Daniel 3:19-30 The Blazing Furnace
Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.
But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”
Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
If you want to really see someone having a major temper tantrum, just cross a world ruler such as Nebuchadnezzar! From infancy, this ruler has been surrounded by yes-men and yes-women who will tell him exactly what he wants to hear. Now these three young men have refused. Nebuchadnezzar orders the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and orders his strongest soldiers to throw the men into the furnace. The fire is so hot that the poor soldiers handling the young men die from the heat while the young men fall fully clothed into the furnace.
But look what happens now! Not only are the three men walking around in the furnace, freed from their bonds as if nothing is happening, but there’s a fourth man with them who “looks like a god.” Many Christians believe that the fourth man is Jesus who accompanies the men to encourage and protect them. Whether this is Jesus or an angel such as Archangel Michael, the Angel of the Israelites, God obviously protects these men. When Nebuchadnezzar calls the men to come out of the furnace, he is shocked to realize that not only are they not burnt, but the fire has not touched them at all; they don’t even smell like smoke.
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar stands amazed at the God of these three men and orders his subjects not to speak a word against this God. But Nebuchadnezzar stops short of worshiping God himself, preferring to persist in worshiping his own gods and also worshiping himself. It will take a much bigger cataclysm before Nebuchadnezzar himself worships God.
In the meantime, the scheming astrologers are crest fallen. All their plotting has failed; in fact, these three men are promoted to even more important positions. As these men mutter in a disconsolate group, they wonder, “Can’t a villain ever get a break around here?”
This part of the story is one of the most satisfying conclusions possible. Not only are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego validated, but they are delivered from the fiery furnace and even promoted to higher positions than they have occupied previously.
What can we learn from this story? When we serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we are serving a God who can deliver, protect, and promote. We might ask why God doesn’t always deliver us, why must we suffer? God wants to perfect us by any means possible. Many times, we only learn spiritual truths through suffering. On the other hand, there have been times when God has miraculously delivered believers. Only God knows what we need the most. In this story, the three young men have done everything they can to serve God faithfully, and they have not compromised. God responds by delivering them. Notice that when God delivers, the young men don’t have singed hair or even smell like smoke. When God delivers, He does a complete job of it.
Remember what the young men have said in response to Nebuchadnezzar: They are prepared to serve God, believing that He is fully capable of delivering them, but swearing to serve Him, whether or not He delivers them. We must always be prepared for God to accomplish His perfect will, rather than our desires. Many Christian martyrs have died while serving Him, even though they have had effective ministries and are blessing large numbers of people. All we can do is to remain faithful, no matter our circumstances. May God help us, so that we will be willing to live or die for Him.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remain faithful to You, no matter the circumstances or threats to our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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