Daniel 3:4-7 – And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The biblical principle that what God creates as the real, Satan counterfeits as the replacement is on full display in the Old Testament book of Daniel. Here are some examples from chapter 3:
- Counterfeit king (Nebuchadnezzar)
- Counterfeit kingdom (Babylon)
- Counterfeit preacher (the “herald” who “commanded”)
- Counterfeit worship band
- Counterfeit church service
- Counterfeit Jesus (worshipped by all peoples, nations, languages like Jesus in Revelation 7:9)
- Counterfeit evangelism (like Isis, the options are convert or die)
Anyone familiar with the Old Testament book of Exodus might remember that God’s people have a bad history of bowing down to worship idols made of god by men. In this instance, Bible scholars estimate that upwards of 300,000 people bowed down to an unveiled gold statue of the demonic king towering ninety feet into the sky to replace God…with the exception of three men who were Daniel’s friends and God’s servants.
What counterfeits have been most tempting or pressing in your life?
In addition to this introduction to and overview of Daniel, you can find the corresponding sermons, daily devotions, men’s ministry resources, and hundreds of additional sermons and Bible teaching resources for free at markdriscoll.org or on the Mark Driscoll Ministries app.
To visit the Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, you can plan your visit at thetrinitychurch.com.