you hear the music?  It is calling you to bow and worship the world and its ways.  Before you do remember the awesome price of the blood of Christ shed for your forgiveness.  Think of the many today who are testifying by their blood to the faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus.  Also remember that the writing is already on the wall for this world.  The prince of this world has been judged and has a certain appointment in the abyss and then an eternal lake of fire. God has weighed the world in the balances and found it lacking.  Stand true!  Surely Jesus Christ is Soon 2 Come!

Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isaiah 40:15

1 comment:

  1. Amen John!
    Yes I hear that music too! But I noticed there are many christians who are walking around with cotton in their ears, thinking if they just don't acknowledge the music it will go away on its own, or better yet, they'll argue with us that THEY don't hear any music and that we're just fear mongering.

    But as true believers we have to remind ourselves that we're in a very real battle, even though all of our serious enemies are invisible.We still have to fight, we can't be excused when we realise it can cost us our very lives.
    We have to do everything we do, with our armor on and be ready to RUN to the battle,at a moments notice like David did.
    Anything we own in this life we must be willing to give up for the Kingdom, its not ours anymore, even our lives.
    Its not about us anymore.
    We have to empty ourselves more and more everyday, until there is nothing left. Now He can fill us up with Jesus, because we have died.We don't love our lives in this world anymore.
    True soldiers have their eyes on the One who sent them to battle. They know very well it may cost them their life. They have made peace with that.They have settled in their hearts they will never bow down to anyone but the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ.
    Theres nothing the enemy can do with these. He can't take their lives, they have already died.
    (2Timothy2:3)
    Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
    4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

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