Babylon’s Three Missionaries

Daniel 3:28 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.”

We clearly see the influence that these three young Hebrew missionaries in our text had on the entire world. We learn from the Word of God that Nebuchadnezzar published a decree throughout the known world regarding the one true God as a direct result of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s influence. We are very familiar with this Bible story, but let’s see exactly what these three men did to be used in such a manner.

First, they trusted God. They believed that God was sovereign and that He had their best interest at heart even if it meant death. Look at what they said in Daniel 3:16-18, “…O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

They believed that God was able to deliver them and they trusted God even if He chose not to deliver them. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” This is the first step toward great influence as a missionary – trust.

Next, we are told that they changed the King’s word. This simply means that they obeyed God rather than King Nebuchadnezzar. Jesus sets the standard for us. Hebrews 5:8 says, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” God ordains the circumstances of our life to make us like Christ and to use us for His glory. We must always obey Him and choose what we know is right. This is the second step toward great influence as a missionary—obedience.

Last, we see that these three young men yielded their bodies. In other words, they were willing to die if need be for the glory of God. John gives us the key to great spiritual influence and victory in Revelation 12:11. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” In this humanistic day and age in which we live, happiness is often a priority; nevertheless, the final key to great missionary influence is found in yielding – yielding everything to God.

Are we trusting God? Are we obeying God? Are we yielding to Him today? These three Babylonian missionaries did, and they were used to touch the entire world.

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