But If Not

Heat the fiery furnace seven times its normal intensity. Cry the king in all his rage and fury, Bring the most mighty men of valor from among my army, Bind these insolent Jews, and throw them alive into the raging inferno. For no one is above the law. I am King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and no one who defies this king shall live to see another day.

You may be imagining in your mind, brethren, what it would be like to be on the receiving end, that kind of rage and fury. Maybe you could imagine it a little better if you heard it from the actual king and not your bad acting pastor. I did not take acting lessons, so you get what you get. But the fact is, for three young men from the nation of Judah, this was the moment that would test their faith in the living God. Far from the home of their birth, three young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, whose names have been changed to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, faced a king, and again, they faced a major decision, which would determine the course of their life from that point forward. These three young men had grown up in the faith of Israel. They were from the tribe of Judah. And as having that heritage, they spent their childhood learning about God, about His ways, about His commandments, what the God of Israel expected of His people. Their childhood growing up was spent in Jerusalem until the time of the Babylonian siege. They were taken away to serve in the palace of the king of Babylon. But these young men trusted in the words of God. They trusted in His power. They trusted in His authority. And they knew that they must put Him first. In fact, in the Hebrew, their names express their heritage as the people of God. Today, when we name our children, sometimes people will look through books and look at what does a name mean, and they'll pick a name according to a meaning. But a lot of times, I think we pick names. If it sounds good, if it kind of matches up all right with the last name that you'll have. But in terms of Hebrew names, oftentimes the children were named according to some aspect of their religion, their worship of God, and acknowledgement of His involvement. So Hananiah means Yahweh is gracious. Yahweh is gracious. It's an expression of the mercy and the grace of God and the blessing that He has shown upon His people. Mishiel means who is like God. As in God, the God we serve, there is none like Him. Who is like Him? A loving, a merciful God who has the power to deliver. Azariah means Yahweh has helped or whom Yahweh helps. You know, it's one whom Yahweh has shown His favor and His mercy in His hand of help. And so these young men grew up in Jerusalem, taught the ways of God, given names that would reflect the God whom they served. Just consider what it would have been like for them to now stand before the King of Babylon. Again, these are three gifted youth whom King Nebuchadnezzar had brought out captive from Jerusalem, placed them into the service of His palace. They had shown themselves to be wise in their words and their actions. They were prudent. Along with Daniel, they did not accept the King's delicacies. They kept themselves from the customs and the ways of Babylon because they feared God and they looked to Him. So as a result of their wisdom, as a result of their good decisions, their example, they were promoted within the system, within the country of Babylon. They were given elevated positions of service within that province. But now the scene had changed. Now they're standing before the King of their captivity. They're marked for death and destruction. What brought them to that point? I'm sure we all know the story. It's a story that oftentimes kind of gets boiled down into a bedtime story and read to children. And there are good stories amongst the scripture that are good to read the children because it helps to bring God to life in their mind, even from a very young age. But just because it's made into a child's story doesn't mean that we should gloss over quickly for the lessons and the examples that can be learned. If you're not already there, you know where I'm going. Let's go to Daniel chapter 3.

Daniel chapter 3. Let's see what led up to this confrontation between Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

Daniel chapter 3, beginning in verse 1, it says, Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was 60 cubits. It's with six cubits, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

If you figure a cubit is perhaps roughly a foot and a half, this is a statue that is 90 feet tall and nine feet wide by most estimates. Verse 2, And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasures, and judges, the mazas straits, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

So there's now going to be all this pomp and circumstance surrounding the reckoning and the establishment of this image. So they come, verse 4, Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, That at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the harp, the lyre, and sultry, and symphony, in all kinds of music you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

And so at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and symphony with all kinds of music, that all the people, nations, and languages fell down, they worshipped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore, at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. So you have everybody present who's going to fall down, who's going to worship. This is pagan idolatry in its grandest form. And yet, if you were a Jew that was faithful to God, you were going to stand out.

You're going to get noticed. So verse 8, again, therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. And they spoke to the king and said, Nebuchadnezzar, O king, You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and sultry, and symphony with all kinds of music, they shall fall down and worship the gold image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. These are simply rebels in our midst, king, who are rejecting your authority. Verse 13, the Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, you think maybe he was a little bit angry, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and sultry, and symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, then 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?

He's saying, you know what, I'm going to give you one more chance to comply with my command. When the music plays, bow down, worship the idol, you can go on your way. If not, you are marked for death.

Verse 16, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. We're not going to change our minds. We don't even need a second to think about it. We're not turning back. We serve God. Verse 17, 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. 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.

We'll come back here in a little bit to verse 17 and 18 and kind of analyze their response. But carrying on, says Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed towards Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And he spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. You know, just get that thing glowing red hot, probably about as red as his face at this moment.

Verse 20, and he commanded certain mighty men of Valor, who were in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and they were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and because the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

We'll pause right there for the moment. We'll come back to the story, but I want us to consider for a few moments what it is we've just read. We have these three men, these three men, again, grown up in the faith of God's way, captive in Babylon, now refusing the command of the king, refusing to submit to him, refusing to bow down and worship the idol that he had erected.

Now they're finding themselves subject to his wrath and judgment. Let's go back to verse 17 here in Daniel chapter 3, because there's a few concepts here that are important for us to consider regarding faith. Daniel chapter 3 verse 17 and 18, I'll just read through it again for you, and then we'll break it down. But it says, if this 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, 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.

Clearly, we can read this account. We acknowledge this is an example of a profound faith. Your Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, their faith in God was immovable. It wasn't up for debate. It wasn't going to be compromised. This is an example of profound faith and trust in God. And so our purpose today for going through this as well is to help to educate our faith and to hopefully bolster our faith and instruct us in increasing our faith in God as well.

Now, there's three proclamations that we can find contained here in verse 17 and 18. Three proclamations that we're taking note of. The first one is, our God is able to deliver us. Now, God is able to deliver us. Again, they said, the God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. This is a clear declaration of their faith that the God of Israel is supreme above any other so-called God or king that could come along. The defiance of these three men, the resistance that they offered, was not out of a desire to just simply be, you know, rebel rousers to create trouble, to cause problems in Babylon, but their defiance was out of a desire to serve the true God as He had commanded them. As the people of God, they were aware of the second commandment of Exodus chapter 20 verse 4 and 5. That's how it's recorded in our Bible. They didn't have such convenient pages as we do, but I'll just read for you Exodus 24 and 5. It says, So, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego understood what the God they served required of them. He required their total commitment, their total allegiance to Him, to putting Him first, to worshiping Him alone. They understood His power. They understood His eternal and self-existent nature, and they understood the fact that, you know what, the God of Israel would be a long, long after the King of Babylon had vanished from the scene, and long after the Kingdom itself of Babylon had turned to dust. The eternal God of Israel would prevail. Because of their national history and because it was full of accounts of God acting on behalf of His people Israel, they all understood God brought them out of captivity. He fulfilled promises to Abraham by bringing them to the Promised Land, by settling them there according to His Word. So, their national history was full of those things, and because they understood who God was, they did not fear this King. His threats were meaningless. His power, which He may have had in terms of the greatest power of a single man on the face of the earth there before them in that time, that power in all its glory, even brought against them in anger and rage, was nothing compared to the power and the awe of the God that they worshipped. So, there was no compromise. There was no drawing back in their faith. Rather, they feared the God of the universe who had the power to deliver them from death. They said, King, we have no desire to serve your God, neither will we bow down.

This was an absolute statement of faith. Again, our God is able to deliver us. They made it without hesitation, without doubt. It was a fact, and they trusted in the power of God over the power of man. My question for us today would be, brethren, is that same level of trust and faith instilled in our lives? Do we look to God with full assurance and without hesitation and a doubt of his supremacy, of his power, of his might, of his ability to fulfill that which he would purpose to do? Again, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had absolute trust in the power and the ability of God. You and I must as well. If we're going to have that level of faith when the time comes, when you face a moment such as they did here, we must already have developed a close relationship with God. Faith, we were discussing this this morning down in Lewiston, you know, in some ways if you have a big decision before you, you know, bow down to the beast power or die, you know, most people would say, all right, you know, that's a clear-cut big decision. I'm not going to do that. But how many little small decisions along the way, day to day, do we perhaps some perhaps compromise on because of convenience, because of whatever it might be? Faith is built day by day by day by making the right decision by trusting God each and every day, even in the small circumstances, so that when the time comes that you face the huge circumstance, your faith is set. The time for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to establish their faith wasn't when the music started playing. It wasn't when the king said, bow down or you're going to die. And for you and I, coming face to face with the fiery furnace, so to speak, isn't the time that we say, oh, I guess I better muster up a little faith. No, that's the time, brethren, when our faith must already be in place and instilled so that you don't blink, you don't falter, you don't doubt where your trust lies.

Our God is able to deliver us with the proclamation of faith in the face of their trial. And that must be our proclamation as well. Our God is able to deliver us. He has the might, He has the power. According to His will, He will do so.

Second proclamation they made here in Daniel 3 verse 17.

So He said, if that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, the second proclamation, and He will deliver us from your hand, O King. He will deliver us. Again, it's an absolute statement. It's not, well, you know, maybe He'll deliver us, maybe He'll do something if He feels like it, if He's paying attention. No, it's an absolute statement to the King. He will deliver us from your hand, O King. And so the expectation here is in God's deliverance. It's in the fact that He will deliver because He has the power to deliver. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God to deliver them from the King's wrath. Absolutely.

And the question for us, brethren, is how is our faith when it comes to this point? Do we trust that God will deliver when we're in the midst of trial and struggle?

When we're facing an obstacle that seems so big that there's nothing humanly that we can do except rely on God? Do we have the faith that God will deliver? Not just, boy, I hope God's paying attention and is in the sleep up there. Do we have faith He will deliver? Absolutely. Absolutely. Let's take a moment. You can put a marker here. We'll come back to Daniel 3, but let's turn over to Psalm chapter 34 and verse 19. Psalm 34, 19. This is the Psalm of David.

David here says, Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Many afflictions, but delivery by God out of them all.

Was David wrong? Was David mistaken? Did David not realize that maybe there were some things even in his own life that he would have to endure as long as he remained in the flesh? You know, you can read through the Psalms and there's times where David says, How long, O Lord, before you will act? How long before justice comes? And yet now David says, in verse 19, Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Do we believe those words? Do we believe that God will deliver and that He does deliver because He promises deliverance all through His word? Indeed, we must.

Now, right alongside that, that having been said, God doesn't always deliver in the timing and in the manner that we would necessarily prescribe for ourselves, does He? Because sometimes we cry out the God for deliverance and God says, Not now. Or in the case of the Apostle Paul, God said, My grace is sufficient. Paul had the thorn in the flesh and some speculate maybe it was vision problems that he was suffering, could have been. Doesn't exactly say for sure, but you know, that makes sense. You get hit in the head with a rock enough times, being stoned, you're going to have some problems. But Paul cried out to God three times for deliverance. And what was God's answer? He said, My grace is sufficient for you. God's grace was the mercy He shows through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the fact that Paul had been delivered from his sins and from death in that way. And he said, God said, You know, you're going to live with this for the rest of your life, but trust in me. My grace is sufficient. And when we look at Paul, we wouldn't say that Paul was a man who lacked faith. He most certainly did have faith, had it in abundance. He had the authority as an apostle to heal people. And yet here he is suffering with an issue that he cannot even rid himself of. And he cries out to God and God says, My grace is sufficient. So sometimes God's deliverance takes the form maybe different than what we always think it ought to be. Sometimes His deliverance could be in the form of walking through various trials by our side.

You're still in the trial, but you're not deserted. God is there comforting you, strengthening you, encouraging you along the way so that you're not completely overcome, so that you're not destroyed.

There are certain things as God's people we may walk through that would simply overwhelm a person apart from God. But God, in His mercy and in His deliverance at times, will step in alongside us, allow us to continue in the struggle, yet deliverance is still of His hand. Notice 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13 in this regard. I was sitting at my desk yesterday wrestling with this Scripture, trying to decide just exactly what it was saying. And I don't know if I can tell you just exactly what it's saying. It could be saying a couple of different things, but I'd like to at least consider it anyway. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13, something that's common to us here. No temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man. The God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it. You know, I think my quick reaction to reading the Scripture is, God provides the way of escape. It's the open door. You can walk out and be rid of that and on your way. But then I started wrestling with, is that fully what the Scripture is saying? Because it says, He will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it, to endure it.

You know, to bear up under it and continue, it may still be with you, but God may be providing what you need to escape that you are not overtaken by it. But perhaps there is still a load that you must bear. The God's word translation puts it this way. It says, there isn't any temptation that you have experienced which is unusual for humans. God who faithfully keeps his promises will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But when you are tempted, He will also give you the ability to endure the temptation as your way of escape. Well, that's kind of interesting. So I don't know that I could necessarily hammer it shut here exactly, fully, what this is saying. Again, I've wrestled around with it, but it would appear to me, again, I'll say my opinion, it would appear to me that there are times when God opens the door and we walk free from whatever trial or struggle we're in. And there's other times where God gives us what we need that we can continue to bear it even as we walk through the circumstance. And sometimes maybe we, in our mind, label deliverance as complete removal, complete freedom from the trial or the struggle or the infirmity. But perhaps also, I think we could see from Scripture that deliverance comes from God as well, simply through the form of Him giving us the strength by His Spirit to endure and not be overcome. The point here is that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in the promise of deliverance from God, and so was must we. Sometimes total deliverance from the physical trial may only come through death, frankly. There's examples of that in Scripture. There's examples where, you know, God closed the mouth of the lions and Daniel was preserved, right? He delivered him out of that trial, but there's examples elsewhere as well of those who, I would say, were delivered through death, awaiting the resurrection in which ultimate delivery will take place. When Christ comes, first resurrection, the saints who rise are free from the struggles of the flesh, from the penalty of sin, from the corruption of the flesh, and all that we walk through in this life. And so deliverance truly and ultimately, in the end, comes from God. And we must put our trust in that. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, our God is able to deliver us, but not only that, King, he will deliver us.

Let's go back again now to Daniel chapter 3.

Kind of straight away from there, myself. Daniel chapter 3, verse 18, we'll see the third proclamation that's contained here.

Daniel chapter 3 and verse 18 begins by saying, but if not.

Again, we've taken some time in verse 17. If that is the case, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. You know, he is supreme over all. Your authority does not match his authority, nor will we worship the gold image. All right? And he will deliver us from your hand, O King. And then it moves into verse 18, but if not. In some ways, we could think, wow, it seemed like they were going so strong. God was first. They looked to God. They worshiped God. They trusted him. He would deliver, and then they said, but if not. Is that a lack of faith?

Is but if not a lack of faith? I don't believe it is. I believe, actually, it is a reinforcement of faith. I believe it is a declaration of incredible faith, as we'll see. They said, but if not. If the deliverance does not come at this time, know, O King, that we do not serve your gods, we serve the living God. We serve the God of our fathers. We do not serve any man, any image, any idol. We serve God. But if not, is an incredibly powerful statement for us to consider, brethren, for us to inculcate into our level of faith that we have before God. So I'd like to spend the rest of the time we have today considering this statement, but if not. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego said, but if not, no matter what God's decision for them would be, they would not yield to the spiritual opposition of the King and the demonic influence behind that, just simply in order to save their physical life. I would submit to you that it takes more faith to continue serving God steadfast, even when you don't see the immediate deliverance you are seeking in life. Again, sometimes immediate deliverance does come, God opens the door and you walk out. Sometimes we struggle through a lifelong, decades of adversity and trial. Again, what is our perspective? Do we ever consider, but if not?

How much faith does it take to accept, but if not, and still continue on faithfully serving God without wavering? You know, you might say, well, you know, here's a great faith booster. Boom! The miracle happens and isn't that great faith? I think sometimes, you know, we can have this conversation. I've had it before. You say, all right, if you just had enough faith, the healing would happen. Okay, healing can be withheld at times because of a lack of faith, right? We can see in Scripture people lack faith and I'm not just saying healing. I'm saying other things as well. You know, Peter walked on water for a few seconds when he had faith and then boom, his faith faltered and he sank. So the fact is things can be withheld by a lack of faith in God. But also, I don't believe that the Scripture shows if you just have enough faith, this will happen even if it's not God's will. Because God's will is considered to this whole process as well. And I would submit to you, it often takes more faith to continue serving God steadfast even if you don't see the immediate deliverance that you're seeking in your life. There's times when God says, not now. Or, no, I'm not going to answer according to what you desire because there's something I am working out here far greater than you even understand. To continue to persevere through a trial without wavering, without losing the same conviction that these three men had, is demonstrating great faith. Again, our God can save, our God can save, our God can save, again, our God can save, our God can deliver, He does deliver. But if not, at this time and in this way, no king, we do not falter in our allegiance to Him, and we will not bow down to your idol.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego accepted God's answer no matter what it would mean in the short term. They didn't know if they were going to walk in the door, be thrown in the door into the furnace and just simply burned up. I'm sure they were prepared that if that was God's decision, that would happen. But again, they did not waver, and they demonstrated great faith in the midst of that trial. But if not, is an incredible perspective to hold on to, brethren, to make a part of our faith before God. Let's continue reading the story where we left off. Let's see what God's response was to their faith in this case. Daniel 3. Let's pick it back up in verse 21.

It says, Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, their other garments, and were cast into midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king's command was urgent and their furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? And they answered and said to the king, True, O king! And he says, verse 25, Look, 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. The translation you could look at it, it's considered it might even mean the Son of the gods. Whatever this was, this was God's intervention on their behalf, whether this was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, or whether he had sent an angel in their deliverance. Verse 26, Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and he spoke, saying, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here. And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came from the midst of the fire. In the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men, on whose bodies the fire had no power. The hair of their head was not singed, nor were their garments affected, and the smell of the fire was not on them. I can't even go out in the backyard and build a fire in the fire pit without my clothes all smelling like smoke. These men walked through fire without even being singed. And, you know, in some ways, can we endure trials in this life, in faithful service to God, without being burnt, destroyed, and consumed as well?

Verse 28, Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies that they should not serve nor worship any God except their own God. I think it's interesting wording here says that they yielded their bodies.

They were willing to give up their life, be a sacrifice in some way, to serving God, to putting him first. They knew it wasn't just about this physical life. I assume they probably had an understanding of the resurrection, of what it is that God would do in his timing, and they knew God would deliver. Verse 29, Therefore I make a decree that my people, that any people, any nation or language that speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces. Their houses shall be made in ash heap, because there is no other God who can deliver like this. Wasn't that King Nebuchadnezzar suddenly believed that there's only one God? He was a polytheist there. In polytheistic worship, they would worship the God of this region, the God of that region. Nebuchadnezzar had gods that he worshipped, but no other God could deliver like this God. So it may not have been a total conversion here, but at least he could acknowledge the supremacy and the power of their God. Verse 30, Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

So I guess if you get disobey the king, you get thrown in the fiery furnace, and you don't die, you're in a promotion. And they continued to serve, and I would assume serve honorably, according to the position they were given. Daniel chapter 3, brothers, an incredible account of faith and deliverance, and it's one that shouldn't be just glossed over quickly, not just reduced to a child's bedtime story, and then you move on. We need to take time as we walk through the scripture to slow down, to look at the details, and to study, and think about these things. But if not, I want to continue to focus on that for a few more moments, because again, it's an incredible statement of faith to consider. There's a couple of other accounts in the Bible that I would call, but if not, examples as well. It doesn't use those exact words, but the principle is there. The illustration is there. I'd like to look at a couple of them quickly. One of them is found at the end of the life of Jesus Christ. Let's go to Matthew chapter 26.

Matthew 26 and verse 36. This is the night of the final Passover that Christ would spend with His disciples. Matthew chapter 26 and verse 36 says, then Jesus came to them, or they came with Him, to the place called Gethsemane. And He said to the disciples, sit here while I go and pray over there. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Jesus Christ had seen in His lifetime the consequences of crucifixion. You know, He'd walk the streets between Bethlehem and Jerusalem and the surrounding regions. The Romans liked to crucify people on major intersections. Street corners were those who would pass by, would see and fear and understand the risk of crossing that authority. So Jesus Christ knew, even just in the flesh, what He had observed about crucifixion, the suffering that would go on. He knew the prophecies that were written about Him and what He would endure in this death. And He says here, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. I think we would all, in the physical flesh, respond in that way. Verse 38, then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death. Stay here and watch with Me. And He went a little further, fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless not as I will, but as You will.

To me, and I'm going to insert my own words into the Scripture here so that you know. This is my insertion, but take the word nevertheless and replace it with, but if not. It doesn't change the meaning of the Scripture, but I think it helps us to understand, again, this is Christ came to this same point. I trust God, I fear God, I put Him first. This kind of deliverance this other way would really be nice if it possible, if it would fit Your will, but if not, not as I will, but as You will. Christ's example reminds us that at baptism we gave our lives completely to the purpose and the will of God. We said, I'm putting to death the old man. I'm taking on the Spirit of God, which now is going to mold the character of God in our life as we yield to it. And while we may cry out for deliverance in various ways and over various trials, that deliverance doesn't always come in the same manner that took place with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We need to be willing to make, but if not, a part of our faith, a part of our prayer, a part of our trust in God. Having faith in God's perfect will involves trusting Him completely for what it is that He deems to be the best decision according to His perfect timing. Christ said, knowing what was coming up, if there's any way to do this another way, if this cup can pass from me, Father, please, nevertheless, or if not, not as I will, but as You will. Jesus Christ had so much trust in His Father that He was willing to place Himself completely in His hands, even to the point of death.

So you had this being, John 1.1 says, God with God. Philippians chapter 2 says, who, being in the form of God, humbled Himself, came in the likeness of men. So you had this being of the power of God, now existing in the flesh as the Son of God, and He had to trust His Father completely after three days and three nights to deliver Him from the grave. He had to trust His Father completely that what He was about to go through was for the perfect purpose that He had established. He said, but if not, not my will, but Your will be done. Jesus Christ knew absolutely that He would be delivered. He knew that the grave would not contain Him because His Father was on His throne and His perfect will would be done. Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, there was no question that God was on His throne. We don't serve you, King. God will deliver us according to His will, and it is indeed what our perspective must be as well. It may be difficult at times. Honestly, it may be agonizing at times, but we too need to take on the same level of faith and trust that Jesus Christ had, trusting that our eternal life is secure when it is in our Father's hands. He does deliver. He can deliver, and He will deliver according to His perfect will.

Again, but if not, it's not a term of a lack of faith. It is a term that demonstrates incredible faith, frankly, in the face of a trial, when the delivery from our perspective isn't clearly known, but it shows that we trust God, that He is first in our life, and that we know deliverance will come from Him. Last section I'd like to look at in this perspective is Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11, you know it as the faith chapter, profiles of heroes of faith, people who have served God and God flung over the door of deliverance, flung it open in many cases.

But as we'll also see, not every form of deliverance is the same. Hebrews chapter 11 in verse 1, the passage Hebrews 11, we're not going to read all through it, but it goes on to describe the faith of Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham, Moses, many others, those whom God, because of their obedience and faith, delivered in miraculous ways. Let's jump down to verse 32. Hebrews 11 verse 32 says, and what more shall I say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jepthah, and also of David and Samuel and the prophets. You know, all these people that we can go read about and see their example of faith and see the mighty works that God did through them. You know, wouldn't it be great to be Gideon? Just a small handful of an army going up against a massive army and frustrating them, not because you were so great, but because God is so great, and you are the people of God. Verse 33, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire. We just read about that. Escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised to life again. We love that kind of deliverance, don't we? That's the deliverance I want.

When I'm going through a trial, I'm crying out to God, isn't that the deliverance we want? God fling open the door and miraculously deliver? Well, God does, and we've seen many examples, if you read through Hebrews 11, of God doing such. But all deliverance isn't necessarily going to be the same for each person. Verse 35, women received their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured. Well, okay, what? Just a minute. What's wrong with their faith?

Tortured? Well, maybe there was a lack of faith there. Maybe they didn't really trust God. They're here, right? Hebrews 11. Profiles of faith, there didn't come a breaking point where we said, all right, everyone before the women receiving their dead, raised to life, were truly faithful, and the rest, you know, they're less faithful. That's not what it says.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. This deliverance is the deliverance that the king can offer. You know, bow down and worship my image, right? They didn't accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. So there were those who looked to God in full assurance of faith, and yet they still died. But you know, that's not the end of the story. And in our limited physical ways, we have a perception of what God has planned for our future, but God sees eternity in a way that we can't even grasp. And He sees our potential, and He sees what He needs to work out in our life, maybe not only for our benefit, maybe for the benefit of our spouse or our neighbor. Not every trial we walk through is maybe necessarily fully for us, but maybe it's so that others would look and consider and grow as well. But again, these died in a full assurance of faith. They had faith, they died, and they chose a temporary death rather than deliverance from men, because the deliverance would ultimately be from God unto eternal life. Again, others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. First resurrection, resurrection unto life, that is their reward.

But if not, I'm sure, as part of their perspective, actually these are the recipients of the but if not. This is the but if not category, and yet they will receive the better resurrection. They will come up, they will reign alongside Jesus Christ as will the rest of the firstfruits because of their faithfulness. Verse 36, still others had trials of mockings and scourgings, yes of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens, in caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. Didn't come in their life. Frankly, it's not going to come in our life, physical life as well, but the promise lies yet ahead. But it says they obtained a good testimony through faith. We're reading about them. Verse 40, God, having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. So there is coming a day when these individuals of faith will live again. They'll reign alongside Jesus Christ with the rest of the firstfruits, because they fully trusted God. They fully served Him who would not waver in the face of trial or opposition. And they said, our God will deliver. If not in this day, deliverance indeed will come.

But if not, is a phrase that should be a part of the vocabulary of your faith and my faith. When we offer up our prayers and our petitions before God, do we say, God, this is what I want, this is how I want it. Look at my faith. Amen. Or do we say, God, I submit myself to your will and your perfect purpose. I'm seeking this. This is my petition, Father, but if not, not my will, but your will be done. That is an expression of faith. It's not a lack of faith. It's not a cop-out. It is faith. I believe that accepting the but if not in our relationship with God does a number of things for our faith. I put together a short list. I have eight items here. If you're taking notes, you're going to have to write quickly because I'm not going to spend a lot of time here on these, but I just want us to consider what but if not does for our faith. So here's actually six things. But if not, acknowledges that I will serve God no matter the temporary or immediate outcome.

But if not, acknowledges I will serve God no matter the temporary or immediate outcome. There could be sickness. There could be job loss. There could be injury, financial struggle, whatever the trial is. We lay those before God and we seek deliverance. But if not, though, acknowledges that I still serve you God no matter how quickly the answer comes, whether or not it comes the way I think it should come.

But if not, acknowledges that God is sovereign over all, even us.

It acknowledges that God is sovereign over all, even us, that His will is higher than our will, and we submit to His perfect will. But if not, acknowledges God's sovereign over all. But if not, acknowledges that we worship God on His terms, not our terms.

Our terms say, God, I want delivered today. But again, but if not, acknowledges we worship God on His terms, not our terms. In other words, if God doesn't intervene, when and how we think He should, we're not just simply going to walk away from this relationship. I was listening to a sermon last night by Gary Petty before I went to bed, and it was actually part two of a series. And I think I listened to part one. It was a 2013 series, but I just kind of actually, somebody had recommended this sermon on Facebook, and I thought, well, I'll listen to that, you know, as I'm getting ready for bed. And he was talking about the covenants, and he made the point that, you know what, we don't just wander up the God and say, God, I'd like to make a covenant with you. And here's the terms I think we should have. It is God who makes covenant with us. It is God who establishes the terms of the covenant, and we respond to Him in faith and obedience. And so, but if not, recognizes that, you know what, we worship God on His terms. This is His covenant. It was His Son that He sent to die on our behalf, and we serve Him. But if not, acknowledges that we place our trust in Him fully, just as Jesus Christ did. A being with all power, eternal self-existent, went into the grave, dead, three days and three nights, putting His trust in His Father, not my will, but Your will. But if not, acknowledges we place our trust fully in God.

But if not, acknowledges that we love God no matter our circumstances. It's easy to love God when He opens the windows of blessing for us, you know, and He pours it out from heaven, or He goes and intervenes in a way that completely removes our problem in our trial. We say, God, I love you. And He does do that. There are many times He does that, and we do love God, so I'm not seeking to minimize that. But is that all that our love is based on? But if not, acknowledges that we love God no matter our circumstances. And finally, but if not, acknowledges that God will always do what is best for our eternal salvation.

Again, He sees the big picture. We see it to a degree, certainly not to the degree God sees it. Maybe as we've come through the Passover in the spring holy days, days of eleven bread, we see some of the growth we need to do. But again, God who searches and knows the heart knows the growth we truly need. Or, you know, maybe the growth somebody else next to us needs. But if not, acknowledges that God is always going to do what is best for our eternal salvation. I'll reference Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, because it says, we can be confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Saying, not my will, but your will acknowledges that God will always do what is best for our eternal salvation, and we trust Him to do that. Brethren, in the face of trials and difficulties in this life, we must be willing to stand fast, to show forth the commitment, the conviction, the courage, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. They displayed their trust in God, their faith, their confidence in Him. And you and I need to be fully confident that our God is able to deliver us. His all power, the ability to deliver is in His hand, He is able to deliver us, and that He will deliver us. Also, in addition to that, we say, but if not. Deliverance is guaranteed as long as we remain faithful to God, but if not today, if not right at this moment, or right in the here and now as I would desire it, or maybe if I have to endure the fiery furnace literally and fall, we still look to God, and He does deliver. Ultimately, He delivers us unto His kingdom and eternal life for walking faithfully in His service. So all of these things are important for us to consider. He is able to deliver. He will deliver. But if not, let it be known, brethren, that we as His people serve Him.