To the Law

Bruce Springsteen, on his album The River, sings, “Everybody’s got a hungry heart.” And he’s right. He’s says: “People are being dumped into this incredibly unintelligible society, and they’re swimming, barely staying afloat, and then trying to catch onto whatever is going to give them a little safe ground.” It’s our loss of God that’s left us insecure, homeless and vulnerable. The Bible says that the antichrist—“lawless one”—will enforce a false system of worship across the world and most people will conform.

1 What claims does the “man of lawlessness”make?

2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (v 4).

2 How does Satan deceive the world into false worship?

Revelation 13:13, 14 “He performed great and miraculous signs . . . [to] deceive the inhabitants of the earth.”

3 What will happen to those who refuse to conform?

Revelation 13:15- 17 “He . . . [caused] all who refused to worship the image to be killed” (v 15).

Economic boycott and a death threat will be used against those who refuse to conform. Because many are insecure, they’re prepared to sacrifice freedom for apparent certainty.

4 Who will overthrow the lawless one?

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming” (v 8).

call to true worship

5 Who are we called to worship?

Revelation 14:6, 7 “Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (v 7).

6 Which commandment is referred to here (Q5)?

Exodus 20:8-11 “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.

Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (v 11).

God’s claim for worship is based on the fact that He made us. The word worship comes from Old English “worth-ship.” God is worthy of our adoration and allegiance.

This gives value to human beings, in contrast with evolutionary theory, which says life is just a gigantic accident and, therefore, has no significance.

stand for belief

Revelation 13 draws its message from the story of Nebuchadnezzar, of Daniel 3. Nebuchadnezzar saw an image made of four metals (Daniel 2), which made a great impression on him.

But he didn’t like the suggestion that his great empire would end. He set up a similar image on the plain of Dura— but huge and all of gold—to show that his kingdom was superior and would last forever. He ordered everyone to bow down to the image under threat of death for refusal.

Out of the thousands of people there, only Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship it.

7 What defiant claim did Nebuchadnezzar make?

Daniel 3:15 “‘If you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good,’ said the king.

‘But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace.

Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?’”

8 What reply did the three give?

Daniel 3:16-18 “We do not need to defend ourselves. . . . If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us. . . . But even if he does not . . . we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” The king couldn’t believe his ears! How dare these captives defy him. He ordered them to be tied up and thrown into the furnace.

9 What did the king see in the furnace?

Daniel 3:25,26 “Four men . . .

unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. [He] . . . approached the . . . furnace and shouted . . . , ‘servants of the Most High God, come out!’” When they came out of the fire they were unharmed.

10 How did this experience change Nebuchadnezzar’s attitude toward the true god?

Daniel 3:28 “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

11 Who has the promise and assurance of eternal life?

1 John 5:11- 13 “You who believe in the name of the Son of God . . .” (v 13).

Such will be the attitude of those who worship and follow Jesus in the last days. Here is the only “safe ground” that Springsteen seeks. Faith in God brings certainty and security without surrendering freedom.

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