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Daniel 3:19-25(NKJV) 19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments,
Daniel 3:19-25(NKJV) and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors,
Daniel 3:19-25(NKJV) “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
Do You Know My Jesus? Daniel 3:19-25
Jesus in the Old Testament • Last month we began a monthly series that we will continue for some time • There is perhaps much about Jesus that we do not know, yet is there in scriptures for us to discover • It’s important that we seek to know Christ in our lives
Jesus in the Old Testament • It’s important for us to know the One who gave His life to save us (Rom. 5:6-10) • It’s also important to know Him since we must live like Him and obey His commands (Jn. 14:15; I Cor. 11:1) • That is why we must study Christ
Jesus in the Old Testament • We must also study Christ because our bibles center around Him • In fact, even our calendar system hinges around His life here on earth (B.C. & A.D.) • However, what about Christ before He came in the flesh?
Jesus in the Old Testament • 1. Words of Christ • Jesus points to His own existence before His 33 year earthly appearance • He points backwards to the Old Testament to give proof that He was not “created” in the New Testament • It may surprise us just how much the OT speaks of Him
Jesus in the Old Testament • 1. Words of Christ • Notice what Jesus says about Himself in John 5:39… • “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” • What scriptures is Christ talking about?
Jesus in the Old Testament • 1. Words of Christ • Christ was speaking with 2 disciples who had been talking about Him and reasoning together (Lk. 24:13ff) • Jesus speaks and the bible records in v. 27, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself”
Jesus in the Old Testament • 1. Words of Christ • Jesus went on to say, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (v. 44) • Christ precedes the New Testament
Jesus in the Old Testament • 2. Creation • We spoke in depth last month about Christ being a part of creation • Genesis 1:1, 26 puts God there and existing in the plural sense • John 1:1-3, 10 shows us that Jesus was in the beginning and a part of creation
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • There are also pre-incarnate manifestations or appearances of Christ • When you look through the Old Testament you can determine that Christ made many appearances • Just about anytime God appeared in human form to man, it was Christ
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • It’s been said that Christ is the means of communication between God and man • Henry Law (1877) said in his book “Gleanings from the Book of Life”… • “Jesus, as both God and man, brings heaven to earth, and raises earth to heaven”
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • In Genesis 16:7-13, Christ appears to Hagar in the wilderness • He is first referred to as an “Angel of the Lord” • It is a Hebrew word “malak” that is translated “angel”, but it simply means “a messenger”
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • v. 10 – “I”, makes a promise that only God could make • v. 13 – Hagar recognized that it was God who she spoke with • It seems that it wasn’t just an angel, but rather the Lord who appeared here
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • Christ appears to Abraham in Genesis 18 • vs. 1-2 – “the Lord appeared”, and we see “three men” • v. 20 – the Lord speaks about Sodom • v. 22 – the men turned away and went toward Sodom, yet the Lord remained
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • 19:1 – the two angels (messengers) came to Sodom • These were the other 2 besides the Lord • Jacob wrestled with a “Man” (Gen. 32:24ff) who was later identified as God (vs. 28, 30; Hos. 12:4-5)
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • Joshua came face to face with Christ in Joshua 5:13-15 • How do we know this is God in the flesh? • Joshua fell on his face and worshipped Him • If that were just an angel…(Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9)
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • Was that Christ that Isaiah actually beheld in Isaiah 6:1-3? • John 12:38-41 seems to indicate that it was indeed Christ who Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6 • It also appears to be Christ who Ezekiel saw in his vision in Ezekiel 1
Jesus in the Old Testament • 3. Christophanies • Perhaps one of the most famous instances comes from Daniel 3 • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fieryfurnace • Nebuchadnezzar saw 4 men, the 4th “is like the Son of God” (v. 25)