BIBLICAL CHARACTER OF A YOUTH ( PART 8)
( THE THREE HEBREW BOYS - Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah )
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning , ..." - Romans 15:4
There is no better time to serve the Lord than in the days of your youth. The Holy Scriptures says to "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, l have no pleasure in them;" - (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
In all of these series, we endeavor to examine the lives of Bible day youths, to the end that we may learn from them the way to live to please God (Rom 15:4). We continue today with our series on the three Hebrew boys in the land of Babylon. From part 7, we saw how they stood for Christ despite all odds in a foreign land far away from parental or church supervision. We can learn also from them the following:
(2) In standing for God in Babylon, they showed no traits of shame to be called servants or children of God. Like Paul, they could say, "... l am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation ...". In Babylon, these three Hebrew boys put their faith and trust in God in spite of every prevailing opposing circumstances. You must understand that at this time in the lives of the Jews, particularly those in Babylon, it was not a thing of "honour" to be called a servant of Jehovah-God. They were in captivity and to the Babylonians and to those unbelieving Jews, it was as though the power of Jehovah had been tested in battle but found to be inferior to those of the idols of Babylon. This was the best explanation they could give for their captivity in Babylon! Most Jews were at this time too ashamed to openly declare for God. Yet, even so, God found in these three Hebrew boys faith and trust to enable Him prove Himself before the heathens and those unbelieving Jews in Babylon that He is the Omnipotent God of the entire universe! Hallelujah!
It is commonly said that 'the brightness of your faith is seen only in the darkness of the night and not in the brightness of the day'. In other words, the quality of your faith in God is shown better when things are dismal; and not when circumstances are good and encouraging.
When everyone else was cowed and bowed to the golden image of king Nubudchadnezzar, these three Hebrew boys were bold, they stood steadfastly unshaken, even at the threat of death, declaring to the king their unequivocal position in the matter (Daniel 3:16-18): NOTHING would make them to bow; period!
As a youth, what is your level of commitment to the Lord? Do you show your commitment to Christ when things are good and encouraging? What is your reaction when everyone and everything else is against you? Faced with the pressure and threat from that unbelieving lecturer at school, what do you do? Like the three Hebrew boys, would you be bold enough to tell him off the way they did to king Nebudchadnezzar? In the pressure of the prevailing economic downturn in the country, will you refuse to join the bandwagon of girls throwing themselves cheaply at men for the naira, dollar or pound? Is that your worth? As a boy, will you give in to pressure to "survive", doing evil?
Friend, resolve to stand for Christ today at all cost and you'll discover God not forsaking you like He did for the three Hebrew boys. Ask Him for forgiveness for ever failing Him in the past, resolve to move on to pleasing Him, and l assure you of His unconditional pardon.
God bless your day!
PRAYER:
Dearest Heavenly Father, l recieve strength to stand firm for you in the face of the most discouraging circumstances of life, in Jesus name, amen