但以理書3:19-30

3:19 當時，尼布甲尼撒怒氣填胸，向沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌變了臉色，吩咐人把窯燒熱，比尋常更加七倍；

3:20 又吩咐他軍中的幾個壯士，將沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌捆起來，扔在烈火的窯中。

3:21 這三人穿著褲子、內袍、外衣，和別的衣服，被捆起來扔在烈火的窯中。

3:22 因為王命緊急，窯又甚熱，那抬沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的人都被火焰燒死。

3:23 沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌這三個人都被捆著落在烈火的窯中。

3:24 那時，尼布甲尼撒王驚奇，急忙起來，對謀士說：「我捆起來扔在火裡的不是三個人嗎？」他們回答王說：「王啊，是。」

3:25 王說：「看哪，我見有四個人，並沒有捆綁，在火中遊行，也沒有受傷；那第四個的相貌好像神子。」

3:26 於是，尼布甲尼撒就近烈火窯門，說：「至高上帝的僕人沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌出來，上這裡來吧！」沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌就從火中出來了。

3:27 那些總督、欽差、巡撫，和王的謀士一同聚集看這三個人，見火無力傷他們的身體，頭髮也沒有燒焦，衣裳也沒有變色，並沒有火燎的氣味。

3:28 尼布甲尼撒說：「沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的上帝是應當稱頌的！他差遣使者救護倚靠他的僕人，他們不遵王命，捨去己身，在他們上帝以外不肯事奉敬拜別神。

3:29 現在我降旨，無論何方、何國、何族的人，謗讟沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌之上帝的，必被凌遲，他的房屋必成糞堆，因為沒有別神能這樣施行拯救。」

3:30 那時王在巴比倫省，高升了沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌。

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 25 He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree:Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way." 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

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    這段故事激勵了多少為主受苦的人，讓我們知道不論在任何的景況中，主都與我們同在，隨時幫助與拯救我們！即使是在烈火之中，主和那三為忠心的僕人，一同忍受烈火的熬練，並且加力量並保護不受烈火焚燒！

    也因此，我們要忠心信靠主，即使是付上生命的代價，主都紀念、主都不輕忽，在祂眼中我們都是寶貝，祂一個也不會放棄，一個也不會離棄，一定保護到底！正如祂所應許，一個也不失落！

    我們的信仰是主在保守，主在扶持，我們所遇見的一切都有主同在，更有主的幫助，讓我們存敬畏的心，一生跟隨，永不離開，祂必帶領我們進入永遠的福樂、永遠的國度之中，與祂同在萬萬年！

但以理書3:8-18

3:8 那時，有幾個迦勒底人進前來控告猶大人。

3:9 他們對尼布甲尼撒王說：「願王萬歲！

3:10 王啊，你曾降旨說，凡聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各樣樂器聲音的都當俯伏敬拜金像。

3:11 凡不俯伏敬拜的，必扔在烈火的窯中。

3:12 現在有幾個猶大人，就是王所派管理巴比倫省事務的沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌；王啊，這些人不理你，不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。」

3:13 當時，尼布甲尼撒沖沖大怒，吩咐人把沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌帶過來，他們就把那些人帶到王面前。

3:14 尼布甲尼撒問他們說：「沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌，你們不事奉我的神，也不敬拜我所立的金像，是故意的嗎？

3:15 你們再聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各樣樂器的聲音，若俯伏敬拜我所造的像，卻還可以；若不敬拜，必立時扔在烈火的窯中，有何神能救你們脫離我手呢？」

3:16 沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌對王說：「尼布甲尼撒啊，這件事我們不必回答你；

3:17 即便如此，我們所事奉的上帝能將我們從烈火的窯中救出來。王啊，他也必救我們脫離你的手；

3:18 即或不然，王啊，你當知道我們決不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。」

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded thatShadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

************

    「即或不然」是但以理的三個朋友的堅定宣告，因為生死在上帝的手中，不是在人的手中，上帝哪時要接我們去是上帝的主權，所以我們不要懼怕死亡，因為死亡在上帝命定的時間臨到我們，我們只管忠心為主而活，甚至為主而死，不要在生死的事上違背上帝的旨意，這也是上帝透過這三位中心的僕人，讓我們思考的問題。

    就如主耶穌上十字架，祂不願意求天使或人的營救，就是勇敢並且甘心樂意的死，因為祂知道自己到世上的使命，不是殉道，而是贖罪，是為眾人的罪而死，然後上帝拯救的旨意才能完成，所以祂就甘心地死在十字架上！而耶穌如此的死，就是要見證上帝有復活的大能，沒有死就沒有復活！

    同樣殉道者因為耶穌復活帶來的盼望，相信將來也必復活，死就算不了什麼！今日雖然遇到殉道的事件不多於一般的環境中，尤其是台灣這個地區，但是每一次的告別禮拜，也是提醒我們，面對死亡時該有的態度：因為耶穌在十字架上的死，以勝過死亡，我們相信死後有復活，這是上帝在基督裡的應許！也因此當求主，賜我們力氣，為主活並為主死，或生或死，都是為那愛我們為握們死而復活的主！不畏懼撒但與世界的恐嚇！

但以理書3章

              但以理書3:1-7  ,  

             但以理書3:8-18    , 

             但以理書3:19-30   , 但以理書3:27 ,

但以理書3:1-7

3:1 尼布甲尼撒王造了一個金像，高六十肘，寬六肘，立在巴比倫省杜拉平原。

3:2 尼布甲尼撒王差人將總督、欽差、巡撫、臬司、藩司、謀士、法官，和各省的官員都召了來，為尼布甲尼撒王所立的像行開光之禮。

3:3 於是總督、欽差、巡撫、臬司、藩司、謀士、法官，和各省的官員都聚集了來，要為尼布甲尼撒王所立的像行開光之禮，就站在尼布甲尼撒所立的像前。

3:4 那時傳令的大聲呼叫說：「各方、各國、各族（原文是舌：下同）的人哪，有令傳與你們：

3:5 你們一聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各樣樂器的聲音，就當俯伏敬拜尼布甲尼撒王所立的金像。

3:6 凡不俯伏敬拜的，必立時扔在烈火的窯中。」

3:7 因此各方、各國、各族的人民一聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟，和各樣樂器的聲音，就都俯伏敬拜尼布甲尼撒王所立的金像。

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace." 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

*********

尼布甲尼撒王造了一個金像，並命令眾人都要俯伏敬拜金像，否則將有重懲。這個金像的建立，與其說是為了宗教目的，不如說是為了政治目的。巴比倫王希望營造出「萬眾一心，服從王權」的景象。這種耗費大量資源，只是希望維繫自己權位鞏固的行為並不罕見，我們會有這種誘惑嗎？

我們從這段敘述，發現人士政治性的動物，也是宗教性的動物，藉由造神來強化自己的地位，更可怕的是人為了求一時的安全與利益，情願被蒙騙，接受有權勢之人所造的神。我們也從這裡看見世界的控制力，就是威脅人的性命和剝奪人的財富，就可以達到控制人的手段。

但是基督徒若是敬拜真神，世界的手段—就是以性命和財富做威脅，就影響不到，因為基督徒相信生命和財富的主權在上帝，而不是世上的權勢，世上的權勢是上帝賦予的，本使要實行上帝的公義與眷顧，不是用來控制人的！因此，基督徒會勇敢抵抗那些濫用權勢的人，盼望上帝主權的實現！

提多書2:2

勸老年人要有節制、端莊、自守，在信心、愛心、忍耐上都要純全無疵。

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

********

    對於今日人口老化現象越來越明顯的時代，牧養老人是越來越重要的課題，所以保羅這段話給我們很重要的引導。因為年長者畢竟比牧者的人生經歷個豐富，牧者對年長者只能用建議或提醒的語氣。

    年長者有個特色就是老練成熟，但是因為年紀大了不能太激動，所以要節制，才不會造成身心靈的傷害，不可以再向年輕一般激動了。另外年長者通常是教會的楷模，所以要端莊、自守，要有健全的信心、愛心、忍耐。但是牧者不可用應該來要求，要用鼓勵的說：您能、您可以！

    願我們常常鼓勵長者，讓他們靠主過快樂的晚年，讓他們覺得自己活得有尊嚴！因為上帝看重他們！