DANIEL 3:11

[Daniel 3:11 TLV] - And that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

[Daniel 3:11 GW] - ‘Your order said that’ whoever doesn’t bow down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

THEOCRACY AND FORCED RELIGIOUS POLICIES

In history and in the times to come, Kings who were Kings of Kings have enacted and executed laws and orders that either commanded forced religions of their governed people or commanded forbidding of religions (anti-religious policies) of their governed people in system of Government called “Communism.” It’s all about the State Authorities, kings, forcing or forbidding religious practices or worship, using death sentence and instruments of legality to control and determine the divers people’s relationship and faith with their gods or the true God.

|**| Nebuchadnezzar began such Theocracy, Religious Policies or Superimposition of government into and over peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever does not worship his golden image shall be thrown into the furnace of fire as in the top bible verse above. He was a religious zealot and bigot that used his powers over the world to force people to serve and worship the gods he favored. After him, there came other world's kings of kings that also commanded and forced certain religious practices and beliefs on the people of the world, including the Roman Empire that went from opposing Christianity initially into adopting the Roman Catholics’ version of Christianity, and allocating state powers to enforce the commands and judgments that promoted the Catholic faith and doctrines. The word “Catholic” meant “Universal” and represented the goal of making the entire world adopt the Catholic faith and doctrines of Catholicism. The antichrist would also come with his own forced religion and would be greater than his predecessors to enforce one global religion upon almost all people in the world, forcing all to receive his mark (666), to acknowledge him, identify with him and to worship his image.

|**| Darius began such Prohibition or Anti-Religious Policies of government to peoples’ religion, faith, moral and doctrines of practices, by making a decree or law that whoever worships or prays to any god except to him as government shall be thrown into the lions’ den (Daniel 6). After him, There have been several countries in history where communist or socialist governments have implemented anti-religious policies and persecutions in an effort to suppress religious beliefs and practices. Here are a few examples: Soviet Union - Under the rule of Stalin, the Soviet Union implemented strict anti-religious policies. Religious leaders were persecuted, religious buildings and artifacts were destroyed, and practicing religion was outlawed. China - Under Mao Zedong, China's Communist Party implemented policies that sought to control and limit religious practices. Religious groups were restricted and persecuted, with many religious leaders and believers being arrested, imprisoned, or executed. Cambodia - During the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, religion was outlawed and almost all religious institutions and artifacts were destroyed. Religious leaders were executed and religion was seen as a threat to the government's authority. Albania - Under the Enver Hoxha regime, Albania was declared the world's first atheist state and religious practices were outlawed. Religious leaders were persecuted and many places of worship were converted to other uses. North Korea - North Korea's government is officially atheist and prohibits religious practices. Individuals found practicing religion are punished, and religious activity is reserved for state-approved organizations. These are just a few examples, and there are many other historical and contemporary contexts where anti-religious policies and persecutions have been implemented.

So Nebuchadnezzar and Darius both began those two extremities for and against religions in their realms, and Daniel witnessed both eras. One king of kings used throwing defaulters into burning fiery furnace to force divers nations of people into one unified religion he introduced or promulgated, while the other king of kings used throwing defaulters into lions’ den to force divers nations of people into anti-religion or atheism he introduced or promulgated.

(1) To see men of God who stood up against one unified false but forced religion, without fearing the burning fiery furnace, and how God delivered them after they were thrown in there: Behold, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Mishach) and Azariah (Abednego).

(2) To see man of God who stood up against forced atheism or anti-religious policies, without fearing the lions’ den, and how God delivered him after he was thrown in there: Behold, Daniel.


[Daniel 3:11 MKJV] - And whoever does not fall down and worship, he should be thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

That was a decree made by, and rehearsed to, the king of kings then: and it applied to all men of all nations, tongues, languages, tribes and peoples, under Babylon in that era. For though it was the king of kings’ decree then and it commanded such judgment and power of execution then over those said people, it neither applied to all men of all generations, including both the living and the dead. So I rehearse to you the current universal Decree of the true and eternal King of Kings to all people, all men of all nations, all tongues, all languages, all tribes and all people, in all generations, all places, all times and seasons, including the living and dead: - “That whosoever believes in the Son of God given in God’s love to the world, shall not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes in the Son shall not be condemned, but he who does not believe in the Son of God is condemned already, because he does not believe in the name of the Son of God (John 3:16, 18).

As it is now, all Muslims, Atheists, Non-Christians in faith, and infidels of the Jews, are condemned already because they do not believe in the name of the Son of God.

Now that’s a decree from heaven, not about worshiping a golden image, but about believing in the Son of God given to the world that the world may be saved through Him alone; and apart from Him, there shall be no Savior or Hero that can deliver or save any soul from the weight of God’s condemnation upon all men.
And such condemnation is far beyond the burning fiery furnace mentioned in the top bible verse above. As you may not have seen, the words of that king in the top bible verse above only carried power and judgment to command the execution of his will upon mankind within his given reach and the worst he could do to them for not falling for his word to worship his image was to throw them into the burning furnace. He could command men that fed the furnace, but could neither command the burning fire of the furnace nor tell that fire what to burn or what not to burn within it. So he was not supernatural in power, though he was in power. He could send defaulters into the furnace or into hell, but could neither command the fire of that furnace nor the fire of hell (Gehanna) to burn or not to burn those he sent into it. For even the fire did not fear or obey that king, though the men that fed the fire feared and obeyed the king to their own death. Even so, fear God and the King of Kings who commands the Wind, the Waters, the Fires and all things, and they obey and fear Him. As it is written,

[Matthew 10:28-33 TLV] - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

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