How Then?

Throughout sacred Scripture, the Holy Spirit gives us a plethora of examples of godly men and women who chose obedience to God – even if such obedience would cost their lives. And make no mistake, it is to our undoing that we ignore their examples.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are only three examples of those whose faith deserves to be imitated. They, along with Daniel and hundreds of other young men from Israel had been taken captive to Babylon by the despotic King Nebuchadnezzar. We find that detail in chapter one of his Daniel’s book.

It strikes me as curious that Daniel mentions that only he and his three friends refused to participate in the surrounding pagan culture: Four men among the hundreds of Jews then living in Babylon. Yet, those four remained faithful to the God of Israel, even though He had exiled them from their homes, their families, their friends, and all things familiar.

You probably also know the story of Shadrach and his friends and the fiery furnace. The king demanded everyone in any position of leadership in his kingdom to bow before a huge idol he’d set up in one of the provinces of Babylon. Those who refused would be cast into the furnace flames.

But despite the threat, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow the knee to any idol, even on pain of death. It could be said that they each lived out the declaration of Job centuries earlier: “Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him.” (Job 13:15)

We pick up the furnace story in Daniel 3 - “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)

To summarize their stunning defiance and defense in 21st century jargon, they said to the king who was known for his ferocity and savagery, “O king, make no mistake about this point: Our God is not impressed by your authority, and He certainly can deliver us from your furnace. But, if He decides not to do so, then so be it. We will not bow to your culture or your idol. Do with us then as you will.”

They said, “Do with us as you will.” That sounds a lot like what St Peter and the other apostles said to their malevolent leaders – “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Of course, Shadrach and his companions are not the only examples Scripture gives us of faithful servants of God. Puah and Shiphrah are two more. Moses tells us they were midwives in Egypt during Israel’s bondage to that nation (See Exodus 1). When the Pharaoh feared Israel might become too powerful, he demanded the midwives kill all the boys as they were being born.

According to some Bible scholars, there were three million Jews living in Egypt at the time of the Exodus. We can safely surmise half of that number were women. Now, while not all would be pregnant or giving birth at the same time, it’s hard to imagine that only two midwives could meet the needs of every woman about to give birth. Yet, Moses mentions only two who had decided to disobey the king. What about the other midwives scattered across the land of Goshen? Were they complicit in Pharaoh’s culture of death? Were they the ancestors of their 21st century great-great-grandchildren who promote abortion and who vote for those who kill babies in the womb and those exiting the birth canal?

These two stories from Judeo-Christian history are important for the lessons they provide Jews and Christians today. How then shall we live in the year 2022?

It is wholly insufficient to simply attend synagogue services each Sabbath, or Church services each Sunday, or Mass each day, if we are marching in lockstep with the godless culture around us.

God is not at all impressed by our religiosity. He is nauseated by our meticulous checking off the right boxes to ‘prove’ our spirituality.

Here is what God told Israel what He thought about their religious rituals: “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:21-24)

And here is what Jesus will say to those at the Judgment who think their rituals and sacraments pleased Him: “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; Depart from Me, all you evildoers.” (Luke 13:24-27)

God never requests us to be holy in our lifestyles. He demands that we be holy.

How then should we live? God tells us often enough, but here are only two of which the Lord reminds me often enough: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word” (Psalm 119:9), and from Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Oh, God, create in us a clean heart.