Article December 3, 1979 Issue

The form of the fourth

ELIZABETH GLASS BARLOW

Who wouldn't be thrilled by the biblical account of the three Hebrews and their experience in "the burning fiery furnace"! Because they are allied to the one God and refuse to worship the king's golden image, they are thrown into the furnace, bound. This was surely the way to punish and be rid of them! Later the king sees them unbound and walking through the flames, free. And with them another—a fourth. The Bible tells us, "The form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Dan. 3:20, 25;

His experience of seeing this form changes the king's concept of government and power. The presence of the Christ—what can't it do! The king must have seen this Christ presence, made visible to him as "the form of the fourth," enfolding, protecting, and freeing those who live at one with God. Christly consciousness forever exhibits man's true identity as the expression of God's being.

The concept of form permeates much of present-day thinking. What shape is the economy taking, and how can we cope? What pattern is molding our government, basing our morals, setting up standards for health? Even Christianity—what format will it be assuming in the twenty-first century? In the arts we find a restless searching for form in new music, painting, sculpture, writing. Changes come so fast they seem hard to catch up with. We hear it said, "It's a whole new ball game, and a gone-crazy world."

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The Christ in you
December 3, 1979
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