Many years before Jesus' birth, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had attacked Jerusalem and captured many of its finest men. Of those captured there was a group of four friends that may have heard of: Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and Daniel. Many of us know the first three by the new names given them by the king of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
These four men were extremely wise and found favor in the eyes of King Nebuchadnezzar. They worked under him and were promoted in their service to be among some of his most trusted counselors. At a point in time, Daniel was able to accurately interpret a dream for the king and Daniel was put over the entire province of Babylon, including other men which had been working for the king longer than he had. Upon Daniel's promotion, he requested that Nebuchadnezzar allow him to have Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as his administrators and the king granted his request.
As was common practice during this time, Nebuchadnezzar built a large golden image and commanded people to bow down and worship it whenever they heard his royal music being played. Anyone who refused to obey his command would be thrown into a huge blazing furnace. Well the three friends were determined to worship the one true God and not bow down to any other gods. Not surprisingly, their actions were reported to the king. But they courageously stood up for what they believed and refused to deny their God; "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this 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. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." - Daniel 3:16-18
After hearing that, Nebuchadnezzar was ticked. He became furious and had the furnace turned up to seven times its normal temperature. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were then tied up and cast into the furnace. The blast was so hot that it killed the soldiers who had thrown them in. Nebuchadnezzar then looks into the furnace and asks his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They responded to him that yes he was correct. Then in verse 25 he exclaims "But I see four men, unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of fourth is like a son of the gods."
The king calls for the men to come out of the furnace and they walk out unharmed, without a single hair on their body singed, or even the smell of smoke on their clothes. This left Nebuchadnezzar in such shock that he issued a decree that anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would be torn limb from limb. The Israelites has received protection to worship the God they knew and loved. And the three friends were even promoted in province of Babylon.
Takeaways from the story:
- This furnace was not a small kitchen stove, oven, or fireplace. This thing was a massive chamber used for baking bricks for construction. Simply imagine the size of a fire pit large enough for four men to walk around in. The account of the soldiers' death even proves the heat that was outside the fire.
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were young men when their faith was tested. But even when threated with a fiery death they held strong in their faith. These three young men acknowledged God's power over the most power king in the world at the time. They trusted and believed that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. We can take the example of their faith and see that God is able to deliver us from our problems and trials that we face in life.
- We are not sure who the fourth man Nebuchadnezzar saw was. It was either an angel or Christ himself. But either way, we can be sure that God performed a miracle in protecting these men. He sent them a heavenly bodyguard during their most intense time of need.
- While God did miraculously save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego his intervention is not always promised. If it were, we would not have to exercise faith. But these three men remained faithful without any guarantee from God that they would be spared from the fire. James 1:2-4 tells us that we will face trials and that we should consider it joy because through the testing of our faith we become perfect and complete. While we know that God can deliver us, we must remember that he doesn't guarantee we will never suffer or experience great loss, even death.
Jesus himself said "And do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matthew 10:28. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed us that as Christians, we can never bring the world to Christ by being just like it. I pray that you and I can strive to do like these three did and reveal the higher power, our God, to the world we live in.
When you're facing the trial of a lifetime, what would your faith reveal? These men stood before fire and almost certain death, and trusted in God. What would you do?
These four men were extremely wise and found favor in the eyes of King Nebuchadnezzar. They worked under him and were promoted in their service to be among some of his most trusted counselors. At a point in time, Daniel was able to accurately interpret a dream for the king and Daniel was put over the entire province of Babylon, including other men which had been working for the king longer than he had. Upon Daniel's promotion, he requested that Nebuchadnezzar allow him to have Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as his administrators and the king granted his request.
As was common practice during this time, Nebuchadnezzar built a large golden image and commanded people to bow down and worship it whenever they heard his royal music being played. Anyone who refused to obey his command would be thrown into a huge blazing furnace. Well the three friends were determined to worship the one true God and not bow down to any other gods. Not surprisingly, their actions were reported to the king. But they courageously stood up for what they believed and refused to deny their God; "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this 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. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." - Daniel 3:16-18
After hearing that, Nebuchadnezzar was ticked. He became furious and had the furnace turned up to seven times its normal temperature. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were then tied up and cast into the furnace. The blast was so hot that it killed the soldiers who had thrown them in. Nebuchadnezzar then looks into the furnace and asks his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They responded to him that yes he was correct. Then in verse 25 he exclaims "But I see four men, unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of fourth is like a son of the gods."
The king calls for the men to come out of the furnace and they walk out unharmed, without a single hair on their body singed, or even the smell of smoke on their clothes. This left Nebuchadnezzar in such shock that he issued a decree that anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would be torn limb from limb. The Israelites has received protection to worship the God they knew and loved. And the three friends were even promoted in province of Babylon.
Takeaways from the story:
- This furnace was not a small kitchen stove, oven, or fireplace. This thing was a massive chamber used for baking bricks for construction. Simply imagine the size of a fire pit large enough for four men to walk around in. The account of the soldiers' death even proves the heat that was outside the fire.
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were young men when their faith was tested. But even when threated with a fiery death they held strong in their faith. These three young men acknowledged God's power over the most power king in the world at the time. They trusted and believed that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. We can take the example of their faith and see that God is able to deliver us from our problems and trials that we face in life.
- We are not sure who the fourth man Nebuchadnezzar saw was. It was either an angel or Christ himself. But either way, we can be sure that God performed a miracle in protecting these men. He sent them a heavenly bodyguard during their most intense time of need.
- While God did miraculously save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego his intervention is not always promised. If it were, we would not have to exercise faith. But these three men remained faithful without any guarantee from God that they would be spared from the fire. James 1:2-4 tells us that we will face trials and that we should consider it joy because through the testing of our faith we become perfect and complete. While we know that God can deliver us, we must remember that he doesn't guarantee we will never suffer or experience great loss, even death.
Jesus himself said "And do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matthew 10:28. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed us that as Christians, we can never bring the world to Christ by being just like it. I pray that you and I can strive to do like these three did and reveal the higher power, our God, to the world we live in.
When you're facing the trial of a lifetime, what would your faith reveal? These men stood before fire and almost certain death, and trusted in God. What would you do?
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