December 14, 2025
Sermon Part 4: “God’s Truth Is Your Shield and Buckler!”
My, my my! I can still hear myself screaming and crying to my late brother Duan, “I’m so sorry I wore your brand new shoes without your permission!” On that day I committed “shoe sin” against my brother!
Happy Sunday Saints! This Sermon is dedicated to Minister Jeronda L. Hairston!
Introduction
When I was in Junior High School, my late brother Duan Joyce who was about three-years older than me, purchased a pair of Bally’s Black French Leather Monk-Strap shoes. (Much sharper than the shoe in the picture above.) I admired Duan’s taste in clothes, and boy, did I like those shoes. I asked if I could wear them sometime and of course he said no, and warned me never to wear them. Saints, I guess you can figure out what happened next.
One day, I decided to sneak and wear his beautiful shoes to school. Since he was a senior at McKinley Tech High School and had to take two buses to get there, I thought I could wear the shoes and have time to get them back home and in the shoe-box, before he returned home. So I waited for Duan to leave for school and then I slipped his shoes on. Wow! The shoes fit perfectly and looked great with the outfit I had on. When I arrived at school several of my classmates complimented me on the shoes, and of course, I didn’t bother to tell them the shoes belonged to my big brother, and that I was wearing them without his permission.
Then, around 2:00 PM that afternoon, it started to rain, and by the time school let out at 3:00 PM, it was pouring down “buckets” of rain. I mean Saints, it was a torrential down pour the rest of the evening. I didn’t even have an umbrella and had quite a long distance to walk to get home from school. My heart was racing as I knew the shoes were going to get soaking wet. I wanted to make sure I got home as soon as possible to try to dry and clean the shoes; as Duan normally got home around 5:00 PM.
So, I tried to take a short-cut to enter into our apartment complex. This required that I scale about a six-foot-high fence. When I climbed over the fence, I slipped and fell to the ground, my books and notebook landed in a stream of water and I was covered in mud. And, wouldn’t you know it, Duan’s beautiful shoes were covered in mud too! My feet had sunken into the mud like quick-sand; the mud covered the whole shoes, and all the way up to my ankles.
I remember yelling out loud, saying “Oh God, why me? Duan is going to kill me!” I picked up my things and began running home; leaving a trail of mud in the streets all the way to our apartment. When I arrived home, I immediately changed clothes, mopped the floor-up of water and mud, and started cleaning the shoes with paper towels as best I could. The shoes were cold, full of mud and water-logged. I thought about putting the shoes in the “oven” to dry, but thought it might melt the leather. (Laugh)
Instead, after cleaning them off, I decided to put the shoes back in the shoe-box and placed them on the floor in the back of his closet. (I had hoped the shoes would dry-out in a couple of days and I could clean and polish them.) I then discarded all of the dirty paper towels in the basement trash-bin and washed my clothes. Duan returned home from school, and for a couple of hours everything seemed fine. I thought my plan was working, thank God I said to myself he hasn’t noticed the shoes. But as the Sermon Series Title says, “You Can Never Get Ahead of the Truth!” You can be sure that all secret sin will find you, and pay you the reward of negative unintended consequences.
I decided to go into the kitchen and prepare a sandwich, and Duan entered and looked at me for several seconds. (My brother was not a person whoever showed much emotion; he was always cool, calm, and collected.) Without saying a word, he hit me in the face with a combination of punches and turned and walked away, and I went down and out without a count!
I remember getting up and saying I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for wearing your shoes. I checked my forehead and there were two large knots. All Duan said quietly was, “I told you never to wear my shoes.” I knew I was wrong for wearing the shoes and had to suffer the painful consequences. When my Mother got home she saw the knots on my forehead and asked what had happened. I told her the story and she said, “Well, you shouldn’t have worn Duan’s shoes. Go and put some ice on your forehead.” I never wore Duan’s clothes or shoes again.
Now Saints, I told you that true story because it reminds me of the condition of the shoes when I got home: They were permanently damaged; mud stained, water logged, bent-out of shape, smelly, and squeaky. The shoes had been “totally immersed in water and mud.” If they had been worn again, even the casual observer would have easily surmised that the shoes had been damaged by a rain storm. If walked in, the shoes would have left wet and dirt prints everywhere. Even if the shoes were not worn for months, they still would have looked and smelled a mess because they were water damaged.
Figuratively speaking, the rain-and-mud soaked shoes remind me of our relationship with God in Christ Jesus. Of course, not in a bad way, but a good way. It reminds me of the picture illustration that I shared at the beginning of the Series, of how God has placed us in His “Bubble of Truth.”
How God has immersed and soaked the hearts of every born-again believer in Jesus Christ; the “Truth.” Jesus prayed to God the Father that we all would be “sanctified in the Truth,” for “God’s Word is Truth.” (John 17:17) Meaning, God has separated and set us apart from the people of the world, and made us “Truth” in His sight! Glory to God, we have been sealed in Truth by the Holy Ghost until the Day of the Lord’s return to rapture the Church.
Oh, how important this is Saints! For Jesus Christ told His disciples that He is the “way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the “Truth.” Thus, God has sanctified us in “Jesus” (The Truth). We can boldly reckon that our born-again hearts are “Jesus,” and full of Grace (unmerited favor) and Truth. (John 1:14) Going deeper, our regenerated hearts hold the knowledge of the “Truth of God.” That is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob alone is the ultimate source of all reality, wisdom, and faithfulness. That God is not just truthful, but is “Truth” itself, existing as the ultimate reality, possessing perfect knowledge, and acting with complete moral integrity and faithfulness. This Truth is discovered by Mankind through God’s self-revelation in creation, the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost; and knowing God is considered the foundation for understanding all other truths.
Because our born-again hearts have been made Truth, in our inner beings, there is “complete humble submission” to the teachings of Jesus Christ; an eagerness and earnestness to obey the Lord’s every Command. In God’s eyes, and His are the only eyes that matter, we can never get ahead of the Truth, as we abide in it! God has Commanded that we live by every Word of God, thus, in our daily living, we must “walk” in Truth. (Luke 4:4) Ecclesiastes 12:13 gives the best summation of our duty to the “Truth.” The writer exhorts: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: For this is the whole duty of man.” To walk in Truth is to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight, so that God may exalt you in due season. (I Pet. 5:6)
Wearing my brother’s water-logged shoes temporarily left wet and muddy footprints in the streets and in our apartment, but when we “walk in Truth” along this Christian Journey, left behind are lasting foot-prints of Truth for others to follow. Wherever we go and whatever we do, or even more finitely, every step we take in life, we ought to be keenly aware that it’s a “Jesus-step.” Yes, all of your footsteps are to be Christ’s steps leaving foot-prints of Truth along the way.
The Apostle Paul wrote at II Corinthians 11:1, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” The Verse emphasizes the importance of being an example to others while also remaining a disciple of Jesus. It means that Christian leaders and believers both in private and public settings are called to live a “Christ-like” life that others can imitate, so that God may be glorified in the earth by your God good-works.
Moreover Saints, not only are we to walk in Truth as Jesus Christ ministered on earth, but even more so, to live as He is seated in Heavenly Places, as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Remember, that as Jesus Christ is (Our King and Great High Priest) so are we in this world. (I John 4:17) For God has washed us from our sins in the blood of Jesus Christ and made us “kings and priests” unto God the Father. (Rev.1:5-6)
From all I have said thus far, the born-again Christian must be clothed mentally in the knowledge of our “holy calling and vocation,” which is to walk in God’s Truth. God has divinely summoned us to a particular way of life and service unto Him. No longer should a born-again Christian ask of themselves why they were born into the world, and long to know their Purpose in life.
We have been called to walk in Truth; to live the Christ-like life! Meaning to live a life that aligns with the reality of God’s Word, embodying its teachings and principals in daily conduct. It involves a commitment to integrity, honesty and love, where actions reflect beliefs, and a person’s lifestyle is consistent with their faith. This goes beyond just telling the Truth, it means consistently applying what one believes to every aspect of life, from personal relationships to actions and spiritual growth. The cornerstone of our daily walk in Truth must be witnessed by unfeigned love for God and all people.
The Apostle Paul wrote at Ephesians 4:1-3:
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.
Daily, in this fallen world and society in which we live, we are confronted with making a choice and decision whether to tell and live in lies, or to tell and live in Truth. God has ordained for our lives that we always practice walking in Truth. Right now, everyone should examine themselves and determine whether they are standing in the pathway of Truth or a Lie. We must beware and think soberly, knowing that Satan wants us to live in the secrecy of lies, to prevent us from fulfilling our holy calling and vocation of walking in Truth, living the Christ-like life, and receiving the Precious Promises of God. If we choose to walk in falsehoods, we remove ourselves from the protective covering of God and become susceptible to the forces of death, including gross failures that accompany living in carnality.
The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, whom God and Jesus Christ has sent to us has been given the specific assignment to reprove us in righteousness and to lead us into all Truth. (John 14:26 &16:7-15) Saints, even now, if you have some deep dark secret sin that you have been hiding, even for years and decades, the Holy Ghost continually shines a light on it, to chasten you to confess, repent, and forsake it; and walk in Truth.
Frankly speaking, without the Holy Ghost in our hearts, it would be impossible not to tell lies and deceive others. But, because the Spirit of Truth dwells within our hearts, we can walk in Truth and liberty all the days of our lives. Glory to God, God expects for us to live as “Truth-Tellers,” with good works bearing witness to what we espouse. The Holy Ghost is given to us to lead us into all Truth, so that we might walk on earth full of grace and Truth, like Jesus. (John 1:14)
Saints, greatly take your delight in II Timothy 2:19-21. The Apostle Paul stated:
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Those who claim to follow God in Christ Jesus must turn away from sin and wickedness, and commit themselves to walking in Truth and thereby become meet for the Master’s use. God’s Divine Promises of Protection from evil are upon all those who become “Truth Tellers!” Yes, for all the Saints who love Truth, as the Sermon today says: “God’s Truth Is Your Shield and Buckler!” When we commit to walking in God’s Truth, we receive the unmerited supernatural favors from both God and the people of the world. As we walk in Truth, God is glorified (exalted) and His people are promoted!
God Divinely Protects Us from All Evil As We Walk in Truth
The Saints of God must never lose the holy ambition to walk in Truth; to always tell the Truth and live according to the Truth we espouse. Whether it be of spiritual matters (things pertaining to the Word of God and Salvation) or natural matters (things pertaining to this world’s system and in our relationships with one another) we must always tell the Truth.
Telling the Truth, and living in it, (even when it is uncomfortable) is vitally important because it builds trust in God and people we interact with, strengthens relationships, and fosters personal integrity. Honesty allows for clear expectations, better communication, and a more peaceful mind. While on the other hand lying only leads to a cycle of deception, damaged reputations, and a loss of connection with God and people. The greatest compliment that can be paid to a person is to be known among their fellow believers, family, friends, and foes; as a person of “integrity.” The person with integrity reflects the character of God in the earth.
Saints listen to and take special note of the following Scriptures regarding those who walk in integrity (Truth), for they are Promised guidance and security and receive supernatural rewards (favor) from God.
*Proverbs 10:9: Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
*Proverbs 2:7: He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
*Psalm 25:21: May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord is in you.
*Proverbs 11:3: The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (deception).
*Proverbs 28:6: Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in his ways.
*I Samuel 26:23: The Lord rewards each man for his integrity.
Many born-again Christians are unaware that being a “Truth-Teller” enables God to exercise His Promise of Divine Protection over their lives. I even ask of you Saints, did you know that if you commit yourselves to telling and living in Truth, God protects you from all evil? (Not just in telling the Truth regarding spiritual matters, but in all aspects of life.) Telling the Truth will blanket your life with God’s Protection. In fact, the Truth is our great defender against all unrighteousness. Examine Psalm 91:4.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
God’s Holy Word, the Truth, when obeyed and walked in, acts as a mighty “shield and buckler” over our lives. Here at Exousia Ministries, Inc. for almost 25-years, every Sunday we have read and confessed Psalm 91; God’s Covenant Promise of Protection over our lives. Down through the years, some people may have wondered why I have insisted on us continually confessing this Psalm over the lives of God’s people. But, I tell you the Truth, if you place your faith and trust in Psalm 91, God will keep you safe from the whiles of the devil who only seeks to steal, and to kill, and to destroy our lives. (John 10:10)
Umm, just a few weeks ago, we heard the personal testimony of Minister Jeronda L. Hairston, how while walking to work one morning, a man approached her and put a gun in her face and demanded her possessions. He could have pulled the trigger and shot and killed her, or done other physical harm to her, but God stepped in and acted as her “shield and buckler!” Saints, personally speaking, there is not sufficient time to tell of the many supernatural stories in which I have experienced God’s Divine Protection from evil contrived by people both far and near to me; because I dwell in “God’s Truth.”
In Verse 4, the Psalmist wrote that, “…His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” As many times as we and other Saints in Christian Circles have read this Verse, I’m not sure we have understood it well. In the Old Testament times, a shield and buckler were both types of defensive armor used in war. The shield was a large, full-body shield while the buckler was a smaller, more agile shield for close combat. More specifically, a large full-body shield was used to protect the entire person from blows and arrows. It was often made of wood and covered in leather, with some being curved so a soldier could hide behind it.
The buckler, a smaller round shield, was used for close quarters fighting. It was lighter and easier to maneuver, allowing for quick deflections.
The main differences are size, grip, and use: a buckler is a small, fist-gripped shield (about 9-18 inches) used to deflect blows and protect the sword hand, making it ideal for mobile, one-on-one combat. A shield is a larger, arm-strapped defensive weapon that offers more comprehensive body protection and can be used in formations against ranged attacks, but it limits mobility and the users own attacks.
In the Holy Bible, the phrase “shield and buckler” is often used metaphorically to represent God's Comprehensive Protection and Faithfulness over His people in the conduct of spiritual warfare. The combination of the large shield and the small buckler symbolizes God’s “complete multifaceted defense” against Satan and the forces of darkness. The shield represents God’s overarching protection, while the buckler represents His constant and portable defense, especially for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most-High (those who walk in Love and Truth).
Further, the “Shield of Faith” as noted by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:16 is a metaphor for faith, which can extinguish the fiery darts of evil, representing spiritual attacks. Finally, the Psalm 91:4 Passage depicts God’s faithfulness as a “shield and buckler” indicating a steadfast and personal protection from danger far and near at all times. In the case of Minister Jeronda’s attacker, specifically, God stepped in as her “buckler” from the up-close and personal danger of the robber. During the attack, there were no police, family, or neighbors around to help. But, God stepped in and did her a favor by placing on the robber’s heart to let her go without physical harm. Somebody in here shout with the Voice of triumph that “God is my buckler!”
Walking in Truth Brings Forth God’s Prosperity
Saints, God wants us to walk in integrity, to walk in Truth all the days of our lives because it brings us into a wealthy place in Christ Jesus. You heard me right, God sanctified us in the Truth so that we might “prosper” in everything we do. Remember again I Samuel 26:23: “The Lord rewards each man for his integrity.” No matter what a man’s station in life may be, rich or poor, if he chooses and decides to walk in the Truth (integrity) of God’s Word, God will abundantly multiply his years on earth and satisfy his life with good things. (Ps. 91:16) Satan knows this and launches attacks against us to tempt us to tell lies, and walk in falsehoods, in an effort to keep us from reaching our God-determined destiny of promotion and wealth.
Consider Psalm 112:1-3, for it describes the blessing that rests upon the person who delights greatly in learning, keeping, and living by God’s Word.
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness (integrity) endureth forever.
Praise God, no weapon that Satan forms against us shall prosper, especially when we have chosen and decided to walk in Truth. For God’s Truth acts as our “shield and buckler” against all evil, and its perpetrators. When Satan uses people and worldly organizational systems to attack and oppress us, we don’t have to resort to revenge or stoop to their own tactics of hate.
When lied upon and despitefully used by others, our weapons are not carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strong-holds. (II Cor.10:4) When people persecute us, with the assistance of the Holy Ghost, we are to hold our peace and follow after the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Jesus Christ (The Truth), who when persecuted reviled not again. The Apostle Peter wrote at I Peter 2:23, “who when He was reviled, reviled not in return; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.”
This is the hallmark of character of every born-again Christian who walks in Truth: When reviled, we take no action of retaliation against haters. Rather, we commit ourselves to standing in Truth and God will judge righteously. We are to know that for every cross endured in life, the Truth will act as a shield and buckler and bring us to our golden crown.
The Three Hebrew Boy’s Story: An Epic Example of God’s Truth as a Shield and Buckler
In the Old Testament, perhaps there is no greater example of God’s Truth serving as a shield and buckler, and its ultimate yielding of prosperity than the story of the “Three Hebrew Boys, recorded in Daniel Chapters 1-3. We all know the account of the three Hebrew Boys and the fiery furnace well, so I will give a summary and commentary on the story.
As I begin telling their story, it is important to note the three Hebrew Boys along with their close friend, Daniel, grew up together in Judah and were among the brightest and most gifted children of Israel who were taken captive and exiled by the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar. The Jewish people had been judged by God because they had forgotten Him and pursued after other gods. God used the Babylonian Empire, a world power full of corruption, idolatry, and oppression to bring judgment and hopefully to lead His people into repentance.
God strategically placed Daniel and the three Hebrew Boys in king Nebuchadnezzar’s life to point him to his great need for God. Daniel and the three men were “devout” worshippers and faithful servants of God who obeyed the Word of the Lord. They were “fully immersed” in God and Truth; they were humbled Truth Tellers. They serve as an Old Testament example of the way born-again Christians of today are to walk in Truth; sanctified and consecrated unto God in the beauty of Holiness. Also, they affirm for us, that God has likewise placed each one of us where we are, so that we can point people to Jesus Christ.
To Daniel and the three Hebrew Boys, it did not matter that they were taken captive and faced with the pressures of conforming to a pagan culture and idolatrous society; they remained faithful to the Only True God, and nothing could turn them away from serving Him. While in Babylon, the men refused to compromise their beliefs even in the face of death.
Further, their worship was expressed through their commitment to not bowing down to idols, their decision to eat a simple diet of vegetables and water instead of the king’s rich food, and by praying and praising God in the face of extreme danger reserved only for those chosen by God for martyrdom. And, as a consequence, Daniel and the Hebrew Boys walked in God’s Divine Protection and received favor of the Lord and the king, and their example of faithfulness to God ultimately worked to change the heart of king Nebuchadnezzar to believe in the miraculous power of the God of the Hebrew men.
In the first two Chapters of Daniel, we learn that the birth-names of the three Hebrew Boys were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and when taken to Babylon, they were given new names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to serve the king Nebuchadnezzar. After Daniel had won favor with king Nebuchadnezzar by interpreting a dream that troubled him, the king rewarded Daniel with “many great gifts and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon.” (Dan. 2: 48-49) Daniel then requested and Nebuchadnezzar agreed that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be appointed to prominent positions in the government in Babylon. (Dan. 2:1-49)
In Chapter 3, we learn that King Nebuchadnezzar built a giant golden statue and commanded at the sound of the music that everyone in Babylon bow down and worship it. Any person who failed to do so would be cast into a burning fiery furnace. When the musical instruments played, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained standing, refusing to worship the idol.
How could they bow down to a false god, when they knew the only True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? To worship the golden idol would break the Law of Moses; the first of the 10 Commandments: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Ex. 20:3 & Deut. 5:7) Furthermore, Exodus 20:4-5 states, “you shall not make yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything …You shall not bow down to them or worship them.”
After the Hebrew boys refused to worship the idol, a certain sect of Babylonians, called Chaldeans, went to the king and accused the Hebrew Boys of not falling down and worshipping the idol as commanded. (These Chaldeans were what we would call today “Tattle Tellers;” people who love to tell the business of others for malicious reasons.) The Chaldeans were jealous that the Hebrew boys, foreigners and captives of Babylon, had been set over the province of Babylon to govern the affairs of the people, and wanted to see them judged and killed by fire.
Saints, you can be sure that any person who is a True Worshipper of God and prospers in His ways, the enemy Satan will find and use people to hate and persecute them. II Timothy 3:12, states, “Yea, and all that will live godly shall suffer persecution.” Yes, the devil will use people from a far-off, (strangers and folks you have never met nor harmed before) to hurl accusations and persecute you. But know, just as God was a full-body “shield” for the three Hebrew Boys, He will also be a full-body shield for all who walk humbly in Truth!
Upon hearing the news of the young men’s defiance, the king angrily summoned them to appear before him. The test of the Hebrew Boy’s character and willingness to stand in God’s Truth is shown in Daniel 3:14-15, as the king asked this question about their practice of worship, and gave them an ultimatum.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
The intense pressure to walk in the falsehood of idolatry was turned up on the Hebrew Boys by threatening their lives with death by fire. But, instead of conforming to the king’s command, they chose and decided to walk in God’s Truth. Watch how the Hebrews Boys responded to the threats of the king; with Truth of the Only True God, which acted as the Shield of Faith, recorded in Verses 16-18.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 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.
18 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.
In the king’s fury, he ordered the furnace be heated seven-times hotter than normal, and had the Hebrew Boys bound and made ready to be casted into the fiery furnace by the king’s mightiest warriors. Death by fire is considered one of the most horrible ways to die. Death by fire would cause extreme physical pain, physiological trauma, and psychological terror. Death in a fiery furnace would occur within seconds to a few minutes due to a combination of factors, including in-halation of superheated gases, massive fluid loss, and thermal decomposition of organs.
These three boys were persecuted for simply standing on God’s Truth to worship no other god. Truth would serve as the boys’ “buckler,” up-close and personal with the blazing flames that no human being could withstand. The Truth would fight against the heat and fiery flames such that it would not consume them. The flames were so intense that it immediately consumed the king’s mighty men as they approached and casted the boys into the fiery furnace.
The Scripture records that the Hebrew Boys bound and casted into the furnace, “fell down” in the midst of the burning fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:23) They were not hurt nor even concerned about the fire, but fell down in humble submission to offer Prayer and Praise unto God! Glory be to God, the king’s finest and mightiest soldiers were instantly consumed by the flames without even being casted into the furnace, whereas the Hebrew Boys after praying in the midst of the fire rose up and walked on top of the flames.
The king rose up from the throne to look into the furnace, and in Verse 25 it says, Nebuchadnezzar witnessed seeing, “four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt, and the form of a fourth person is like the Son of God.”
(Isaiah 43:2 says, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not over-flow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.)
The king was astonished to see that the three men were not burned and that there was a fourth figure walking with them in the fire, "like the son of God." (The king had seen an angel of God, not Christ.) Yea, Psalm 91:11 states, “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” They shall bear the up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” After ordering the men to come out of the furnace, the king observed that they were completely unharmed and did not even smell of smoke. The Hebrew Boys left indelible foot-prints of the Truth of God for the king and all of the people of Babylon to see and follow.
In response to this amazing miracle, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged and praised the Hebrew God and issued a decree threatening anyone who spoke against Him would be killed and their houses destroyed, and he said, “…because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” The king also promoted the three men to even higher positions in the government of his kingdom.
While king Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the Only True God’s sovereignty and power, at this point in his life, his humility was incomplete and pride and arrogance still marked his character. King Nebuchadnezzar, however, would later fully humble himself after God punished him with a seven-year period of madness and divine intervention. (Dan. Chap. 4) Nebuchadnezzar thereafter became a Truth Teller. Among his words of adoration of the Only True God, he said “I bless the Most-High God who lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and kingdom from generation to generation.” He called the Hebrew God, the “King of Heaven” and said “all of His works are truth, and his ways judgments and those who walk in pride He is able to abase.” (Dan. 4:34, 37)
In closing, the three Hebrew Boy’s unwillingness to compromise the Truth, despite the prospect of a crucible-like death by intense fire, provided lasting foot-prints of Truth for Nebuchadnezzar and the people of Babylon to follow after. The chief take-away from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is that, as Christians, we will never be able to bring the world to Christ by becoming like it. We must humbly devote our lives to living in God’s Truth, and when persecuted for our beliefs, be willing to suffer if need be for the sake of righteousness.
We must be as confident as Job in our day of adversity, speaking Truth to suffering saying, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
If we are put before the fiery furnace, we can reveal the One who can deliver us from it knowing that God’s Truth is our “shield and buckler.” In the world today, as never before, the Truth is under attack with lies, because Satan the adversary of God is the “author of lies” and knows his time is short. (John 8:44 & Rev.12:12) He seeks to blind the whole world to God’s Truth, because he knows lying, when believed and practiced, turns the hearts of men away from God, His Providential Care and Protection, and divine Favor; and instead opens the door for him to steal, kill, and destroy Humanity through the forces of pride, hatred, and division.
Every evil and demonic activity in the lives of individuals, families, communities, and nations starts with a “lie” being told. Believing falsehoods can and will lead to psychological and physical burdens, stunted personal growth, and strained relationships. While on the other hand embracing Truth leads to greater well-being, authenticity, and peace. Only one Man in the history of the world has defeated the Father of lies Satan, and that is Jesus Christ who never sinned. (II Cor. 5:21)
At the beginning of Jesus’ Public Ministry, and for that matter throughout Jesus’ life on earth, the devil confronted and attacked Him with lies that tested His Covenant relationship with God the Father. And, we can be sure that as long as we are in the earth the devil will tempt us with lies to attack God’s Truth.
Jesus, however showed us how to defeat every attack of the enemies’ lies, by using the written Word of God (Truth) as His “shield and buckler.” In fact, the only way to fight, dismantle, and defeat the temptative power of lies, is with the Written Word of God and power of the Holy Ghost, as Jesus did. Check out the confrontation Jesus had with Satan at the beginning of His Ministry recorded at Luke 4:1-13.
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Sadly, much of the world, including America, has turned into a dark-forest of division and hatred. Many of our key political and business leaders have taken America and turned it into a “fiery furnace” of racism, sexism, and narcissism. This evil has also invaded Christian Circles. But the only True God has called and chosen us to be “Truth Tellers” that are to be casted into the fiery furnace of hatred to reveal God’s work of love and unity across the land within our Churches, families, communities, and nation.
The Saints of God from every Church denomination and non-denomination must choose and decide to walk in Truth; to walk in the foot-steps of Jesus Christ, even in the midst of the fiery furnace, to tread and trample down on hatred and all other divisive works of the devil. We must say to the splintered and divided Church, and then to the unsaved world, that it is written:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
We are Commanded to Love one another regardless of political party, race, or gender. We can never get ahead of this Truth. Let everyone who calls themselves believers in Christ become clothed mentally in the Truth that God calls us all, to Love one another in word and deed void of hypocrisy. (Rom.12:9) So that God may be glorified in the earth and take us into our wealthy place in Christ Jesus. As we Love the “hell” out of haters, the Power of the Truth of God’s Love will set every captive free from sin, sickness and disease, demon possession and the poverty spirit! The Power of the Truth of God’s Love acted upon leaves lasting foot-prints for all people in their generations, including our enemies, to learn from and walk in Love. Christ laid down His life for the world, so must we also be willing to Love others greater than ourselves.
I pray that when every born-gain Christian looks back over their life’s walk in Truth, they can proffer as faithful Job pronounced this saying, "When my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!" (Job 29:6) This phrase describes the nostalgic reflection on Job’s past of such abundance that even the ground he walked on was covered in prosperity and blessings. For God’s Truth will surely make you rich as you walk humbly before Him in Love. Amen, for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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