₦airaland Forum

DANIEL 3:28

[Daniel 3:28 NKJV] - Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!

[Daniel 3:28 ICB] - Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God. They refused to obey my command. And they were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god other than their own.

[Daniel 3:28 BSB] - Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

THEY OVERCAME IN WORDS OF TESTIMONY


In this Bible verse, the king gave an open "Testimony-Blessing" or "Testimony-Praise" to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who proved to be true worshipers that worshiped God in Spirit and in truth even in the face of death and furnace of fire. The key contents of the Testimony-Blessing of that great world's king in ancient days include:

"A" What God did/sent His angel to do, against what the king had doubted if the same God or any gods could ever do before.

"B" What the three faithful Christians did, against what the king had said or commanded in all his authority and presence.

Remember the message about gradation of faith from what God can do, then what God will do or has done, and then what the men who have faith in God will do and have done by their faith and trust in God.

Talking about what those men who trusted and loved God did has overshadowed what God did or sent His angel to do in my analysis of that king's "Testimony-Blessing/Praise" to God of those men

It's not, let God's Light shine before men, but rather let your own light shine before men in ways those men would see your good works (not just see the miraculous/angel of God's work) and then glorify your Father (your God) in heaven (Matthew 5:16). That was what Nebuchadnezzar and the world in the Bible verse above were doing to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who did the goodwork and shined their light together with the Angel through the fire before all men there witnessing


I have cited these three translations because I like the different ways each of them phrased their concluding sentences about what those men did in that testimony of the king to the world:

*1* One Translation, (which did put the entire Bible verse as one single but long sentence), put its last pasts of the sentence thus: "and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!"

*2* Another Translation, (the one that put the entire Bible verse as group of five sentences), put its last two sentences thus: "They refused to obey my command. And they were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god other than their own."

*3* The next Translation, (the one that put the entire Bible verse as group of two sentences), put its last sentence thus: "They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."

The equation here implies that "Yielding their Bodies" is the same as "Willing to die" or the same as "Risked their lives." Whatever term used for it, it was the "Cost or Price" they had to pay both to overcome the king's word (overcome the world) and to upgrade the price of worshiping/serving God by standing against idolatry at the cost of putting their lives/bodies on the line. And you may later see how this price they paid for worshiping/serving only the true God resulted in the entire world praising/blessing the God of those men, and a decree to hallow the Name and fear the God of those men of God was issued through out the world.

In the Bible verse above, the king who was very furious and angry against those three men for defying the king's command or refusing the king's compromise, the same king is now praising the God of those men and praising those men for defying the king's command and standing for the truth and for God in faithfulness. The society that was against those men and wanted them cast away because those men were not doing like them in compromise, the same society was here celebrating those men who held their integrity. Have you not seen or heard such?

The Stone which the builders rejected is the same Stone the builders are now celebrating and praising as the Chiefest or Best Stone among the rest.

Those for whom you compromised your faith, your truth and holiness, because you desire to have their love — they would later lose their trust, their love and respect, for you. But those for whom you never compromised your faith, your truth, and your holiness, even despite the hatred or danger you had to face for refusing them — they would later trust, love and respect you for your devotion and faithfulness in God. If you are true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and worshiper of God in Spirit and in Truth, you don't have to change for the world because the world is changing for you. All things work together for good to those who love God without compromise/backsliding, and are called according to God's Purpose.

The king was even celebrating a testimony that those men defied, rejected and disregarded the king's words and wrath, to stand for their faith, their religion and righteousness, in worshiping/serving God in Spirit and in truth, in life or death, in furnace fire or not.

The Bible that says, "Obey those in authority" also praised the faith/faithfulness of those who "Disobeyed those in authority in order to uphold their faith/obedience to God." Example:

Moses was a man who yielded his body, and was not afraid of the king's wrath: Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer for Christ than to enjoy the sin life of wealth and riches in the king's palace. As it is written,

[Hebrews 11:24-27] — "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible."

We have many Christians in the world now than in history past, but how many of the Christians are ready to give up sin and riches for the reproach and suffering of Christ? How many Christians today would yield their bodies to be burnt like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or put their lives at risk on the line, striving against sin and against the entire world government and people?

[Hebrews 12:3‭-‬4 FBV] — Think about Jesus who endured such hostility from sinful people so you don't grow tired and become discouraged. Your resistance so far hasn't cost you blood as you fight against sin.

[Luke 9:23‭-‬27 BSB] — Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truthfully, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

+

&

DANIEL 3:27

[Daniel 3:27 AKJV] - And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, on whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

[Daniel 3:27 GNT] - All the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.

PART 1 - BODY SCANNING/EXAMINATION

You are seeing in the Bible verse above that all the princes, governors, officials and kings there present, gathered, scanned or examined thoroughly the bodies of those three men that came out of the fire. Their Bodies were being searched and scanned for the depth of the fire in their bodies: No effect, no power and no sign, of the fire passing through them, even though they passed through the fire.

I believe you know what getting scanned, searched or bodily examined means. But have you integrated the use of body scanning in Spiritual path and judgment ahead? Scanning is part of the trials we have to go through. There is in the ministry of the priest, the work of body-scanning and quarantining [Leviticus 13]. The Lord Jesus Christ told the ten Lepers to go get Body-Scanned by the priest, and on their way going for body-scanning they were healed; but only one returned to the Lord Jesus Christ.

*** The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, after rising from the dead, submitted His Resurrected Body for people like Thomas to scan or examine His Body.

*** Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, came out of the fire, but have their bodies submitted to be scanned or examined by governors, officials, rulers, princes of this world.

And Jesus Christ said, [John 14:30] "... the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me."

When the princes of this world come or scan the body of a Servant of God, those princes of the world should find nothing that belong to their fire or to their nature on the body of that Servant of God just as those princes of this world could not find on the bodies of those three servants of the most high God anything done or belonging to their fire. But on the flip side, when the righteous/saints/angels scan the body of a Servant of God, they are looking for the properties or marks of the Lord Jesus Christ on the body.

And Paul said, [Galatians 6:17] — "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

You see why there's difference between when the world "Body-Scans you" and when the heavens "Body-Scans you." When the prince of the world Body-Scanned the Lord Jesus Christ, finding nothing of his marks in/on the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was the excellent score for the Lord Jesus Christ. But when Thomas Body-Scanned the Lord Jesus Christ, finding the Marks of the Lord Jesus Christ in/on the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was rather the excellent score for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Imagine you are to enter highly secured office for the first time, and you had to go through two check points:

*Check Point A* - At the first check point, the armed men there scanned/searched your body against you carrying arms, weapons, etc, which they themselves who are searching you are having or carrying on them. They carry those things (weapons/marks), but they are searching you to be sure you are not carrying them though they are carrying them: and if they find nothing (of those things/weapons/marks) on you when they body-scan you, then they rate you "Cleared" and allow you to enter.

*Check Point B* - At the Second/Last check point, the men there scanned or searched your body but they are looking for what you have or should carry along with you, such as ID, Passport, Invitation or Marks that shows you have been in communication or contact before with the person(s) you are looking for inside before they clear you and allow you to enter.

"How did you come in here without having your wedding garment?"

You see the difference between the two checkpoints and between their "Body-scans?" Now let's apply Check Point A to the context of the top Bible verse above:

CHECK POINT A

The Princes, Governors, Rulers of this world Body-Scanned the three servants of the most high God after they came out of the fire. In that case, they were looking for the fire's report card because it's the fire that actually did the body-scanning on them while they were looked for the results or reports on them. The fact the fire had no power or impact on them meant they had nothing belonging to or nothing in common with those rulers.

And may I add that they did not find any "Charms, Protection Spell, or Diabolical fortification" against fire or arms on their bodies when they Body-Scanned the three men out of the fire.

In the last Day, God's Fire would be used as one of the greatest Scanners. The rulers or princes of this world do not need to be there to check or scan anyone because God's Fire will do the Scanning and the Day would declare it. Whatever belongs to the world or whatever the princes of this world have in common marking with anyone shall surely not escape the fire.

[1 Corinthians 3:13-17] — "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."



[Daniel 3:27 GNT] - All the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and there was no smell of smoke on them.

PART 2 - SUPERIOR BODIES OF MEN BY GOD


The same calibers of dignitaries that once gathered to dedicate, to behold, and to adore, the "Golden Statue" are now in the Bible verse above gathered to behold wonders that are far above that which the golden statue had — Those were the wonders and glories of "Supernatural Bodies and Clothing" beyond the powers or effects of any natural fire to seventh degree.

Those people thought a magnificent body of man built completely of the gold (riches) of this world was the most glorious body adornment to man, until they began seeing supernatural bodies of real men which the gold in all the planet can not buy or afford. These supernatural bodies of men could be like:

*1* The Supernatural Bodies Adam and Eve had before their sin: Adam and Eve had supernatural and bright bodies that matched the best of all realms or all worlds as if they were Stars/Lights themselves.

*2* The Supernatural Body Moses had when his unveiled face was shine like light or his natural force unabated: Through Moses' Body, we saw that old aging, depreciation, failing of strength/freshness, dying, decaying of worms, and waxing old, had neither power nor effect on Moses' Body.

*3* The Supernatural Body Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had when they walked in the midst of the 7-times burning fiery furnace: Through Bodies of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we saw that natural fire had neither power nor effect on those class of supernatural Bodies or on the Clothing of those bodies.

*4* Above all, The Body of Immortality, Resurrection, Life and Glories the Lord Jesus Christ now has forever. Through Him, with Him and inside Him, we shall have or become parts of His Body.



Let's Grade the Bodies according to their Classes. But let's also assume all the Bodies we are grading here are in Sanctification, Virginity or Undefiled Bodies: No fornication (or adultery) and no defilement ever on these Bodies/Bed in marriage.

*Class 1* — The Virgins (Undefiled):

All the men/women of God I mentioned here in this second segment before or after were either virgins (before married) or undefiled (both before and during married). Moses was a virgin for 40 years before he married a virgin daughter of Jethro. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, were all virgins (eunuchs). Adam and Eve were virgins throughout their stay in the Garden of Eden, even though they were married and naked there. The Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and remained a Virgin.

Those in this class possess "Holy Bodies" or "Holy Vessels in Honor and Sanctification. Reproach (shame) and dishonor have no power on their bodies. Therefore, being virgins/undefiled in body, they were holy both in body & in spirit [1 Corinthians 7:34].

I am telling you to pursue holiness of the body:

[2 Corinthians 7:1] - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

[Revelation 14:4-5] — "These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those which follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."

………………...........

*Class 2* — The Anointed/Consecrated Virgins (Custodians of God's Holy Spirit on/in their Bodies):

Those in this class possess higher Bodies than those in the preceding because the Anointing, Grace or Spirit of God attached to their physical Bodies. These include men like Anointed Priests like Aaron, Samson as Nazarite, Elisha who's dead bones could raise the dead, John the Baptist, Samuel, Anointed Nazarites or special people that came with special Bodies that come with special rules like no cutting hairs, no eating certain foods or drinks, or nearing dead bodies/corpses in connection with their bodies and the Spirit attached to their bodies. Hence, Separation.

………………...........

*Class 3* — The Supernatural Bodied Men

Those in this class were higher in Bodies than those in preceding class of Bodies. They had their bodies translated or transfigured into possessing some supernatural attributes on their bodies. And it's like God shared or distributed different portions of those supernatural attributes to different men whom God translated so.

Enoch was translated with portions that his body should not see death, but the Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured that His Body should see death and become the most acceptable Sacrifice to God but His Body should not see corruption in hell/grave. Moses was transfigured with portions that his body should bear the glory of God on his face and shine like stars/small sun, and his body should not see aging, depreciation or oldness failures. Elijah was transfigured that his body should be able to switch between the visible and invisible at his will, making him able to appear and disappear or become invisible like angels or ghosts, making Elijah with his body a spirit, and not just carnal flesh. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were transfigured that no lesser fire should have any power or impact on their bodies by any degree.

There are others who attained and received transfiguration of the bodies with just portions of the abilities of angels through those bodies. No man of God seemed to have had all there are to angel's bodies & abilities while dwelling on the earthly body before death.

………………...........

*Class 4* — The Spiritual Bodied, Resurrected Bodied, Eternally Glorified Bodied, and Immortal Bodied Men

This is the highest class of Bodies, and those who have these Bodies of immortality are called, "Sons of God." All those various portions exhibited by different supernatural bodied men and more would be complete in the Glorified Bodies of immortality that the sons of God shall have.

Like demonstrated with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the top Bible verse above:

[Revelation 20:6] — "Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

+

DANIEL 3:25

[Daniel 3:25 NKJV] - “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

[Daniel 3:25 FBV] - “Look!” he cried out. “How is it that I can see four men, not tied up, walking around in the fire and not being burned? And the fourth one looks like a god!”

THE SPIRITUAL IMAGE/PICTURES THAT WITCHES AND AGENTS OF DARKNESS SEE ABOUT TRUE CHRISTIANS

Nebuchadnezzar the king continued seeing revelations and visions more than many people of God in his time, though he was a pagan. In the preceding chapter, Nebuchadnezzar saw vision; in this Chapter and Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar saw vision again; and in the next chapter following, Nebuchadnezzar saw another.

When next you tell the story of the fourth Person in the fire, you may well remember that the testimony came from the man who forced people to worship idols and cast the three men of the four men he saw into that fire. It was not a Christian who saw and told that glorious testimony, but an Occultic man/king saw and told it.

I remembered incidents of agents of darkness, witches & cultists testifying how they usually saw true Christians in spiritual realms having lights, wearing shining bright robes, surrounded by fire or lights, or under some sort of protection/covering that immunes such Christians from their psychic attacks or spells. Have you not heard were one who was once in such diabolical group, testifying how they attempted to killed the true or strong Christians in spiritual realms, but they couldn't touch or harm those Christians; and they even saw lights or glories on those Christians, which ordinary people could not see physically? Even the Christians do not see those things while looking at themselves, but the agents of darkness were able to see those things on those true believers.

Well, this Bible verse above is an example of such, wherein a king of an Occultic world together with his astrologers, magicians, wise men or counselors, attempted to put three faithful Christians to death by fire and chains, but they saw they couldn't harm those Christians, their chains around the Christians were broken, their seven times fire was ineffective and harmless to the Christians, and there was presence of the Son of God or Angel in their midst.

Who was that man of God that the former occult grand master attempted to attack by esoteric ways, but he saw in spiritual realms that the man of God was in the middle of a field of fire, which neither the occult grand master nor the strong demon in him could approach?

Now, I want you to look beyond the image/testimony/respect of such occultists, cultists, witches, wizards, demons, agents of darkness, etc., about the power and glory of God on you, if you are a true and faithful Christian. Rather be more concerned about the image/respect/testimony of God and the heavens about you.

For usually, what those in darkness celebrate as great light may be a little or insignificant light to those who dwell in far more greater light and wisdom. Your night lights may feel like local champion in the night, but at noon day under the sun they're low.

[2 Corinthians 3:10] — "For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels."

So let us who are mature in the light and revelations of the Lord look at that picture, image or vision, the king saw about those three faithful Christian in the fire.

Is that all they saw about you Christians in the fire? That you were free from the chains, you were untouchable and harmless even in fire, and the mighty presence of the Lord was manifest with you: and nothing by any means hurt you

While such testimony would make many pastors, men of God, Christians and Believers, celebrate or feel great about their stand and place in the Lord Jesus Christ; I, Peterch, would have felt so sad as if I was far short of my calling, if those details described me in the position of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the fire

This is because,

*1* I would not be comparing myself to the fire (which though is seven times hotter, yet had no power on me):

*2* I would not be comparing myself to the chains that were broken or yokes destroyed by the anointing present:

*3* I would not be comparing myself to the enemies, the rulers, the observers or people who I overcame or made to wonder at me:

What would I be comparing myself to in the midst of all those?

I would be comparing myself to the Person who was described as the Son of God or as God in the midst of us. Why I would have been sad would be because I was not yet as He is or as glorious as I beheld Him.

They were three the king cast into the fire, but the king saw four of them: but only the fourth Person was seen as "gods" or "Son of God" among them four. That would trouble me because I was not like Him in nature, though I have His Presence/Power with me.

Lord, I want to be like You in all ramifications of your Glory I see. This is not just about the liberty/freedom/power in wherever You or Your Spirit is, but about me seeing You and changing more and more into Your Image by Your Spirit or Presence. As it is written,

[2 Corinthians 3:17-18] — "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit."

Why should we be four in the fire, but only You appeared as the Son of God to those agents of darkness, whereas we see You but we were not like You nor seen as sons of God too? This has changed by the Father's Love and Grace. As it is written,

[1 John 3:1-3] — "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called "the sons of God:" therefore the world does not know us, because the world did not know Him. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall become like Him; for we shall see Him the way He is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure."

So, if I have to choose between "how the agents of darkness were seeing Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego in the fire" and "how the agents of darkness were seeing Samuel ascending from hell"

I would rather choose how they saw Samuel ascending from hell, because the witch saw him as a "god" or "son of God." As written,

[1 Samuel 28:13-14 GW] — "“Don’t be afraid,” the king said to her. “What do you see?” “I see a god rising from the ground,” the woman answered. “In what form?” he asked her. She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground."

DANIEL 3:24

[Daniel 3:24 BSB] - Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied.

[Daniel 3:24 ICB] - Then King Nebuchadnezzar was very surprised and jumped to his feet. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men? Didn’t we throw them into the fire?” They answered, “Yes, our king.”

Two things about the king in the Bible verse above:

PART ONE - AMAZEMENT AFTER ASSASSINATION

*1* The King was shocked (astonished)

Stories would be read and told —That there have been great people who others thought putting them to death or destruction meant ending them or silencing them forever; but they realized to their great shock/amazement that killing those people only made them far more alive and far more influential and powerful than they were before.

In this Bible verse above, Nebuchadnezzar the king acted like a man who is shocked at seeing the people he killed yet alive; seeing alive and thriving the people he was sure he killed and confirmed dead. It's as if he was seeing ghosts. The way Cain was shocked at hearing the voice of his brother Abel still speaking after he was sure he killed him. The king in Bible above became more shocked, more astonished, more restless and unable to remain sited on his throne of power for those three Christians he condemned, consumed and destroyed by the fire, because those he killed refused to remain dead or to stay dead; and that haunts.


PART TWO - ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER ASSASSINATION

*2* The King asked his advisers/counselors, didn't we threw three men into the fire? And they confirmed it so.

By the king's question and by the answer his advisers/counselors gave him here, then there are these two Accountabilities:

*A* Accountability for the Number of people they cast into the fire or killed; — (In this case they were 3)

*B* Accountability for all those who supported, agreed or were involved in condemning and casting the 3 men into the furnace of fire: — (In this case it was not the King only that was responsible but including his advisers, counselors and ministers, involved)

How many people were killed by us, and how many were we who killed them?


A — How God and His People would account for the number or statistics of those who shall be cast into the lake of fire is by retaining those books the angels used in recording the deeds of everyone of those who's names are not written in the Book of Life. Even though the damned shall be cast into the lake of fire, the records of the heavens about them shall remain with the heavens.

B — How God and His People would account for those who were with Him, who supported Him and agreed with Him, in decision of casting anyone into the lake of fire, is by God not conducting the final Judgment alone or in isolation but involving the chosen saints and the Panel of Judges so that it would be in agreement of atleast two or three who stand for Righteousness, Justice, Mercy, Holiness, Wisdom and Truth, before anyone is cast into the Fire.

Iamanoited:
THE MANUAL FOR LIFE IS FEELING THINKING REASONING ACTING INTERACTING AND MOVEMENTS.

No way! The true manual for life is meditating on the words commanded by God and living in obedience by every Word of God.

+

DANIEL 3:23

[Daniel 3:23 TLV] — And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell bound into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

[Daniel 3:23 FBV] — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the furnace of blazing fire.

WE WALK THROUGH THE EDGES OF HELL FIRE BENEATH: TAKE HEED LEST YOU FALL

In this Bible verse above, what is written is that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, "Fell" into the midst of the furnace of fire still bound when they were falling. This means, they were not just cast, thrown or pushed, into it but they fell into it.

Kindly understand this: — Those soldiers who were killed by the fire did not completely cast or throw them into the midst of the fire though they had its intention and had the honor of completing the task because they died doing it. And in this Bible verse above, those three men eventually fell bound into the fire even though those soldiers already died and were not alive when the three Christians fell bound into the midst of the fire in this Bible verse.

The preceding bible verse said those soldiers excorted or took the three Christians "upwards" (not downwards) to the furnace of the fire; and no record of the soldiers pushing them downwards into the pit of the fire before the fire killed the soldiers. So there was a strange thing that happened between where the soldiers reached in bringing the three Christians into the furnace and how the three Christians fell bound into the midst of the fire. Before I explain what the strange happening in the Bible verse above, let me illustrate with an excerpt from a movie I saw decades ago.

Kong, that giant Gorilla that was in love with a woman, was eventually captured and transported in the deep basement of the great ship to America. The basement where the Giant Kong was in chains had opened roof partially covered with grill or burglary proof against the giant, but through which a man-sized person could pass or fall through. While onboard the sea, the woman whom Kong was in love with decided to go and calm the agitated Kong, and she was up there looking at it from the proof or roof grill. The woman's fiance saw her at that dangerous position and called her to come back or leave there; and as he was approaching her to draw her back, she ran further on the grill taking more risk. Then Kong, the giant Gorilla jumped up to shake the basement, so that she would fall down; and she fell down through one of the holes. But as she was falling, Kong caught her with its giant palm. Later, Kong let her climb up and go free from the basement or dungeon.

*1* The same Kong, which loved her, made her fall into the trap to catch her.

*2* The same Kong, which caught her, suddenly let her go free without forcing her to remain in the prison with it or forcing its will/choice on her.

If it was her fiance, whom Kong hated, that came close or fell into Kong's hand, Kong would have killed the man instantly.

Now, to explain the strange happening that made it appear that those three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the fire. What I am about to say may not be written visibly in the Bible verse above, but I have seen a dream or vision of what I knew as lake of fire and the behavior of the fire. Before I tried to reach my hand in trying to pull someone out and the Lord stopped me, I had observed no one that was cast or condemned to the fire could ever escape from the fire. I also saw some smokes trying to escape from the fire, and the fire was calmly watching the smoke ascending; and then to my great shock, the fire leaped up and grabbed all the smokes violently and brought them back down: and then the fire became very furious, raging and violent, because of those trying to escape it.

I got understanding there that once anything is cast into or given to the fire, it can never again be taken out or escape the fire for all eternity: That even God Himself would not pull out anyone or anything He has cast into the lake of fire, which is the reason God is very careful before casting anything/anyone into the lake of fire, for that act is irreversible. Look, if God cast anyone into hell, into Abyss (Bottomless pit) or into any dungeon/pit/prison, God may certainly bring the person out one day: but if God cast anyone into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone [Second Death] there shall never ever be a bringing out for that person in all eternity.

However, with the body of immortality or body of those who pertook in the first resurrection, one can enter the lake of fire and still come out. This is because the Lake of Fire (second death) has no power over the Bodies of those who pertook in the First Resurrection or clothed in immortality [Revelation 20:6]. I will discuss more on this when we come to the Bible verse where they saw the furnace of fire had no power over the body, the hair and clothes of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego [Daniel 3:27].

But focussing on the top Bible verse above, I say fire caused the fall of the three men, the way Kong caused the fall of the woman. By the way, when fire burns heavily through platforms, it's easier for those platforms to suddenly collapse under the weights they would have carried if there was no fire that burnt them. So those men fell downwards, bound or tied, into the midst or center pit of the fire after they were taken upwards by those soldiers that tied them up and died in the process of taking them up to the fire.

We walk through the edges of hell fire beneath: Take heed lest you fall

God put the Path of life like a Bridge above for the wise to walk through that Bridge without falling into the fire or hell by either sides of the edges of the Bridge: but the fools and the careless do fall off into the fire or hell off the Bridge (Path of Life). As it is written,

[Proverbs 15:24] — "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath."

+

DANIEL 3:22

[Daniel 3:22 NKJV] — Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

[Daniel 3:22 TLV] — But because the king’s order was so urgent and the furnace so extremely hot, a raging flame killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

YOUR TASKS BY THE KITCHEN OF FIRE

Have you heard a saying that goes like this: "If you cannot abide the heat then get out of the kitchen?"

I now tell you, do not always use or give such advice/saying as a disciple or disciplined one. You don't just leave any kitchen just because you cannot abide its heat, especially when leaving the kitchen because of its heat means violating the Lord's word to you

In the Bible verse above, those who were killed by the fire of the furnace were faithful soldiers of Babylon, who though they could not abide the degrees of the heat of that kitchen (furnace), yet they did not leave the kitchen to save their own lives but died in the kitchen to fully obey and fulfill the urgent commandment of their lord and king: and though they died, they completed their task of casting those men into the furnace of fire even while dying, and they died in active service (fiery service).

How many Christians would have fled the kitchen and the Lord's commandment just because they could not abide the heat? How many pastors/shepherds, who are basically hirelings, that would have fled and left the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming? Many fled their true ministry instead of them abiding its heat.

When we tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we should not mock these soldiers that got killed by the fire while binding and casting those 3 men into the furnace; rather let's us honor them for meeting their king's deadline and became dead.

How else would the furnace of fire had proven that it was actually that deadly and seven times hotter, seeing it could not show itself on the three servants of God but it could show itself on those?

The top Bible verse above gave us combo of two opposing pressures that resulted in the death of those soldiers who were casting the people into the furnace of the fire: the two pressures:

*1* The king's command was Urgent/Hasty: Recall how Daniel had questioned with wisdom the messengers sent to kill the wise men of Babylon, asking, "Why is the king's command hasty/urgent?" (Daniel 2:15). Daniel knew how to defer the hastiness of that king's destructive decrees/commands unlike these soldiers that lost their lives because of such hasty deadline.

Daniel's grace to calm the urgency or hastiness of the king's decree then saved him, saved these 3 Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), and saved the wisemen of Babylon from the destruction that day. The Lord who delayed the urgency of sending His servants to remove the Tares from the Wheat saved many of us by delaying His coming, delaying His Judgment and extending His Mercy and Grace of Time to us. But if the days are those of tribulations, He would shorten the days for the elects sake: for if He doesn't, no flesh shall be saved [Mark 13:20].

*2* The Fire was exceedingly/extremely hot: The safety field level due to the severe temperature of the fire had seven times shrinked because of the expanded red zones, circumference or perimeter of its heat waves and flames.

[Proverbs 6:27-28 BSB'19] — "Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?"

Recall my vision of the lake of fire, and how I almost reached forth to pulled someone out of it, before the Lord stopped me with Fire in His Eyes as He looked at me and sternly warned me. Let me not go there in details. I learnt my lesson and received His mercy.

The Lord was not against me pulling people out of the fire, but against my trying to hold them or getting too close out of the safety of His Presence and Will in the Fire. I should pull people out of the fire before they enter the fire, for it's too late to pull them out of it when they are already cast into the fire. Whether casting people into the fire like those soldiers or pulling people out of it, let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he falls.

Well, we have scripture that sends us to pull people out of the fire before they fall; no scripture that sends us to cast people into the fire. Nevertheless, while pulling people out of the fire we must do so with "Fear" and "Hate" (Not just with faith and Love): You must have some fear and some hate together with much faith and love:

*1* — Fear — For you to take heed lest you fall and for keeping safety measures.

*2* — Hate — For you to hate Garments that has been spotted or defiled by the flesh. Did we not talk about the garments, the flesh and chains of those getting cast into the fire in precedings? Hate garments defiled by flesh while pulling people from the fire.

As it is written,
Save them by snatching them out of the fire; but on others have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to the One who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, both now and forever. Amen. [Jude 1:23‭-‬25 TLV]

+

DANIEL 3:21

[Daniel 3:21 NKJV] — Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

[Daniel 3:21 ICB] — So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were tied up and thrown into the blazing furnace. They were still wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes.

THEY WERE WEARING TROUSERS, ROBES AND TURBANS (CAPS), IN CHAINS AND IN HELL FIRE

This was the first time and only time the word "Trouser(s)" appeared in the Bible, and yet not all Bible translations captured the word used in this Bible verse above as "Trousers."

This Bible verse above is showing us two things:

*1* Showing the Christians (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego) were fully dressed in their own clothes when they were bound or tied with the cords or ropes: — They were not stripped of their clothing as the Lord Jesus Christ was stripped of His before He was crucified or chained to the cross. There was no intention of casting lot over those men's clothes, and even though they assumed the fire would burn those clothes, no one was like Achan who coveted/lusted after Babylonian Garments in the destruction of Jericho though I am referring to Garments of three rulers in the province of Babylon.

*2* Showing the Christians (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego) were dressed in like the traditional Indian men or Arabian men would dress, having turbans as caps on their heads and putting on trousers: — I believe you know the peoples' men that dress with Coats/Robes, Trousers and Turbans (caps).

In the Bible verse above, the soldiers of Babylon did not strip the three men of their clothing, nor even remove their caps/turbans from their heads: Rather the soldiers tied up both their bodies and their clothing (Trousers, robes, turbans, and other clothes) together when they were cast into furnace of fire.

Even so, the people who are cast into hell fire were not stripped of their clothing, but were bound in their clothing, caps or crowns as kings even in hellfire, the way they were on earth when they died. So many people would strip the dead body of their relations off their clothes, and either put the deadbody in a mortuary or bathe (wash) the dead body: and then use only white linen or white clothes to cover or wound the dead body around the way they did to Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead; and then they bury their dead with those white clothes or any other clothes or even naked underground.

However, notwithstanding how or what clothes they put on the dead bodies before burial, if those dead people are in hell fire they are usually putting on their own clothes which they wore or dressed in when they died on earth, not when they are buried. Those who were usually wearing mini-skirts, half-naked, fully dressed, wearing hats, caps, crowns, veils, turbans, hijabs, etc., when they died on earth shall also be wearing those in hell fire, while getting afflict, tormented and burnt. Remember people in hell fire have their flesh and clothes constantly getting burnts, torn, and ripped off, and yet getting healed again for them to get ripped off, torn and burnt again, in a repeated cycle of getting destroyed and ripped off in excruciating pains and yet returned whole again for another round of getting destroyed again: Thus they never die nor cease to exist, and the fire there is not quench (Mark 9:46-48); but only endless cycles of sufferings, pains, torments, hopelessness, and darkness.

It does not mean their clothes on earth disappear on earth to be with them in hell fire—No. Rather their "Soulish Body" (which is their inner body) mirrors their "Earthly Body" (which is the outer body) even in clothing, if it's cast into hell fire (not heaven).

That is, when a man/woman dies, his earthly body (carcass, dust & bones) and earthly clothes remain on earth, and later his earthly body gets buried where the flesh return to dust and his bones become dried bones. But the soul of the dead person would be separated from his body (earthly body and breath) — That soul is also a Body/Flesh (Soulish Body/Flesh), having every marks and details of the dead/earthly body including the marks of that dead body's sins, body-counts (fornication), blood on his heads/hands (murders), evils, lies, iniquities, vices, soul-ties etc., which unified with the man/woman while on earth, they shall all become part of the person's soul and indelible like the mark of the beast on that soul's body. The person's talents, skills, senses, abilities and clothing with his identities while on earth would also remain part of the person's soul's body (second/inner body).

It's like how they write physical receipt, invoice or bank teller in few years ago, wherein they put Stencil Paper between the outer body of White papered Receipt/Invoice/Teller and the inner body of colored papered Receipt/Invoice/Teller, and whatever is written on the outer body (white paper) would automatically be written or transmitted also to/on the inner body (colored paper) through the Stencil Paper between them. Thats how a man's outer body (dust) transmits whatever he/she does in the flesh/body to his inner body (soul).

So when Jesus Christ spoke of better to cut one's own part of his body to enter life than having one's whole body cast into hellfire (Mark 9:46-48), it's not the outer body (dust) that is usually cast into hell fire but the inner body (soul) of the same man. The outer body of a man lives by breath of life, blood and strength of living: but the inner body of a man lives beyond/without the breath of life in his nostrils or blood in his veins. It's this inner body (soul) that gets consumed and ripped off in hellfire, and still never dies in endless cycles of sufferings and painsstated in 'Proverbs 5:11.'

Jesus Christ said, "Fear God who destroys both body and soul in hell" [Matthew 10:28]. So there's another body that goes with the soul in hell, after the outer body (carcass) is dead and dusting.

So my point is this, those who are cast into hell fire do not get a change of clothing nor do they get prisoners' wears/attires, though they get chained/tied up in their own clothes they brought along. And to add, there are certain clothes or garments one may come with and no one or no chains can bind such person: You cannot be bound or tied up when you are dressed in your wedding garment to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ. But if you are without your wedding garment, you could be bound like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or like Joseph who left his cloth in the hand of Potiphar's wife (adulteress). Wear your wedding garment, to avoid getting bound or tied up: As it is written,

"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he said to him, Friend, how came you in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." [Matthew 22:11-14]

You shall find out that clothing (called immortality) could make the difference between the captives (prisoners) and the free ones, between the mortal and the immortal. As it is written,

For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
[II Corinthians 5:4 NKJV]

DANIEL 3:20

[Daniel 3:20 ICB] — Then he commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king told the soldiers to throw them into the blazing furnace.

[Daniel 3:20 NKJV] — And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

THE CHAINS OF THE CROSS

No one mentioned the part of binding those who shall be thrown into the fiery furnace of fire, just as the king did not also mention the furnace of fire would be made seven times hotter. So the king added to the penalty or condemnation he promised for those who shall not worship and serve his image. Not only was the furnace made seven times hotter against those three Christians, but also their freedom were taken out by the bonds that were employed to bind them when they were being cast into the fiery furnace of seven times degree.

In the top Bible verse above, the king commanded some of the best, strongest or mightiest soldiers of his army to bind up the servants of God and cast them into the furnace of fire. That was also how the king lost those soldiers of his army to the same fire that consumed them without consuming the servants of God. It's like how a king sent soldiers to arrest a man of God, but the man of God called down fire from heaven that consumed the soldiers without consuming the man of God. We will get to the part where sending these strongest or mightiest ranking soldiers of Babylon to do that king's command on the three Servants of God became both waste of their efforts and waste of such fine soldiers.

The Lord God and King of Heaven will not waste His Hosts even when He commands them to bind people and cast them fire: Eg.

[Matthew 22:13-14] — "Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."

[Matthew 13:30] - "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into My barn."

You see the Lord Himself would issue such command to bind people before casting them into fire for being Tares or cast them into outer darkness for not being chosen though they were called.

However, the Lord would not be sending inefficient Soldiers or Servants who cannot bind nor cast people into fire without getting caught/killed by the fire, unlike the case with these of the strongest soldiers of Babylon that Nebuchadnezzar command to do such task here. For these soldiers became the ones who finally got burnt and killed by the furnace of fire of 7th degree, and not those it's meant to be condemned into the fire.



But why is the need to bind people before casting them into the fire, especially when the fire would eventually burn whatever was used in binding them or set them loose while burning them?

The chains or bonds would be spiritual, not just carnal: and they would be part of the punishment, slavery or bondage restrictions of the victim or the condemned. Though different people may be bound by what appears to be similar or same bonds/chains when getting cast into the darkness or into the lake of fire, each man's or each woman's chain shall be different from the other person's chain, and shall reflect the person's sins or punishment differently from the other person(s).

In this case, a man's chain is like the man's cross when he's cast or condemned into his death. The Cross was the Chain used to bind the Lord Jesus Christ together with the crown of thorns, and even though the Lord Jesus Christ was separated or set free from the cross in His death and before His burial, spiritual He still carried the sign (mark) of the cross in His Body both through death and in His Resurrection from the dead. The sign of the cross in the Lord's Body is not the "Plus Sign," not any of these signs " +♀️✝️➕ " which the Roman Catholics and some other churches use as symbol across their bodies or mount on top of their churches pinnacles —-No. You shall not find any of this sign on the Lord's Body as sign of the cross, even though the Lord Jesus was crucified on a tree or cross arranged in such sign. I tell you the true Sign of the Cross the Lord Jesus Christ still carries on His Body — "The Nail Holes on His Hands, the Pierced Side and the Stripes Wound marks on His Back" — These are the Signs (Marks) of the Cross still on the Lord's Body even after His resurrection. The true Sign of the cross is not the way the tree (cross) was wound or bound, but the way His Body was wound and bound on that tree - That is the sign of the cross, which is the sign of His Broken Body when chained, tied or nailed to the cross. Let not the sign of the cross you are using be the image/reflection of the wood (tree/Plus-sign) to which Jesus Christ was chained by nails, rather let the sign of the cross you are using as Christian be the image/reflection of the Brokenness of the Body of Jesus on it.

[Galatians 6:17] — "From now on let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."



So I put difference between "The Cross' and 'Sign of the Cross" telling you that the sign of the cross should not be showing you the cross but showing you the Broken Body of the One who was separated from the cross. We are not following or looking at the cross anymore since the Lord Jesus Christ was pulled out or separated from the cross: and yet we remember the cross without looking at the cross or its reflection, because we remember the cross by seeing the wounds on the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. It like how you remembered the particular object that gave you the wound scar or mark on your body without seeing that object: That's the mark or sign of the object, but not image of the object.

Nebuchadnezzar made image of a man in golden statue of the one he saw in his dream/vision, but churches made image of a Cross (Tree or Plus) they saw the Lord hanged on, and Muslims made image of the Moon. Why do we feel Nebuchadnezzar did worse than what those churches and mosques did?



I was talking about the chains or bonds that bind those who are cast into the darkness or into the fire, and how those chains or bonds reflect their sins and therefore communicate the degrees of their punishment, which cannot be understood from a natural point of view. First the scriptures say:

The Lord sees everything you do. He watches where you go. An evil man will be caught in his evil ways. He will be tied up by his sins as if they were ropes. He will die because he does not control himself. He will be held captive by his own foolishness. — [Proverbs 5:21‭-‬23 ICB]

Actually, sins are chains or ropes that shall eventually bind the sinners in their conscience and in their souls. Your guilt and faults becomes your bonds or chains in the days to comes.

But in the top Bible verse above, you saw the king who ordered some of his strongest soldiers to bind innocent and righteous servants of God with chains/cords that were not for the righteous three. Infact, those cords were supposed to bind those soldiers and not bind those righteous men. Later you may see that as soon as the furnace of fire that had God's presence in it received those men they bound, the fire consumed the cords that bound them and as well consumed the soldiers that bound them, but set those who were bound free and gave them immunity from harm in fire.

Satan shall be bound by great chain before being cast into the bottomless pit, but it shall also come with seal that Satan should not deceive anyone for a thousand years. The fallen angels that had sex with women were bound in chains of darkness with seal not roam the earth to deceive anyone or teach anyone till the Judgment Day comes.

The Lord Jesus Christ breaks every chain and sets the captives free: But not every chain He breaks with His Blood, for some chains He must break with His Fire, even while setting the captives free (1 Corinthians 3:15); and there are sufferings some have to suffer to be free from sins. As it is written,

Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that Christ had (to suffer as Christ suffered); because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin. From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires. [1 Peter 4:1‭-‬2]

DANIEL 3:18

[Daniel 3:18 BSB] — But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

[Daniel 3:18 NKJV] — But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

FAITHFUL MEN'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR THE LORD GOD

When your faith in the Lord is your strongest decision, and your love for Him is unconditional love, you will not have any condition, ultimatum or excuse that can ever make you to stop serving God or make you to seek another gods, another powers, cult group, mediums, voodoo priests, native doctors, or another source of power/protection/deliverance, another alternative etc besides the Lord God Himself. Then your declaration will be like:

*1* Even if the Lord God whom I serve will not deliver or save me, I will not forsake/leave Him to seek/serve another gods/power for whatever the Lord God is not giving me when I urgently need it.

*2* Even if the Lord God whom I serve will not show His Power on my behalf or give me the power/desires I ask or wish for, I will still never seek for power or pleasure from elsewhere (from other gods, from other men or from other sources).

*3* Even if my Husband (Lord) whom I serve/love unconditionally will not or does not show up/meet up for me when I need Him, yet I will never serve or open myself to another man even the richest king or strongest man in the world nor covet his gold reward/idol.

In the Bible verse above, those three faithful Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), declared there is no ultimatum to which they will ever stop serving God or seek to serve/worship another alternative gods or idols even if such idols have international acceptance, royalty and full of gold (riches).

No ultimatum, no condition, no offense, no negligence and no evidence of non-existence of God, that will ever take away their love and devotion to the Lord God, to seek or serve man-made gods, man-made evolution theory, man-made 'advancement/replacement' over God because of instant reward, instant evidence, instant powers, riches, fame and pleasures in these other sources/replacement besides the Lord God.

I have seen atheists who once believed in God before, but got offended and forsook everything about God because God did not show up nor meet up when the atheists needed God to act for them and to save/heal/deliver them or their loved ones from death, illness or terrible events. So they moved from once serving God into becoming "Anti-God" or "Antichrist," denying the reality and existence God, and attacking the gospel of the Lord.

[Matthew 11:6] — "And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me."

Blessed is the man/woman who will never be offended and never forsake the Lord God, no matter how much the Lord God will not show up or meet up when He is needed the most. I know there are people who got converted into Christ because the preachers, the pastors or the evangelists, promised them power, great prosperity, healings, deliverance, and other goodies, if they give their lives to Christ and receive Him as their Lord and Savior through repeating certain confessional prayers after them. Though these things are true and abundance of them abide in eternal life with the Lord Jesus Christ, yet the just shall live by faith.

Are we still talking about God not showing up to deliver, to help, to save, to heal, to bless, etc those who were standing for Him in their most dangerous/troublous times? What about when it appears God Himself is even the One killing His own, causing the trouble and the One behind the afflictions/troubles against His own servants who serve Him? Would you still serve or love God unconditionally and without ultimatum in such cases? How many people can still love their enemy who killed them or tried to kill them? Would you still love and serve God even though God kills you or ruins your life compared to the lives of others who have nothing for God?

So even beside how much Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, would still serve and faithfully stand up for the Lord God who may not show up for them in the burning furnace of fire, see another Christian who would still serve and faithfully stand up for the Lord God though knowing the Lord God kills him and tortures him, giving him excuse to leave or curse God and yet he would never leave nor curse God who kills/destroys him then. As it is written,

Even though He kills me, I will hope in Him. I am still going to defend my ways before Him. [Job 13:15 FBV]

DANIEL 3:17

[Daniel 3:17 TLV] — If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

[Daniel 3:17 NKJV] — If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.

HOW ARE YOU EXPRESSING YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD?

In this Bible verse above, those three faithful Christians, (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), expressed by Faith:

"A" — What God can do for them [God is able or can deliver (save) us from the fire]

"B" — What God will do for them [God will deliver (save) from the king's hand/power], and in the next Bible verse

"C" — What they will do or not do for God [we shall never bow or worship the man-made gods/idols of that king]

As your faith matures, you move from applying your faith from what God can do for you (Item "A" because you serve Him to what God will do for you (item "B" because you serve Him; and then as your faith matures further, you move from applying your faith from what God will do for you (item "B" because you serve Him to what you will do for God whom you serve (item "C" because you remain faithful to God even if He's not done item "B" or item "A."

This was not a "What if?" condition, but rather an "If that is" condition or case. The testimony of the Lord is the spirit of prophecy in expressions of faith. The testimony of faith speaks any of these four:

1 What our God whom we serve "Can Do" or is "Able to do:" That is when the faith testifies the Possibilities with God or Power of God.

2 What our God whom we serve "Will Do:" That is when the faith testifies the Promises/Prophecies of God or Gospel of the Love and faithfulness of God.

3 What you who serve God "Can Do" or is "Able to do:" That is when the faith testifies your Grace, Potential or Potency according to the sources/riches of God through you.

4 What you who serve God "Will Do:" That is when the faith testifies your Resolve, Decision or Faithfulness according to your love for God or fear of God driving you.

You know the maturity of your faith in the Lord is revealed by whether your faith speaks of what God can do, what God will do, what you can do or what you will do/did. Faith without work is dead: Show your faith by your work, not just by the work of God. In "Hebrews 11" Christians mentioned there "By Faith" had their works (not just God's works) shown to justify/testify their faith. Faith is not just what you apply in prayer or when asking/believing God for something: rather matured faith is more in what you do and will do, than in what God can or will do for you. Your maturing faith is your deeds/works because you believe, serve and love God more than you do for yourself or for anyone else.

DANIEL 3:15

[Daniel 3:15 NKJV] - Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” [Daniel 3:15 NKJV]

[ICB] - Now, you will hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers, harps, pipes and all the other musical instruments. And you must be ready to bow down and worship the statue I made. That will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown quickly into the blazing furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!” [Daniel 3:15 ICB]

CHOOSING BETWEEN GETTING SAVED AND WORKING OUT YOUR SALVATION

Are we to be ready (prepared) for the trumpet sound or is it the trumpet sound that would make us ready (prepared)? Both ways for different occasions:

For the "Rapture or Coming of Christ," we have to be ready or prepared before the trumpet or porter sounds like the wise virgins.

For the "Battle or Journey," we have to allow the trumpet sound before we make ourselves ready or prepared according to the tune of the trumpet (1 Corinthians 14:.

So in some occasions preparation (readiness) must precede the trumpet or musical sounds such as in the case of the top Bible verse above. This is because some trumpets or musical sounds would eventually be too spiritually powerful and influential for the unprepared people to withstand or resist as soon as they hear them. The state of your preparedness or readiness when such music or trumpet sounds met your hearing cannot be altered (changed). If you were never prepared before such sounds met you, you cannot be prepared during the sounds because you would be carried away with the irresistible influence of such sounds.

Just as if you were not well prepared against the temptations of fornication before, you will eventually fall into it when overwhelmed with its influence in an atmosphere dominated by it. Even so, such music or trumpet sounds would only reveal or expose your readiness, resolve or preparedness. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were advised to be prepared or ready for the musical sounds about to play, but they were already ready or prepared against it and their immediate response preempted the musical sounds.

Not withstanding such musical or trumpet sounds, there are also another group of trumpet sounds you have to listen to carefully before you make up your mind or before you prepare yourself. Such sounds are like the voice of the Oracles of God, Watchmen, or Messengers of God to you. As it is written,

[Jeremiah 6:17] — "Also I set watchmen over you, saying, "Listen to the sound of the trumpet." But they said, 'We will not listen.'"


[ICB] - Now, you will hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers, harps, pipes and all the other musical instruments. And you must be ready to bow down and worship the statue I made. That will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown quickly into the blazing furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!” [Daniel 3:15 ICB]

In this Bible verse above, there was the last chance for those three men to deliver themselves by both hearing and bowing down to worship man-made music and man-made gods through the music. But also, that chance or option of delivering (saving) themselves by such compliance undermined the chance of God delivering (saving) them. Recall that I recently spoke about how "Saving yourself" could be the greatest enemy of "Working out your own Salvation:" Using the difference between Samson asking God to save him from dying with the Philistines and later Samson asking to die with the Philistines without saving himself. Or how the Lord Jesus Christ could have asked to be delivered or saved from the tribulation of death, but He rather chose to work out Salvation than choosing to save Himself either by prayer for deliverance or by human efforts to escape. I also cite from "Hebrews 11:35" talking about men of faith who were "Not accepting Deliverance" or who were "Refusing to save themselves" in order to attain the resurrection or work out their own Salvation.

Listen, the road to working out your own Salvation is different from the road of saving yourself or accepting/choosing to save this your life in this world. The greatest Savior Himself said this:

[Mark 8:34-38] — "Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to follow Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”"

……………………..

Now back to the top Bible verse above, wherein the king of the world gave those three Christians (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) 2 options using their getting saved/delivered as bait:

1 If they deliver themselves by complying with that compromise, they would save themselves from being cast into the burning furnace of fire and poverty. And the king said that would be the "well or good" option for them. Fools would also say, "Heaven helps those who help themselves."

2 But if they refuse to compromise or to comply in keeping their integrity, righteousness and faith, in the Lord: it means they value their righteousness above their deliverance, regard their Faith above their life, and prefer their integrity above their prosperity. That also means they shall go through the fire of the furnace and poverty. And the king questioned the possibility of any God delivering them from the hands of the king when those hands are the burning furnace of fire.

Anytime you are confronted with the option of delivering/saving yourself through a little compromise, a little sin, a little dancing to the tunes/sounds of the trending music or prevalent opinions of men, even if it's to avoid your flesh or body from getting burnt with the fire, that thing you called little compromise or little sin becomes weightier than your righteousness, integrity, faith etc.

If you don't love righteousness above your love for deliverance, or love your faith in the Lord above your life/survival, it means you fear death/poverty more than you fear God: when you fear anything more than you fear God, it means you don't really fear God. If you truly fear God, you will not fear anything else more than you fear God. It's not about what will save you, but about what or who you fear more.

Nebuchadnezzar was making it appear to those 3 Christians as if it was about what/who could save them; but in their response to him they were not thinking about getting saved but about serving and fearing the true Lord and God.

One of the things the fear of God does to those who have it is to filter what they see as needing to be saved/delivered from, through filtering what they should and should not fear. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil because I fear God.

Nebuchadnezzar was promoting the false doctrines that being fearful of the burning furnace of fire would save those three Christians from the fire in the top Bible verse above. But true Christians should know that being fearful is actually a leading sin that gets one into the lake of fire. As it is written,

[Revelation 21:8] — "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

There was a time Samson prayed to God against letting him die with the uncircumcised Philistine: and God saved him from dying from thirst where he killed a thousand Philistines with jawbone of an Ass [Judges 15:18-19]. Later the same Samson prayed to God to let him die with the uncircumcised Philistine: and God let him die with about three thousand Philistines he killed [Judges 16:30]

So Samson, who was praying against dying with the Philistines before, later changed and reversed his own prayer point and prayed to die with the Philistines. And the result was that he killed more (achieved more) from dying with the Philistines than he ever achieved from escaping dying with or from the Philistines. Think about this:

[John 12:24-28 GNB] - I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains. Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal. Whoever wants to serve me must follow me, so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honor anyone who serves me. "Now my heart is troubled—and what shall I say? Shall I say, 'Father, do not let this hour come upon me'? But that is why I came—so that I might go through this hour of suffering. Father, bring glory to your name!" Then a voice spoke from heaven, "I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again."

+

DANIEL 3:14

[Daniel 3:14 NKJV] - Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?

[ICB] - And Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods? And is it true that you did not worship the gold statue I have set up?

THE HIGHER ADVOCATES FOR THE HIERARCHY

In this Bible verse above, a pagan king called three Jewish Christians by their pagan names (that he earlier gave them); and examined/tried them in a court before his throne, asking if they were gulty as charged for neither rendering services to the king's gods nor worship to the king's idol of gold image,

Two things to learn from the bible verse above and apply in your decisions hereafter:

*1* - Learning from the 3 Jewish Christians (All the men of God, women of God or true servants the Lord in the Old Testament were Christians even before the Lord became born as Son of God).
They were given or addressed with pagan names associated with the gods of that king who gave them those names (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego), but they never served or worshiped those gods of those kings. They were not denying/rejecting those pagan names they were called, but they were denying/rejecting the gods and the paganism in their names. As in, they were like bearing names of that different religion of Babylon, but they were showing people they were Jews and true Christians. It's like a Christian who's name is 'Muhammad Mecca' and yet he has nothing in connection with the religion of Islam or Muslimism though he answers a Muslim associated names.

Do not waste time in changing your names just because they pagan or other religion's root/connection. Whatever name any body gives to you, whether it's a pagan name, Muslim name, Idol name, Occultic name, Devilish/Diabolical name, Witchcraft name, Insulting or Disrespectful name or evil name etc., just answer and don't try to fight against what people call you. Flow with whatever name or title they call you, except when they call you "Father in the Lord, call you Spiritual Father, call you God, call you the Christ, call you the Savior, the Master of all, the Lord of all, the Teacher of all, or any name/title that should be reserved only for God and for the Lord Jesus Christ. So, you don't have to reject any evil or improper name they call or address you with, but do not accept the highest good or praise name they call you when that name should be to God and the Lord above only. E.g. There was no bad or evil name the Lord Jesus Christ was called by people that He outrightly rejected, including getting called Madman who was demon-possessed, Deceiver, Agent of Baalzebub the prince of demon, Samaritan with a devil/demon inside [John 8:48). And just to avoid people thinking it's true He has a devil/demon, the Lord Jesus denied having a devil/demon but never denied or rejected their calling Him a Samaritan. As it is written,

[John 8:48-49] - "The Jews answered and said to Him, “Are we not rightly saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me."

But on the other hand, as soon as someone called the Lord Jesus Christ, "Good Master" or "Good Teacher," He quickly addressed that title because it should be reserved to God alone. Written,

[Mark 10:17-18] — "And going forth on His journey, one having run up and having knelt down to Him, was asking Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I might inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone."

In my childhood, I was called by people different names that I rejected but shouldn't have rejected, because of my being fair or light skinned in complexion but walking among dark skinned people: These included, "Yellow Pawpaw, Albino, One who doesn't see in Daytime or in Sunlight, Yellow, Unfortunate European born or living in Africa among blacks, One who's skin turns red when struck, Yellow Pepper or some children would be singing after me when they see me passing [as those children that mocked Elisha calling him Bald-Head (2 Kings 2:23)], saying, "Yellow Pepper, if you chop (eat) pepper, you go yellow more, more." There was an Hausa boy in my childhood days that usually call me, "Aljeni," and after several warning to stop him, I think I fought or almost fought him over it, (which I shouldn't have). The name "Aljeni or Aljenu" in Hausa means "Witch or Wizard,"

So, true Christians should not be fighting what people call them or think about them, except when that which people call them means those people are worshiping or idolizing those Christians or equating them with God or the Lord above. Example, Paul and Barnabas were called Hermes and Zeus, when people were about worshiping them as gods among them; but Paul and Barnabas tore their own clothes and ran to stop them (Acts 14:11-14).


[ICB] - And Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods? And is it true that you did not worship the gold statue I have set up?

*2* - Learning from the king, Nebuchadnezzar here: Do not learn from him to serve man-made gods or idols, neither learn from him to worship gold or gods by statue/image. But this is what to learn from him here — The King (of kings) who judges those who serve him but do not serve whom he exalted and positioned for all men to serve, worship or honor. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, served this King, but do not serve the gods or golden image the king had highly exalted and decreed that all men should serve.

I worked in an organization where I was under someone and I also had others under me. The one I am under have authority to command and to fire all under him, but after him in seniority I am next but I have no authority or power punish anyone under me or to command obedience or anyone under me like my senior have. And because of my nature, those under me would despise me, disregard or disrespect me, but they feared and honored my senior. Sometimes, my senior would do things that even make my juniors undermine my seniority, such as, in sharing food or portions, my senior would call my juniors to take theirs first before giving me the last or close to the last portion. And some other ways my senior classifies me as ordinary or same class with the juniors, treating me and all under him as "equals." And in his thoughts, he's being fair to all by treating us all as equals, and did not give me any special respect before my juniors. Infact, my juniors could disrespectful me in my senior's presence, and he would even support the juniors in taking sides with them, provided they all give him his own respect he would not mind or fight them if they don't give me my own respect.

Then I said in my spirit, this man shall failed in leadership, and therefore he shall not go far in kingdom governance, because he does not protect the respect and order of hierarchy or ranks in his leadership. Not men or women know the importance of ensuring that subordinates must both respect them and respect their seniors under them. Some parents, mostly mothers, would watch their younger children insult or disrespect their elder siblings, and if the elder siblings would beat the younger ones those mothers would protect the younger ones and spank the elder ones for attempting to strike the younger. That's selfish leadership because it cares about the respect, service and love, they received but do not care about upholding the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, Organogram etc.

Nebuchadnezzar, in the Bible verse above, demonstrated his wrath and zeal against the act of his servants who serve him but do not serve the gods or the one he set up. Yes, it is idol or man made gods, but appreciate how much this king would burn people in the furnace of fire, not just because they refuse to serve or recognize him as king but because they refuse to serve or regard his appointed superior over them. You, can you penalize your children or household because they refused to serve your God or worship Him as Nebuchadnezzar here did? I know when my parents punished me for not going to church. That their discipline was not just selfish, and it's like God commended Abraham that he would command his children after God. But many parents are selfish when they discipline their wards because they are only after their own respect or rewards, and not after the attitude of those children towards elders, towards neighbors, and towards God. True leaders would uphold the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, Organogram etc.



Now see it in the Lord God. You don't disrespect your senior under God and He ignore it, even if you respect God.

God Himself would tell you to love all men, honor all men, respect all men, and not just you doing so to Him.

God Himself would tell you as wife to respect, submit to your husband; as husband to love and honor your wife; as children to honor your parents; as servants to submit to your masters/mistresses; not just so to Him.

God Himself would tell you to subject to higher powers or hierarchy of governments, not just so to Him.

One who must remain in authority must uphold the integrity of Seniority, Hierarchy, Ranks, Order, Organogram, under him/her. Don't neglect how people under you treat their seniors, and make it seem as if whoever treats your appointees or messengers you ordained/sent is treating you the same. I have confidence that as a servant of God sent by the Lord, the Lord would plead my case if the people I am sent to disrespects me. And I know some consequences of disrespecting those the Lord sent to me or appointed over me. So do all things in hierarchy as to the Lord, not just to the man/woman in that position or hierarchy over you.

Nebuchadnezzar was not asking his 3 servants in the Bible verse above, Is it true that you do not serve me; for he knows they serve him. Rather he was asking them, Is it true that you do not serve my gods or golden image (whom I appointed or exalted over you)?

Do not let God ask you, "Is it true that you do not serve My Son, Jesus Christ, whom I exalted and commanded all angels and all men to serve, honor and worship, as they do to Me?" Is it true that you do not worship My Father nor do His Will?

DANIEL 3:13

[Daniel 3:13 MKJV] - Then Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

[Daniel 3:13 NRSV] - Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

SUFFERING “ARREST AND ARRAIGNMENT” AS MINISTERS OF THE LORD

This Bible verse mentions how Nebuchadnezzar became enraged and commanded the arrest and arraignment of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before his royal court. These three men had refused to worship the golden statue that the king had set up, as it went against their faith in the true God. As ministers of the Lord, we should always be prepared to face persecution for the sake of our faith and be willing to suffer arrest, arraignment and even imprisonment if necessary. Through our trials, we can shine a light on God's truth and glorify His name, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did.

Now I would compare three of the available ways of getting you stand or brought before kings, governors and nobles of great men.

1. By way of you being truly diligent or industrious in your business: As it is written,
[Proverbs 22:29 MKJV] - Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men.

2. By way of you being recommended by another man in the king’s presence or what we call connection through another’s testimony/mention of you:

3. By way of you being true disciples of the Lord and getting arrested/arraigned for the sake/faith of the greater Lord or greater King: As it is written,
[Matthew 10:18 MKJV] - And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the nations.

Out of these three ways of getting you brought or stand before kings and princes, the best or greater way is the third way I mentioned above: That is, getting arrested and arraigned before the kings and princes because of your discipleship, faith, and faithfulness, for the sake of the greatest King and Lord of all, the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the bible verse above were experiencing their third and the best moments of getting brought and standing before the king, Nebuchadnezzar, though it appears they were in terrible danger and shame of getting arrested considering they were known public government heads over the greatest province of the world by then, the province of Babylon. You know how the media would carry the news of the arrest and forceful whisking away of the three Ministers/Mayors/Sheriffs of the Federal Capital Province of Babylonian Empire.

Those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had experienced the three ways of getting you stand or brought before kings and great men, which I listed here above. The first time or first way they got standing before kings was by their being diligent in their business (studies/schooling) according to “Daniel 1:17-21.” The second time or second way they got standing before kings was by being recommended or mentioned to the king by Daniel who was close to the king according to “Daniel 2:49.” The third time or third way they got standing before kings was by their being disciples of the Lord and standing against the entire world for the faith and fear of true God against the practices of the world endorsed by their king’s laws according to this bible verse above “Daniel 3:13.” Thus, each of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel spoke of different ways Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael) and Abednego (Azariah) got standing or brought before the king of kings then. And I tell you, this third time or third way is the best for them and for all disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to getting brought before kings, governors, presidents, and great men, even though this way comes with great hostility, wrath, persecution, prosecution, accusation, trials and risk of getting imprisoned or killed for the sake of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Men who get brought this way to kings, governors, rulers, kings, and this third way are usually men who do not love their lives on earth for the sake of the Gospel and Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not those the kings or governors would invite for dinner or birthday or any party; but those the kings or governors would arrest or harass while bringing them in with great wrath and rage because they are seen as threat or problem because of their stubborn faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, ready to be martyred for Him in truth.

Later you will see that because they were brought to the king in this third way, and they stood as the Lord’s disciples even in the face of their death, they were able to manifest the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, far more better than even Daniel could manifest Him to that king of Babylon who threw them into the fire. And the king rewarded them in or for this third way of their standing before kings, more than all the previous rewards they ever got in their previous privileges of standing before kings. king.


SUFFERING “ARREST AND ARRAIGNMENT” AS MINISTERS OF THE LORD

This Bible verse mentions how Nebuchadnezzar became enraged and commanded the arrest and arraignment of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before his royal court. These three men had refused to worship the golden statue that the king had set up, as it went against their faith in the true God. As ministers of the Lord, we should always be prepared to face persecution for the sake of our faith and be willing to suffer arrest, arraignment and even imprisonment if necessary. Through our trials, we can shine a light on God's truth and glorify His name, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did.

Now I would compare three of the available ways of getting you stand or brought before kings, governors and nobles of great men.

1. By way of you being truly diligent or industrious in your business: As it is written,
[Proverbs 22:29 MKJV] - Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men.

2. By way of you being recommended by another man in the king’s presence or what we call connection through another’s testimony/mention of you:

3. By way of you being true disciples of the Lord and getting arrested/arraigned for the sake/faith of the greater Lord or greater King: As it is written,
[Matthew 10:18 MKJV] - And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the nations.

Out of these three ways of getting you brought or stand before kings and princes, the best or greater way is the third way I mentioned above: That is, getting arrested and arraigned before the kings and princes because of your discipleship, faith, and faithfulness, for the sake of the greatest King and Lord of all, the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the bible verse above were experiencing their third and the best moments of getting brought and standing before the king, Nebuchadnezzar, though it appears they were in terrible danger and shame of getting arrested considering they were known public government heads over the greatest province of the world by then, the province of Babylon. You know how the media would carry the news of the arrest and forceful whisking away of the three Ministers/Mayors/Sheriffs of the Federal Capital Province of Babylonian Empire.

Those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had experienced the three ways of getting you stand or brought before kings and great men, which I listed here above. The first time or first way they got standing before kings was by their being diligent in their business (studies/schooling) according to “Daniel 1:17-21.” The second time or second way they got standing before kings was by being recommended or mentioned to the king by Daniel who was close to the king according to “Daniel 2:49.” The third time or third way they got standing before kings was by their being disciples of the Lord and standing against the entire world for the faith and fear of true God against the practices of the world endorsed by their king’s laws according to this bible verse above “Daniel 3:13.” Thus, each of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel spoke of different ways Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael) and Abednego (Azariah) got standing or brought before the king of kings then. And I tell you, this third time or third way is the best for them and for all disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to getting brought before kings, governors, presidents, and great men, even though this way comes with great hostility, wrath, persecution, prosecution, accusation, trials and risk of getting imprisoned or killed for the sake of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Men who get brought this way to kings, governors, rulers, kings, and this third way are usually men who do not love their lives on earth for the sake of the Gospel and Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not those the kings or governors would invite for dinner or birthday or any party; but those the kings or governors would arrest or harass while bringing them in with great wrath and rage because they are seen as threat or problem because of their stubborn faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, ready to be martyred for Him in truth.

Later you will see that because they were brought to the king in this third way, and they stood as the Lord’s disciples even in the face of their death, they were able to manifest the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, far more better than even Daniel could manifest Him to that king of Babylon who threw them into the fire. And the king rewarded them in or for this third way of their standing before kings, more than all the previous rewards they ever got in their previous privileges of standing before kings.

&

DANIEL 3:12

[Daniel 3:12 NKJV] - There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”

[Daniel 3:12 TLV] - There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up.”

EVIL REPORTS ABOUT MINISTERS OF GOD

You are called to serve (minister) with humility and selflessness, but there are personalities you must never serve:

*1* Never serve anyone or anything that is a god except the Lord God who is the only One you should serve among anyone or anything else that appears as 'god.' If any man you were serving before becomes a god, you shall not serve him; except the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father above that you are to serve. As it is written,

[Luke 4:8] — "And Jesus answered and said to him, Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."

It therefore means, never allow your services to any man or thing include any act of worship or acknowledging that man/thing as a god. You are warned. Your services must not be with worship to anyone who has not created you, neither serve any man-made god.

*2* Never serve two masters: and two masters here means God and Mammon.



[Daniel 3:12 TLV] - There are certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego—those men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, nor will they worship the golden image that you have set up.”

In this Bible verse, three Jews expressed by names (and not by number) had their "evil report" brought before the king, which stated they disregard the king (who promoted them into being administrators over the greatest province in the world then) by not yielding to the king's decree to worship or serve his man-made god and idol of gold.

I use "evil report" because there are evil reports among men and world's government that are good reports in the sight of God. What the world may call wrong, bad or evil report, sometimes is what the heavens call righteous, good or testimony. And many people call good what the heavens call evil, and celebrate what the heavens are ashamed of. Therefore I teach that if all people of the world speak good reports of you without speaking evil report of you among themselves, you are a false minister of God among them. You are told that one of the marks of a true minster of the Lord is having both good reports and evil reports among carnal and blind men because of how they view things. As it is written,

[Luke 6:26] — "Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets."

[2 Corinthians 6:4,8] — "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, … By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;"

Behold the report brought against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, was evil report that validated their being true Jews and true ministers (servants) of God beyond being ministers (servants) of the king who appointed them into provincial service and because they were not ministers (servants) of idols of gold (Mammon) or man-made god. To differentiate between the evil reports that are good for true ministers of God and the evil reports that are evil and should not be for true ministers of God:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the Bible verse above were appointed into office in the world's government and the "evil report" against them was not corruption charges, not embezzlement, not false declaration of age/asset, not dishonesty, not negligence, not lack of performance/productivity, not against public service code of conduct nor breaking practice ethics, not fornication or adultery etc., Rather the evil report accused them of matters regarding their faithfulness to God higher than their faithfulness to their king or office and above political opportunity and political gains/pressure. The same would be said of Daniel in chapter 6, wherein no fault was found in Daniel in all his job and relationship duties except when it comes to his being faithful to God higher than his faithfulness to his king or office and above political opportunity and political gains/pressure.

*** If the evil report is speaking against your faith, obedience, truth and love in the Lord God, then that evil report is endorsement and good validation of your true discipleship and ministry of the Lord. But,

*** If the evil report is speaking against your fault, bad fruits, vices, lies or fake signs of your profession, then the evil report disqualifies from being a true minister of the Lord.

One of the criteria required for being a Bishop or Pastor of a church is you must have good reports among unbelievers and people outside the church. As it is written,

[1 Timothy 3:2,7] — "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; … Moreover he must have a good report of people who are outside the church; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

+

DANIEL 3:11

[Daniel 3:11 TLV] - And that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

[Daniel 3:11 GW] - ‘Your order said that’ whoever doesn’t bow down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

THEOCRACY AND FORCED RELIGIOUS POLICIES

In history and in the times to come, Kings who were Kings of Kings have enacted and executed laws and orders that either commanded forced religions of their governed people or commanded forbidding of religions (anti-religious policies) of their governed people in system of Government called “Communism.” It’s all about the State Authorities, kings, forcing or forbidding religious practices or worship, using death sentence and instruments of legality to control and determine the divers people’s relationship and faith with their gods or the true God.

|**| Nebuchadnezzar began such Theocracy, Religious Policies or Superimposition of government into and over peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever does not worship his golden image shall be thrown into the furnace of fire as in the top bible verse above. He was a religious zealot and bigot that used his powers over the world to force people to serve and worship the gods he favored. After him, there came other world's kings of kings that also commanded and forced certain religious practices and beliefs on the people of the world, including the Roman Empire that went from opposing Christianity initially into adopting the Roman Catholics’ version of Christianity, and allocating state powers to enforce the commands and judgments that promoted the Catholic faith and doctrines. The word “Catholic” meant “Universal” and represented the goal of making the entire world adopt the Catholic faith and doctrines of Catholicism. The antichrist would also come with his own forced religion and would be greater than his predecessors to enforce one global religion upon almost all people in the world, forcing all to receive his mark (666), to acknowledge him, identify with him and to worship his image.

|**| Darius began such Prohibition or Anti-Religious Policies of government to peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever worships or prays to any god except to him as government shall be thrown into the lions’ den (Daniel 6). After him, There have been several countries in history where communist or socialist governments have implemented anti-religious policies and persecutions in an effort to suppress religious beliefs and practices. Here are a few examples: Soviet Union - Under the rule of Stalin, the Soviet Union implemented strict anti-religious policies. Religious leaders were persecuted, religious buildings and artifacts were destroyed, and practicing religion was outlawed. China - Under Mao Zedong, China's Communist Party implemented policies that sought to control and limit religious practices. Religious groups were restricted and persecuted, with many religious leaders and believers being arrested, imprisoned, or executed. Cambodia - During the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, religion was outlawed and almost all religious institutions and artifacts were destroyed. Religious leaders were executed and religion was seen as a threat to the government's authority. Albania - Under the Enver Hoxha regime, Albania was declared the world's first atheist state and religious practices were outlawed. Religious leaders were persecuted and many places of worship were converted to other uses. North Korea - North Korea's government is officially atheist and prohibits religious practices. Individuals found practicing religion are punished, and religious activity is reserved for state-approved organizations. These are just a few examples, and there are many other historical and contemporary contexts where anti-religious policies and persecutions have been implemented.

So Nebuchadnezzar and Darius both began those two extremities for and against religions in their realms, and Daniel witnessed both eras. One king of kings used throwing defaulters into burning fiery furnace to force divers nations of people into one unified religion he introduced or promulgated, while the other king of kings used throwing defaulters into lions’ den to force divers nations of people into anti-religion or atheism he introduced or promulgated.

(1) To see men of God who stood up against one unified false but forced religion, without fearing the burning fiery furnace, and how God delivered them after they were thrown in there: Behold, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Mishach) and Azariah (Abednego).

(2) To see man of God who stood up against forced atheism or anti-religious policies, without fearing the lions’ den, and how God delivered him after he was thrown in there: Behold, Daniel.


[Daniel 3:11 MKJV] - And whoever does not fall down and worship, he should be thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

That was a decree made by, and rehearsed to, the king of kings then: and it applied to all men of all nations, tongues, languages, tribes and peoples, under Babylon in that era. For though it was the king of kings’ decree then and it commanded such judgment and power of execution then over those said people, it neither applied to all men of all generations, including both the living and the dead. So I rehearse to you the current universal Decree of the true and eternal King of Kings to all people, all men of all nations, all tongues, all languages, all tribes and all people, in all generations, all places, all times and seasons, including the living and dead: - “That whosoever believes in the Son of God given in God’s love to the world, shall not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes in the Son shall not be condemned, but he who does not believe in the Son of God is condemned already, because he does not believe in the name of the Son of God (John 3:16, 18).

As it is now, all Muslims, Atheists, Non-Christians in faith, and infidels of the Jews, are condemned already because they do not believe in the name of the Son of God.

Now that’s a decree from heaven, not about worshiping a golden image, but about believing in the Son of God given to the world that the world may be saved through Him alone; and apart from Him, there shall be no Savior or Hero that can deliver or save any soul from the weight of God’s condemnation upon all men.
And such condemnation is far beyond the burning fiery furnace mentioned in the top bible verse above. As you may not have seen, the words of that king in the top bible verse above only carried power and judgment to command the execution of his will upon mankind within his given reach and the worst he could do to them for not falling for his word to worship his image was to throw them into the burning furnace. He could command men that fed the furnace, but could neither command the burning fire of the furnace nor tell that fire what to burn or what not to burn within it. So he was not supernatural in power, though he was in power. He could send defaulters into the furnace or into hell, but could neither command the fire of that furnace nor the fire of hell (Gehanna) to burn or not to burn those he sent into it. For even the fire did not fear or obey that king, though the men that fed the fire feared and obeyed the king to their own death. Even so, fear God and the King of Kings who commands the Wind, the Waters, the Fires and all things, and they obey and fear Him. As it is written,

[Matthew 10:28-33 TLV] - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

[Ezekiel 5:4]

Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel. [NKJV]

Then take a few of them out again, throw them in the fire, and let them burn up. From them fire will spread to the whole nation of Israel.” [GNT]

THE FIRE AND ITS CAST OF ESCALATION

Under this instruction, the son of man, Ezekiel, would eventually cast some of those hair (he bound in his skirts) into the furnace of fire (In the bible verse above). In like manner, that dragon (Satan) that was bound in the bottomless pit shall be taken from where it's bound and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20).

However, as soon as those hair that were previously bound were cast into the fire, where some of their colleagues had previously been cast sometime earlier, then the fire spread or expanded and the fire extended into the entire nation and house of Israel (In the bible verse above).

In like manner, as soon that dragon (Satan, Devil) that were previously bound was cast into the lake of fire, where some of his colleagues (antichrist, false prophet, false ministers) had previously been cast sometime (a thousand years) earlier, then the lake of fire (second death) spread or expanded and the fire extended into the entire human race and generations of mankind who's names are not found in the book of life (Revelation 20).

So the reason for binding and sparing those hair from the fire when their colleagues were already cast into the fire, though they all have been judged and doomed to the same fire, is because delaying their contact with the fire is delaying the fire from getting into the people of the nation. Even so, the reason for delaying God delays casting Satan, Death and Hell, into the Lake of Fire is because delaying their contact with the lake of fire is delaying the fire from getting into the entire earth and world, including getting all those who's names are not in the Book of Life.

No matter how much you hate Satan, Death and Hell, still know that their continuity is the continuity of the this material world and this system of matter. I don't want to call him the god of this world, but I am saying to you that:

*1* If the prince of this world (Satan) is judged, the world is judged (John 16:11)

*2* If the lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, and the devil be cast into the fire, the goats or people who are not of God's sheep shall also be cast into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

*3* If the devil goes down, many people and things shall go down with or after him.

As a mere human, I would have thought that as soon as the devil and his angels are removed and destroyed, God would then forgive and rehabilitate those whom the devils made to sin. As in, remove the cause and then heal the rest. But God does not operate like that. To show you He is not sending people into the lake of fire because of Satan, there would be no Satan and no devil, and yet there would be no manipulation of the Justice, Righteousness or Judgment of God for or against Satan. For all those who belong to Satan, antichrist, hell and death, shall be sent after Satan, antichrist, hell and death, when they are absent and have no advocate to insist they are not cheated. The Lord and Judge would not use the absent or death of those devils for forgive mankind and giving them second chance. The Book of Life will not be rewritten after the antichrist, Satan, Death and Hell, are cast into the lake of fire. For even the lake of fire, Second Death must not be cheated from having every man, woman, boy, girl, child, baby, old, young, and everything of the material heaven and earth that belong to the lake of fire including all the glories and pride of men.

[Ezekiel 5:3]

"You shall also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in your skirts." [AKJV]

You shall also take from these a small number of hairs and bind them in the skirts of your robe. [AMPC]

"HAIR IN THE HEM OF HIS SKIRTS"

Other Bible versions chose to avoid the use of "Skirts" in this Bible verse above but these which I cited above remained faithful to showing forth that the son of man or men generally wore skirts in those days. When you find people that argues a woman should not wear trousers, they would most likely be quoting from that which was written in "Deuteronomy 22:6." But that Bible reference never mentioned "Trousers" nor "Skirts" but just "What belongs to a man" and "Woman's Garment." I don't know how people conclude trousers belong to men, and skirts belong to women. And foolishly, the same people fighting against women putting on trousers were permitting women putting on pants/boxers under their skirts/wrappers.

But I tell you, trousers are pants or pants are trousers. Any cloth or garment that your legs put on to cover your private part is either of these two: "Trouser (Pant)" or "Skirt."

* Trouser or Pant, if that cloth/garment separate your two legs/thighs with a partition in between.

* Skirt, if that cloth/garment does not separate your two legs/thighs or has no partition in between.

In Bible days, both men and women all wore "Skirts" outwardly, and trousers were just formed as short pants with the folding of garments as napkins between thighs, like you saw in pictures or movies that the Lord Jesus wore while hanging on the cross. So a man's garment differed from a woman's garment in the Bible days just by the way they were designed to reflect their gender difference, not by being Skirts or Trousers.

Even so, there are women do put on trousers (pants) as well as men; just as men could put on skirts as well as women. None belongs to one gender alone.
-----------------------------------------------------------
[Ezekiel 5:3]
"You shall also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in your skirts." [AKJV]

In this Bible verse, the son of man, Ezekiel, was under instruction of the Word of God to still spare few of his fallen and judged hair. Sparing those few while the others were given to third-part destruction still does not mean to save them, but meant to delay their destruction the way Satan would be cast into the abyss of bottomless pit for a thousand years, delaying Satan's being given into the lake of fire were the antichrists, false prophets, false pastors, and false teachers, would have been for a thousand years before Satan would join them there. So the son of man, Ezekiel, would spare few of those hairs of his head but for later to be cast into fire also.

In sparing those few, he was under instruction to bind (chain) them; not in the bottomless pit like Satan would be, but those hair would be bound by or at the Hem of his garment or his skirts precisely.

In my childhood, I used to see women including my mother wrap money with the hem or tips of their wrappers worn as Skirts, and then fold the wrapper around their waists. If a man would reach for the money, he may be accused of trying to reach for something else under those wrappers. So the women's wrappers were securing so many secrets that a man's could not easily reach. It was easier for me as a boy to reach the money my mom kept in her pulse than to reach the money she bound with the hem of her wrapper on her waist as secure pocket.

The son of man (Ezekiel) wearing skirts in those days, had no pockets on those skirts. But then like those women, even men who wore skirts would form pockets with the hem of their skirts to bind, store or safely secure pieces of treasures. In this case, they were few hair of his head, not pubic hair under his skirts.

NoSmoking:
Na because of hair cut u write all this things?

Hair wey I dey cut at least two times in a month

🥵

I wrote all these things, not because of haircut but, because of the messages and inspirations I got from that Bible Verse only (EZEKIEL 5:1)

[Ezekiel 5:2]

"You shall burn with fire a third part in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and you shall take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part you shall scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them." [AKJV]

A third you will burn in fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are complete. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. Scatter a third to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. [TLV]

"THIRD-PART DESTRUCTION"

See what happened to the fallen hair of the son of man, Ezekiel, in his live show:

a The hair all fell off his head by his own sword (sharp knife/blade). This means those hair did not fall or disconnect from his head by natural way like aging, weakness or getting pulled off: For the head got them cut off from him by his own hands and sword against them, even when they were still parts/members of his body. Once members of his body/head got cut off by his sword

b As the sword was cutting them off from the head/body of the son of man, the scale (balance) was weighing them. This is called, "Judgment" - symbolized with "Sword and Scale."

Which part of His Head did the Lord Jesus Christ promised to cast off the church or Christians that are lukewarm, Hair of His Head or of His Beard? From His Mouth, which is also in His Head. (Revelation 3:15-16). But then the judgment must follow those who were thus spew out of the Head. Behold, the Lord Jesus Christ judges His own House or Body, beginning from His Head, with the Sword and Scale.

c He did not cast off his fallen hair immediately they fell, nor got rid of them at once; rather he weighed and divided them into groups, and then still allowed them to continue in their groups among other hairs until the Day of the Siege is completed. In other words, he allowed the Tares to continue with the Wheat until the Harvest Day comes, and then shall the Tares be separated from the Wheat and burn with the fire. [Matthew 13:30]

This means, those fallen hair were already cut-off and judged, but they were not immediately destroyed even though their judgment was already set. They were allowed to continue while the son of man was still in the period of bearing the sins of the people for over a year until the siege is fulfilled and the harvest comes. Unfortunately, those hair would still be thinking their being weighed meant they were getting favored from the son of man, not knowing they were weighed and sheared to their perdition or destruction in waiting.

Even so, some people are already judged but yet allowed to continue existing on earth because their time has come to an end but the time for their destruction has not come yet.

d When the time or days of the siege are completed, then came the destruction of those fallen and ostracized hair.

e Their destruction is according to their divisions or judgment: and their divisions grouped them into “THIRD PARTs.”

1. The first “Third Part” of the fallen hair of the son of man shall be burnt with fire in the midst of the city of Jerusalem. They are to be given to total consummation of the flame or fire called “FAMINE”

2. The second “Third Part” of the fallen hair of the son of man shall be given to the destruction of war & death by human hands within the city.

3. The third “Third Part” of the fallen hair of the son of man shall be given to scattering Wind & to the sword of the Lord drawn out against them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here, third part destruction means destruction of third part (fraction) of an item which suggest there was a careful weighing, scaling or measuring of the whole item and then one-third or third part of it was given to such destruction or plague.
There are other examples of “THIRD PART DESTRUCTIONs” such as in these bible references:

[b]-- [Ezekiel 5:12 MKJV]
A third part of you shall die with the plague, and shall be consumed with the famine in your midst. And a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

-- [Zechariah 13:8-9 MKJV]
And it shall be in all the land, says Jehovah, two parts in it shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on My Name, and I will answer them; I will say, “It is My people;” and they shall say, “Jehovah is my God.”

-- [Revelation 8:7-12 MKJV]
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were cast on the earth. And the third part of trees was burned up, and all green grass was burned up. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea. And the third part of the sea became blood. And the third part of the creatures in the sea, those having souls, died; and the third part of the ships was destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and a great star burning like a lamp fell from the heaven, and it fell on the third part of the rivers and on the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood, and a third part of the waters became wormwood. And many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was stricken, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not appear for a third part of it, and the night also.


-- [Revelation 9:15-18]
So the four angels—who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year—were released to kill a third part of mankind. The number of mounted troops was two hundred million—I heard their number. Now here is how I saw the horses and those riding on them: they had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses were as heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three plagues a third part of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that came out of their mouths.[/b]

+

[Ezekiel 5:1]

“And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair [NKJV]

“Now you, son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and your beard. Then take balances to weigh and divide the hair. -- [TLV]

You heard Him right. This was an instruction but not a doctrine; an illustration, but not a pattern to follow. The discipleship from here is to surrender your hair and beard to the Lord’s use when He would use them for the ministry and message that must both be published and accomplished. A disciple like Ezekiel the son of man would be ready to use or lose his hair and beard, including shaving them in ways that they speak forth the words of the prophecy or gospel of the Lord. However, it’s important they are instructed and guided by the Lord on ways they shave/barb their hair and beard for those hair/beard to carry the anointing, prophecy, significance, thorns and crowns of God.

• Samson’s hair, Samuel’s hair, and Nazarites’ hair were to bear the anointing of Spirit, and they were not to allow razor or blade come in contact with the hair of their head. [1 Samuel 1:11, Judges 13:5, 16:17, Numbers 6:5]

• But the Priests chosen by God from the descendants of Zadok were to trim their hair or beard in lowcut, but not to completely remove them; because they bear the consecration of Priesthood [Ezekiel 44:20]. This was not just for the priests of the sons of Zadok, but also for the descendants of Aaron, who are priests forbidden to make “Baldness” or complete riddance of the hair and beard in a haircut now called “Skin” as you saw in profile picture. For baldness or skinned head (void of hair) is unholy for Priests according to “Leviticus 21:5-6.”

• Men of God like Elisha and Paul had bald head, and yet they were carrying hairless anointing. And even Paul was of the opinion that if a man have long hair it is naturally a shame for him (1 Corinthians 11:14).

• In the top bible verse above, the son of man, Ezekiel was instructed to barb his hair. However, it does not mean his should barb it skin or bald; for he yet had the lock of his head, which the Hand of God pulled him with afterwards. As it is written,

[Ezekiel 8:3 MKJV] - And He put out the form of a Hand, and took me by a lock of my head. And the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heavens, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the opening of the inner gate facing north, where there was a seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.

I learnt to barb my own head by myself without needing a Barber, and to shave my beard with my own hands without going to a salon or shop for haircut. I have not used sword or sharp knife like the son of man was instructed in the Bible verse above; and not even a plain razor blade do I remember using thus. But I only used clippers or shaving sticks with the blade or razor not directly held with my fingers.

Is the Lord our God a Barber? Does He support haircuts since He makes hair grow and He numbers the hair of His beloved people? A prophecy revealed the Lord God Himself would be a Barber to barb or shave people in a particular given day. [Isaiah 7:20]

MAIN BIBLE VERSE COMMENTARY
[Ezekiel 5:1]
“Now you, son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and your beard. Then take balances to weigh and divide the hair.

Another difference between my barbing/shaving myself and the way the Lord instructed Ezekiel to do so in this top Bible verse is in what happens next to the hair the man has cut off from his head and beard. I usually flush my hair as waste down the WC or Washhand basin, and in fewer times I cast them outside or set them ablaze. But in the bible instruction above, it is not the son of man barbing his own hair that is the message/prophecy, but what he does with his own hair after he barbed and shaved them that bears the message/prophecy.

Some people’s hair are just worthless and useless as soon as those hair leave their body; but some other people’s hair have more value and importance as soon as those hair are cut off from their body, like those whose hair carry significant weight after leaving their body. Example with Absalom’s hair:

[2 Samuel 14:25-27 TLV] - Now in all Israel there was none as handsome as Absalom — so highly praised. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. When he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he would cut it because the hair got so heavy on him that he had to cut it. The weight of the hair from his head was 200 shekels by the royal weight. To Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar—she was a beautiful woman.

After the son of man, Ezekiel have used a sword or sharp knife as his clipper to barb his head and shave his beard, he was to weight his fallen hair with a scale of balance machine and then share or divide those fallen hair into groups. They all came from the same head, but they shall be assigned different fate by different message.

Remember, in this bible verse, the Lord was still continuing with the instructions He began giving to Ezekiel in the preceding chapter, [Ezekiel 4], in which he was to put up one man’s show/drama to illustrate his prophecies and messages to both Israel and Jerusalem. Starting with illustrating the siege of Jerusalem, laying on one side of his body for months to bear the sins of Israel and Judah, eating rationed food and bread baked with cow’s shit; here in “Chapter 5” he was also to barb/cut his own hair and beard in his illustrative message and demonstration of his prophecies.

For the preceding Chapter and verses Commentaries of Ezekiel 4, go to
www.peterch.com/bible-commentary/ezekiel-4