When three Hebrew children were brought face to face with the fiery furnace, their reply to the king was, "We are not careful to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. But if not, be it known unto you, O king, we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)
Here is presented the principle that is to be followed by every one who would be loyal to God. We do not know whether God will deliver us from the trial, or in the trial, or whether the victory to the world will be apparent at all or not. No matter what the results, we are to stand faithful to principle. Victory will come some time, and we can afford to wait.
Trials are not pleasant; they are furnaces of affliction, and by them the child of God is purified. They are the means of perfecting character. But the hardest of all trials to bear is that where the world sees only defeat. When Christ was brought to the test of the cross, who of His followers thought that for Him it was a victory that day? There was but one who believed He was King, and that was the thief upon the cross by His side. "Remember me when You come into your kingdom." (Luke 23:42)
And yet there was no day in all the earthly experience of Christ when He was more of a victor than He was that day. By faith the Christian can see victory where the world sees only defeat. The earth belongs to the meek: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
But they are not yet in possession of it, and present appearances do not indicate that they ever will be, but time will prove it. "God is not slack concerning His promises." (2 Peter 3:9)
His eternal purpose and the principles of the Gospel are bound to prevail. The question with each of us should be whether when they triumph,--and triumph gloriously they will,--we shall be there to triumph with them.--Present Truth, June 1, 1899--Daniel 3:16-18
E.J. Waggoner