But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
(2 Timothy 3:10-12)

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
(2 Timothy 4:16-18)

Let's look at an Old Testament example of persons beneath serious persecution. A time and place where "heads rolling" was common practice.

We think of Daniel and his friends who had been carted away from Jerusalem, called by the names of the gods of Babylon, enrolled in university and eventually entered into civil service. They were taught all the things of the Babylonians; their complex mathematics, their mythologies, their philosophies and eventually graduated at the head of their class and given positions of prominence in Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom.

At one point King Nebuchadnezzar got a plan to strengthen his government. He hired artisans to make a huge statue, cast entirely of gold and set it up in the plains of Dura. He summoned all of his executives there for a business meeting so he could assure himself of their dedication to his authority. He, like many kings, realized the potential power of mixing religion and politics.

As the civil managers of the provinces were gathered together an announcement was made. It was commanded of them, that when they heard the beautiful music from the sounds of the instruments, that they will all fall down and worship the golden image. If not, declared the herald, the person would immediately be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

The story is well known from our Sunday school days (or Veggie Tales) and we might clap our hands saying "oh yes! The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego—Rack, Shack and Benny—who will be rescued from the fire! Rescued from persecution!" but is that so? Were they really "rescued from persecution"?

We know that these three men refused to bow down and had a time of reflection as the Chaldeans ratted them out. The children of God were summoned; I don't know how far they were from the King's palace. They may even have been married! Wasn't that persecution? The wife weeping as her husband says his last goodbye, knowing that he doesn't have a chance while she begs him to "bow the knee"? The children, getting a final hug, not understanding the sadness on daddy's face?

I wouldn't be surprised if they went Nebuchadnezzar's palace with "would it be so bad to bow?" echoing in their thoughts. Oh the tremendous mental and emotional anguish as they stood before the king when he offered them one last chance whilst the musicians stood at the ready. The king, in his audacity, daring the God of heaven as he asks "who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?" as if Yahweh was one of his gods of stone!

They didn't answer the king with malice nor with false bravado. Their simple words stating that there was no need to argue the point. "Our God is able to deliver us, but if He decides not to—that's fine. We sill won't bow down to the image you've set up."

In his blind rage the King heats up the fire 7 times over, orders the Jews cast into the fire, bound with coat, clothing and all. The fire was so exceedingly hot that it immediately killed the guards.

Then a marvelous thing occurred. The king shoots up and asked "Didn't we throw in three guys into the furnace? Look, I see four men walking around and the fourth is like the Son of God!" He calls them out calling them servants of the Most High God and as they came out all could see that not a single hair was singed nor did their clothes smell like smoke. At this point, that old pagan king blessed their God and was astounded at the deliverance!

These men, dedicated servants of the Most High God, did not go looking for trouble. They encountered trouble in their everyday experience of going to work. They didn't leap at the chance at persecution, but when it came they didn't try to dodge it. They accepted their situation without warring against the authority of the pagan king. "You do what you have to...we won't argue the point."

The thing is that Jesus Himself gives us a warning of future persecutions. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, the world would love you. But you're not of the world because I chose you out of it—therefore the world hates you."

Sometimes, when you're at an office party you'll find that many of the inebriated keep offering you a drink. There you are, sober and avoiding all beverages, and in their drunkenness they can sense the difference in you. They can't stand to see you there, straight eyed and non-slurred...they don't know why.

The world is the same way, hating the believer for that spiritual reality within them. The world hates the Lord and they hate us...not every individual, surely, but in general for it is in diametric opposition with Him. This is why Jesus goes on to say that "if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you."

We are representatives of the one whom the world hated before us. Our persecuted, truth speaking Master set the bar that we shouldn't expect a better reception while he informed us of the need to continue on. That light that dwelled with the Father who spoke of Himself as the "Light of the World" also spoke to His disciples saying "Ye are the Lights of the World," and later "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven!"

The world often responds to suffering in the way it behooves it the most, in its self-seeking preservation. A believer is to shine, never covering the light, even in the midst of the persecution so that men see the glory of God! The Lord adds that "If they kept My word, they will keep yours also"! Testimony of truth and love is being propagated during persecution so that even more men and women can turn to the Lord.

The marvels multiply as those watching will get to see us in our tribulations and how we come through it—refined in character and hope. We, looking towards the future knowing that the very love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit! We can feel completely confident in persecution knowing that we will come through it, knowing that we will not be shaken.

This is not "wishful thinking" for we are told that we have been justified by faith and now and forever more, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We may note the Jesus' words of to Peter of his future sifting that "I have prayed for you so that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me strengthen your brethren!"

We have the Lord praying for us and we have the assurance that our word, spoken to the world, will stick. We can go through the persecution realizing, as Paul did, that although disowned even by friends that the Lord stands next to us, making us vehicles of his gospel to those around. Although we may suffer many a thing, we know with a surety that if God is for us, it doesn't matter who is against us.

Oh what consolation! The Holy Spirit inside of us helps us with our prayers. God, the one who could bring a charge, justifies us. Christ, who can condemn, makes intercession for us.  The triune God—for us! We can rejoice, firmly grounded knowing that persecutions will come but their purpose is one that brings glory to the conqueror, our God who loves and delivers.
-r-

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:35-39)

Block-Quoted verses: 2 Tim 3:10-12; 4:16-18; Rom 8:35-39

Allusions or textual quotations: Dan 3; Mat 5: 11-16; Lk 22:31,32; Jn 8:12; Jn 15:18-20; Rom 5:1-5; Rom 8:23-27

More areas for your personal study: Dan 1; 2; 6; Mat 13:18-23; Mk 4:1-20; John 14, 15; Acts 13; Rom 13; 2 Cor 1:3-10; 11; 12;  Phi 1:27-1:30; 2:5-11; 1Th 3:1-4; Heb 10:23-25; 12:1-13; 25-29; 13:13

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