BURNING OUR BRIDGES
BEHIND US

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16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not anxious to justify ourselves to you in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Since the believer cannot change the world, he must separate from it. But the power to separate and keep separated from it, does not come automatically. The divine power needed to resist its demands, must be appropriated at the moment of need. The power will be only supplied at the critical moment if we call on God then.
To be sure that we call on God for such help in time of need, it is helpful and advisable to take an additional precaution in advance. It is what we call "burning our bridges behind us." That is, let us take measures to make it as hard as possible to revert to the world, to close the door to going back. Then, if our courage weakens at the critical moment, there will be less risk of our giving in; it may even be impossible to do so. For example, if a person belonged to a worldly club, or some other worldly association before his conversion, he should withdraw his membership immediately, so as to avoid risk of temptation to attend its activities again in a moment of weakness. Or, if a Christian makes it known immediately in his school or workplace that he's a Christian, everybody will expect him to live like a Christian. That will make harder for him to do something unworthy of a Christian in a moment of weakness.
That is what these three young Hebrews did when King Nebuchadnezzar took them to task for not worshipping the golden statue he had set up. His words in the preceding verses seem to indicate that he was allowing for the possibility that they had not understood his commandment, so he would give them another opportunity. Had they accepted his offer, they would have run the risk of changing their minds after thinking over his threats, and weaken at the moment that the musical signal to worship the statue was played. They therefore answered him, "We don't want another opportunity. Our minds are already made up. We are determined to stay faithful to our God, and we will not worship another." In giving this answer, they were "burning their bridges behind them," making it impossible for themselves to go back on their determination to remain faithful.
As Christians, we can afford to "burn our bridges behind us" because of WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN. The three Hebrews were not anxious to justify themselves and find favour with the king, for they had already chosen to follow the true God. They knew there could be no peace between the true God and idols, between the truth and heathenism. They therefore felt no need to think it over further. They displayed the same attitude as Christ displayed in Gethsemane, when He said, "Thy will be done"-- though in the end, God delivered them, whereas Christ was not delivered. Since we have already chosen to follow Christ, we have no need of further reflection. That was supposed to be done before deciding to follow Him, in "counting the cost" (Luke 14:28-33).
These Hebrews' position was already known, for they had taken their stand with Daniel in refusing to eat food offered to idols, in chapter 1. They would have no answer to give at this point, that would be any different from that which they had already given. To change their answer would be to deny the faith. Nebuchadnezzar ought to have realized that, since he had given the permission not to defile themselves. Yet it seems that he, like many worldlings, persisted in hoping that somehow it would become possible to persuade them to change their minds, that a way would be found of destroying a believer's faith. Making our position known early, as soon as we find ourselves in company with worldlings, is part of "burning our bridges."
The young men had based their decision on an enlightened faith. The age-old question of the prosperity of the wicked, didn't seem to bother them, though it bothered several biblical characters. They saw as clearly as Asaph saw in Psalm 73, after he "entered the sanctuary" and saw as God sees (Psalm 73:17). Until then, the prosperity of the wicked had greatly upset him; but when he "entered the sanctuary" and learned to think like God, he understood. The three Hebrew young men in Babylon were likewise enlightened, and therefore it did not surprise them that faithfulness to the true God could cost martyrdom. It is in full awareness of this that they had made their decision.
We can also afford to "burn our bridges behind us" because of  WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY REFUSED. It is noticeable that these young Hebrews didn't use any flattering titles in addressing Nebuchadnezzar. They refused any notion that they owed it to him to worship his statue. They acknowledged their obligation to respect him, and to obey him in anything that did not conflict with God's commandments; but when there was a conflict, they must "obey God rather than man." They would use no titles that would imply his absolute sovereignty. This is something that many new Christians must clarify with their families. Unconverted parents often insist that their children owe it to them to follow the traditional family religion, or to make other choices that will not hurt them as parents. Or, the unconverted whose spouses come to Christ for salvation, often accuse them of shirking their duty toward their families. In countries where certain duties of a Christian are illegal, the authorities would have him believe that obeying God is to be unpatriotic. But the believer's first loyalty must be to Christ. We never owe it to any human being, to do what's contrary to God's Word.
On the contrary, it was Nebuchadnezzar who owed something to the faith of these Hebrews. In chapter 1, they had proven that their faith actually made them capable of serving him better. In chapter 2, they had proven the reality of their God, and the authenticity of His message, in telling Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of his dream. Now he was prepared to waste this precious resource that they were to him, all because of his pride and anger. Similarly, worldlings often allow their pride, and their anger over a believer's testimony, to cause them to hurt themselves.
The Hebrew young men also refused to recognize the king's religious position. According to Babylonian religion, as was the case with many ancient heathen religions, the king was also the high priest. According to Ezekiel 21:21, he was directly involved in divination. Refusal to worship the statue he had made, would therefore be considered blasphemy by the Babylonians. Yet faithful Jews could not bow to it. They refused to "worship" the statue by recognizing its meaning, nor to "serve" his false gods by working for them.
It is even likely that Nebuchadnezzar had erected this statue to show rebellion against the true God. The dream that Daniel had interpreted for him in chapter 2, had portrayed him as the "head of gold," while the rest of the statue below the head was of inferior materials, showing that the glory of his kingdom, and of all subsequent human kingdoms, would come to an end. Nebuchadnezzar had likely made this statue entirely of gold, as a defiant way of saying, "I'm not just the head; I'm the whole body. No inferior kings will succeed me. My kingdom will last forever." To bow to the statue would have indicated assent to that claim; and the three Hebrews had already refused that. There was therefore no going back at this point on what they had already refused.
Yet another reason why we can afford to "burn our bridges behind us," is because of WHAT IS ALREADY ASSURED TO US. Knowing the Scriptures as these Hebrews doubtless did, they already knew that nothing was too hard for the Lord (Genesis 18:14). They had no doubt about God's sufficiency for the problem at hand. Whatever happened to them, would not contradict their testimony of His sufficiency. They realized that, if God allowed them to be burned, He would bring them to the Better Place. What else could they have meant in saying, "He WILL deliver us out of your hand"? They were not sure that God would deliver them from the furnace, for they said, "but if not . . ." They were not sure He would deliver them from the furnace, but they were sure He would deliver them either from it or through it-- either to earth or to heaven. Here is a strong proof the Old-Testament saints did believe in a hereafter! They knew that "if their earthly house were destroyed," they'd have an eternal one in the heavens. To depart and be with Christ would be far better.
They were further assured of the truth of Isaiah 43:2, that if God did not deliver them from the "water" or the "fire," He would go with them and sustain them through it. In fact, they were about to literally experience the promise, "When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned." We know from this verse that the fourth "man" in the fire with them was the Lord Himself.
To those who are fully assured of God's sufficiency, and who trust in Him, God often answers in a surprise manner. These three Hebrews had thought it possible that God might deliver them from the furnace, preventing their being thrown into it. Or, He might allow them to be burnt up, and take them to heaven. But little did they suspect that He would allow them to be thrown into the furnace, but not get burnt! He didn't deliver them in either of the two ways they had thought possible, but in a different way. God often surprises His trusting saints by showing them His unsearchable ways of taking care of them.
Since we serve the same God as these three Hebrews, let us also make it our habit to "burn our bridges behind us." That is part of the importance of baptism, which is a public testimony of being cut off from the world. The Christian thus testifies that he is dead to the world that crucified his Saviour, and alive to the eternal world to come. Also, whenever anyone asks us questions about our faith, let us not give evasive answers, but tell him the whole truth right away about our beliefs and our life-style. When our testimony has been made clear, people will expect us to live according to it, and it will be hard to make compromises. If, on the other hand, we cover our testimony for awhile, it will be harder to take a stand later on.
In French Canada, we knew a couple of professedly Christian young people who planned to get married in traditional religion of their people, but to live their Christian lives afterwards. But a servant of the Lord warned them that it would be much harder that way. When they would have a baby, their families and friends would expect them to have it baptized into that religion. And if they agreed to that, everyone would later expect them to have the child to take "first communion," and learn that religion's catechism, and be "confirmed." So he said to them, "You'd be much better off if you took your stand right now. It will be hard at the moment, but you'll get your message across once-for-all, and nobody will expect you to do contrarily to your faith afterwards."
For this same reason, if a person has followed a false religion before his conversion, it is wise that he formally cut off all relations with it right away. In many cases, there are standard procedures to follow in doing so. If a person had employment that is unacceptable to a Christian (such as being a bar-tender or a rock musician), he should quit that job immediately; the longer he waits, the harder it will be. And, if the Lord calls someone to serve Him in a "full-time" capacity, it is well to discourage any claims of his employer that "you can come back to work here anytime." For any other situations where the Christian risks being tempted to go back on a stand he has taken, the Lord will certainly show him how he can "burn his bridges behind him" so as to make it as hard as possible, or even impossible, for him to go back. God will thus honour his desire to keep his hand on the plough and not turn back.

Strengthen all the ties that bind me
Closer, closer, Lord, to Thee;
Every bridge is burned behind me,
Thine forevermore to be! *

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* This is the chorus of a hymn, of which I don't
   remember any more, nor know know its source,
   I would be grateful to anyone who could tell me
   the rest of the words, and inform me as to whether
   or not their is a copyright in effect on it.