In Daniel 3, we see the three Hebrew gentlemen subjected to persecution for their faith.
It wasn’t a matter of ritual worship of one deity or another; that was merely the symbolism. It was their previously stated commitment to what their faith in Jehovah demanded of them. They would rather starve than violate kosher; they would rather burn in the furnace than dishonor their God.
They were bound to the Covenant of Moses. If it got them killed, that was simply the way they manifested Jehovah’s glory. Nothing they said ever condemned anyone for worshiping the deities of their choice. Rather, it was their victory in trial that condemned everyone trying to deny their choice.
Joseph in Egypt pursued his faith, too, and it brought him blessings and troubles. The mixture of blessing and sorrow was merely the symptom of his context, not some flaw in his faith. He predated Moses, so he wasn’t under that Covenant, but his faith was based on the Covenant of Abraham.
Paul says that embracing the teachings of Jesus is a restatement of Abraham’s Covenant, while the Covenant of Moses has passed away. More to the point, we are bound to faith itself, and we obey Biblical Law. We learn from the testimony of these people who came before us and now stand in Heaven watching us run the race set before us.
Tribulation is upon us, and it will try souls. If your faith holds you firmly, you will persevere in the glory of Christ regardless of how you are tested. Joseph prospered in bad times for Egypt; the Hebrew boys survived the furnace. Daniel survived the lions. Others died what to men appeared meaningless deaths. The results don’t matter. What matters is staying in the grip of faith. We do not justify faith; faith justifies us.
You should be able to lift your palms to the sky and joyfully tell the Lord, “Bring it on!” Genuine faith is its own reward.
