Before the 2024 presidential election, my pastor launched a sermon series entitled Life in Exile. The first week, he asked, “How do you know you are in exile, and how can you be in exile in America?” The sermon was based on Daniel chapter three.
The Bible story
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem. Jews were captured and exiled to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar ordered the chief of his court officials to select several Israelites from the royal family and nobility to serve in his palace. Those chosen were to be trained for three years and to learn the Babylonian language. Daniel was one of the men chosen to serve the king, along with three other men that the Babylonians renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
In chapter three, King Nebuchadnezzar made an image out of gold. He gathered officials together to dedicate the image. The king’s herald proclaimed to all the nations and peoples: “As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.” He declared that anyone who defied this command would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
Word got back to King Nebuchadnezzar that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were disobeying the king’s commands. They were not serving the king’s gods and were not worshiping the golden image.
King Nebuchadnezzar was furious! He summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and told them that if you worship my gods and the image of gold, all will be well. If you don’t, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s gods and were thrown into the furnace. A fourth man, thought to be Jesus, appeared in the fire with them, and they were unharmed.
Israelites were physically banished from their homeland and had to assimilate to the Babylonian culture. They had to learn the language. To avoid execution, they had to abandon their own God.
The Sermon
The sounds of musical instruments were the signal to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. Pastor Bob pointed out that the list of sounds in Daniel 3:5 – the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music – was repeated verbatim in three more verses: seven, ten, and fifteen. He asked the congregation to read the list multiple times. The repetition was a driving, relentless rhythm that would have been hard to ignore.
So, how can you be in exile in America if you are not physically banished from the country as the Israelites were? American culture encourages people to bow down to things and to other versions of the truth.
Although we are not tempted today to worship images of gold, we face idolatry that is subtle and more dangerous. An idol is anything that becomes the most important thing in your life. If you are a Christian, Christ is supposed to be Lord of all. If he is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all.
Whenever you hear the relentless rhythm driving people to conform to their master, have the courage to not bow down.
My thoughts on living in exile
Christians should not conform to the ways of the world. We are to submit to being transformed by Jesus Christ. In not conforming, we choose to be exiled from the secular American culture.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 NIV
My pastor said that King Nebuchadnezzar was an insecure narcissist full of rage. I immediately thought to myself, “he sounds like Trump.” Donald Trump is a narcissist, and he is motivated by rage and grievance. He gets very angry at anyone who opposes him and at anyone who does not praise his greatness.
When I thought about the sermon, it occurred to me that I am an exile among exiles. I live in exile from other Christians. By that, I mean that not only do I not conform to the ways of the world, but I also do not fit the pattern of American Evangelicals.
I have not adopted the language of evangelical Christians. You will not hear me bemoaning people who are “woke” or complaining about cancel culture. You won’t hear me whining about immigrants taking our jobs. You won’t hear me saying that families will be destroyed if LGBTQ people have civil rights. You won’t hear me condemning women for choosing to end their pregnancies. That’s between them and God.
And I will not bow down to Trump. I will not give him praise that he does not deserve. A bad tree will never produce good fruit.
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:17-20 NIV
For years now, many Christians have been listening to a relentless driving rhythm that drowns out the voice of Jesus Christ. This includes “news” programs that are nothing more than propaganda targeted to conservative Christians, preachers with a political agenda, etc. In their quest for power or ratings, false teachers repeat messages that provoke anger and the fear of others. These messages drown out Christ’s messages of love, mercy, and grace.
For the second time in eight years, Christians overwhelmingly chose a profoundly ungodly man to lead them – a man who is the complete opposite of the One who is supposed to be their one true king. Christians claim that they are trying to take the country back for God, yet forsake his word in the process.
Christians have succeeded in acquiring political power through a Faustian bargain.
People are leaving the church because of the hypocrisy of people who call themselves Christians.
Thankfully, my pastor avoids talking about politics. I have chosen to remain in my church and to worship alongside people who were willing to sacrifice Christian morality for political power. I pray for them.
Innermost Being 