The world is generally ready to give advice to Christians in matters pertaining to their religious life; but those who would lead the life that is pleasing to God would do well to remember that such advice comes from the poorest possible source. Here is an illustration: "Now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made, well; but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace." (Daniel 3:15)
This was the counsel given by the government of Babylon to the three Hebrew officials who persisted in disregarding the law of the land by refusing to bow down to the king's image. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been somewhat loath to use these three eminent men, so he offered them a second opportunity, and said if they would then fall down and worship, it would be well.
Well? Yes; there was no doubt about it from the government's point of view. But it would have been anything but well for them if they had followed this eminent advice. As it was, they were cast into the fiery furnace; and what was the result? A glorious meeting with the Son of God, their Redeemer, in which they walked and communed with Him face to face! The brightest and most rapturous moments of their lives were those which they spent in that fiery furnace.
That was well for them--exceedingly well; but exactly contrary to all results calculated from a human standpoint. The worldly advice given them was friendly and well meant, but it did not come from a competent source. The world is never competent to give advice which will secure real and permanent success in anything. The deed dictated by worldly wisdom perishes; but that done in the counsel of God lives for ever.
If we hearken to the voice of the Lord and heed His counsel, well; but if not, we shall finally be cast into a furnace of fire from which there will be no escape. "The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42)
The Lord has counseled us abundantly, for all His Word is counsel, written for our learning and admonition. Jesus says, "I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see." (Revelation 3:18)
We want that which has been tried in the fire, because only that will endure in the fire; for we must be tried by fire; we have been chosen in the furnace of affliction. "Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10)
This experience is necessary to fit us to stand at the presence of God; for: "Our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29)
The devil, who was behind Nebuchadnezzar's image-making and his decree for its compulsory worship, is still as interested and as active as ever in this line of work. There is still a fiery furnace for those who will not worship the god of gold. But the history of these three men of faith is set before us for our encouragement. They are "witnesses" about us, that we may run with patience the race before us. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
Then let us not shrink from the furnace, for there we shall meet with the Son of God and be with Him as we could not be outside. "When you pass through the fire, I will be with you." (Isaiah 43:2)
And let us not take counsel of the world, which would point out some way by which we might escape. There is no way of escape but will require bowing down to the image. Let us not deliberate or parley with the power that suggests it. We shall be happy and free in the furnace, in the company of our Divine Redeemer.--Present Truth, June 6, 1895--Daniel 3:15
E.J. Waggoner