Daniel #20 Resistance to Tyranny is Obedience to God

It is not easy to obey the Lord when there are severe consequences that will follow for doing so. When there hangs over our head the dread warning that obedience to Christ will bring swift judgment, we are forced to consider at what cost we will follow Jesus and His truth in loving obedience. What are we willing to sacrifice in order to be faithful to Him?

Christians around the world (more than in the United States) daily suffer the harshest of consequences because they will not bow the knee to the unlawful commands of rulers, but rather have covenanted with the Lord Jesus to follow His Word regardless of the consequences. No ruler (whether in the family, work, school, church, or state) has the right to command us to disobey the law of our King, Jesus Christ. And we have no right to disobey our King even when we face the most severe consequences. We must follow the example of the apostles of old who said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

The true and inspired account that is before us today details for us what three young men were willing to sacrifice in order to honor, love, and obey their Lord: their lives. Our main points are: (1) An Envious Accusation (Daniel 3:8-12); (2) A Second Chance (Daniel 3:13-15); (3) A Godly Resistance (Daniel 3:16-18).