Daniel 3:1-7
New International Version
The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace 3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Monday - August 9
In the first 200 years of the Christian church after Jesus died and rose again, Christians were often considered “atheists.” This might sound strange to us, but the reason was actually quite simple: they would not worship the “normal” gods and deities, such as the gods of the Roman and Greek pantheon. They did not even believe that those gods were real! But worship of those deities was more than just a spiritual act. It was communal, like gathering for a high school football game or a 4th of July Parade. Refusing to participate in those community events centered around false gods made the Christians seem weird and even dangerous! What things might our culture demand that we “worship”? What modern “gods” or idols require our devotion? This is something that we should always be thinking about.
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