Rev. Sauli Mpimbi
GOD CALLS AND I WILL RESPOND: IN JESUS EVERY TRIAL HAS A DOOR TO EXIT
READS: PSALM 139:11-16 MATTHEW 4:1-11 DANIEL 3:19-23
Welcome my dear brothers and sisters Pastors to this Bible Study, so that we can review and reflect together on the Word of God. I thank my colleagues who have done the previous five installments and this is the sixth Bible Study in our series.
Following our procedure, this Bible study will be divided into three parts as are the lessons of the respective Sunday Worship. But all are connected to achieve the message of the week that says “GOD CALLS AND I WILL RESPOND”. Also (IN JESUS EVERY TRIAL HAS A DOOR TO EXIT). In the short time before Easter (IVOCAVIT) as explained by the Pastors who preceded followed by Rev. Nganisy Tisho. Let’s start by looking at the first lesson from PSALM 139:11-16
INTRODUCTION
This book of Psalms which many of us know as the longest book in the Bible, with 150 chapters, deals in great detail with various topics such as God and His creation, war, Worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment, justice, and the coming of the Messiah.
IN SHORT, THIS PSALM 139 EXPLAINS HOW GOD CANNOT BE ESCAPE BY HIS CREATIONS,
Below let’s look at the division of this Psalm by looking at the four areas as analyzed
- Psalm, 139 1: -6, It talks about the knowledge, power, Presence and understanding of God and his rule in the Universe that He created with His power.
- Psalm, 139:7-12 It explains that we cannot hide from the presence of God because His Presence is everywhere. all corners of the world His rule is.
- Psalms, 139:13-18 It describes the creation of God, and that He is the basis of Life and the life of all Creatures on Earth and He is the one who deserves all praise for His greatness and Greatness.
- Psalms, 139:19-24, God does not want to mix with bad people or in other words, it is because God withdraws from people who rebel against Him, and how His eye knows everything, and His hand is everywhere at all times.
In this passage of verses given to us from 11-16 the Psalmist shows that nothing will make him run away from God’s call in any ordinary way, he accepts that God who called him is everywhere his solution and God is to accept or respond to his call. It is possible that the Psalmist felt unworthy of service perhaps because he was not prepared for that work later he realizes that he does not need to disvalue himself because he is wonderfully made. The singer realizes that God has sought him, has examined him and knows him perfectly. (God calls and I will answer)
In that same passage when the Psalmist still asks God to examine him, it is not because he thinks that there is no sin that is hidden from being burned by the fire of the light of God’s eye he knows that weakness exists, because in a state of deep contemplation the Psalmist compares sin to worms that live and multiply under stones (HIDDEN). (they reproduce very quickly)
In addition to recognizing this, the Psalmist reminds us that many secret sins are hidden under the guise of diligence (YOU ACHIEVE) in doing God’s work. So let’s look at our weaknesses that offend God and where it is done on purpose, perhaps this has been a major reason for running away and destroying our calling.
IN THE SECOND READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF MAT. 4:1-11,
The main thing that the author touches on in large part is the sequence of events that show that Jesus lives the life of Israel. This means that when Israel passed through the Red Sea (BAPTISM) and entered the Desert, the same thing happened to Jesus, the difference is that Jesus won but Israel failed. The idea of the week (In Jesus, every temptation has a way out).
This story of being tempted came from Jesus Himself, because He was alone in the desert. Before examining this story, it is good to examine its context. The word ‘temptation’ means ‘to be tested’. Jesus has come forth from baptism, in which the Spirit has descended upon him and the Father has testified to him. He has been fully assured that he is the Son of God, his Beloved, through whom the plan of salvation for mankind will be accomplished. He is in a state of knowing that he is the Son of God, also the Messiah, and the Servant of suffering. Therefore he must be tested to be seen as the Obedient Son of the Father, that is why he was led up by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan”.
So it was God’s will that he should be tested concerning his Sonship and his Messiahship. Satan is the instrument that God used when he allowed him to test his Son – Satan’s intention is to oppose him. We see the great humility of God in allowing Satan to test his beloved Son. He was led up into the wilderness, a difficult, silent, lonely place, difficult for physical needs, but beautiful for meditating on his baptism, his Sonship, and his Messiahship. This passage reminds us very much of ancient Israel and their ‘testing’ in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2-3).
If we read Deut. 6-8 all of Jesus’ answers came from there. Jesus is the true Israel (Matt. 2:15). Jesus has come to attack Satan over his authority and a fierce battle will occur between them when Jesus brings his Kingdom among mankind (Matt. 12:24; 13:19, 39; 16:23). v.2 Jesus fasted for 40 days: He probably ate what was found in the wilderness, so after 40 days he felt a great hunger. (Moses – Ex.34:28; Deut. 9:9,18; Elijah – 1 Kgs.19:8, and Israel 40 years in the wilderness fed with manna Deut.8:2-3). Jesus did not avoid physical hardship, he had humanity like ours, he felt hunger. Jesus obeys his Father’s call to redeem the World.
SERMON READING DANIEL 3:19-23
The story does not explain in more detail what this image of Nebuchadnezzar represented. The Babylonian Empire? Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar himself. Perhaps Bel, the Prince of Babylon. The source and purpose of this image are unclear. It is possible that all these ideas were aimed at the image itself.
In those days, rulers, kings and God were seen as one. For pagans and people without religion, suffering and abuse were determined by falling on their faces as a form of homage to their gods. It should be noted that there was no law against worshiping other gods, but Nebuchadnezzar wanted to add another to the existing ones. All this was to establish that the king of Babylon and their gods were superior to others.
It is possible that the proclamation was more political than religious. Imitation of pagan beliefs in those days was a common thing, especially considering that the king was seen as God. All the nations under Babylon in those days except the Jews had difficulty bowing down to the image. No king in those days believed in the existence of any other God than himself because they believed that they were God. Therefore, from their experience, anyone who did not follow their plan of worship was considered a rebel and a traitor.
ACCUSATION AGAINST SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABDENEGO.
When the matter of worshiping the idol was established, in the provinces of the “Maccabees” (the wise men of Babylon in those days), they accused three Jewish youths of not following the king’s command. They were accused of not worshiping the gods of Babylon and of being unfaithful to the king. When Nebuchadnezzar heard that there were people who did not want to worship the idol, he was very angry, and he calmed down a little before the people were brought before him.
Perhaps it was because of the loyalty that the young men had had in the past, so the King decided to give them another chance, thinking that perhaps they did not understand before what was to be done. In doing so, the King explains to them their problem of refusing to worship the idol. He warned them that if they failed to do so, “What God is there that can deliver you out of my hand?” (verse 15).
These three young men were ready to explain the reason before the King and all without any regard for anything. And they answered simply and confessed that their God is all-powerful and that he would deliver them out of the king’s hand. Therefore, they were not ready to bow down and worship idols. (Maintaining the call)
A BURNING FURNACE.
Because they responded in a way that offended the king. First, by calling the King by his name when kings in those days were not easy to call by their names, this increased the anger of the King even more. Also, the King himself was hurt to see the slaves who were serving before him, now not ready to obey the king’s command. So he ordered the furnace to be heated higher than usual. Perhaps they put oil on the door so that the fire would burn hotter as if for baking or roasting or burning things. These three young men were placed in a dressed position while the king sat in a position to observe how things were going. Things began to explode when Nebuchadnezzar’s guards were burned by fire in the process of throwing these brothers into the furnace.
Secondly the King saw the fourth figure in the furnace and all of those figures were not visible, they looked like sons of gods. Other translations, “As the son of God. Later the King realized that among the Four was one of them an angel. And after seeing that these people were safe, he decided to call them out of the furnace. After realizing that they were servants of the God who sits on high. In this way he acknowledged that their God is greater than all. But he still did not realize that the God of Israel is one and only God and there is no other God. In this way he learned (he acknowledged by witnessing) that the great image is nothing before the God of the three young men.
RESULTS FROM THE EVENT:
The period between the interpretation of the dream and this event is unknown. It shows that all the good things that happened through Daniel, for him he had forgotten them and that is why here he is surprised again. Although Nebuchadnezzar recognized that Daniel’s God was greater than all but he still did not understand that this God is God alone. From this event he justified the worship of God and anyone who would seem to oppose him would have problems. “Since no other God can to save in this way!” After that, the hopes of all those who wanted to destroy these brothers were dashed when the king washed them and placed them in a better place than before.
GOD CALLS AND I WILL ANSWER
In the reflection on this idea we are confirmed the courage and strength of these three young men whom Nebuchadnezzar is revealing when he tries to ask them this question who will deliver them from my hands? These three young men could have answered that question with fear and self-defense, but because they knew your God and his power and might and they enjoyed a relationship with their God. They also knew the God who is, who called them and accepted the call because they knew the God who is worthy of being served and they wanted to please him alone, and they valued their relationship with that God more than they valued their own skins.
Their answers were as follows Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up. The beauty is that these three knew God better than the one who made the 90-foot golden image seem small and worthless; They knew the God who made the burning fire and the king’s wrath seem powerless and weak.
The important thing here is that if we know God, also if we know the truths of God we can stand in the face of difficulties and challenges without fear and doubt. The question to ask ourselves is that Do we know this God we serve? Do we walk with God to measure that when we are faced with fire like this we should know our courage if it is truly within us. In all this let us know that, Jesus is not only with us in our sufferings; He enters into our sufferings. We are not alone; for He feels what we feel.
1 Corinthians 12:26 If one member suffers, all suffer with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. If we accept our calling by serving faithfully God is also faithful, he will not leave us to falter In the midst of difficult challenges, let us be ready to defend Christ even if we see our lives being in danger, may the God of Heaven help us to keep our calling.
Amen
Mgr. Saul Mpimbi
@2026