Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us

 Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. *14*Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? *15*Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 

*16*Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. *17*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. *18*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 3:13–18.

'If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us....But if not...'

What an amazing faith these young men have! They are so confident and secure in their faith in God that they’ll bet their lives on it. They are not confident in the outcome of the situation, but they are confident in their God. 

Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego (also known as Mishael, Azaraiah and Hannah), are ready to stake their lives on the fact that God is the ONLY God worth worshipping. They have worshipped and honoured God through their lives, and we can read about how they have put God first since being in captivity in Babylon. Their faith is nearly deep-rooted, and for good reason. When they have trusted in God, not; themselves, their capabilities, or circumstances, they have found favour and been saved from death. They have a personal history, as well as a cultural history of seeing God move.  This is what they hold onto - their experience has formed an even greater knowledge of God, and nothing can shake the foundation of their faith, and lets face it - their faith is tested beyond what many of us will experience! 

Clearly these men had reached a certainty, a confidence in God that could not be changed - they have seen Him at work in sustaining them, preferring them and rescuing them from death before, so they rely on Him now.  Eventhough they don’t know what will happen next. They have not been given a revelation, any warning, or insight into what is going to happen, so they just go with it, and they confidently express their trust in God in the face of grave danger. 

Doesn’t that stir your heart and mind? I am left wondering if my faith is anywhere near strong enough to encounter even some of what they have. 

I know that in the culture that these three men were enveloped in, the position of King was considered the supreme, and even in some places, divine, authority. Some people groups worshipped their leaders as if they were gods. So, to refuse a kings edict was the same as being disobedient to a god. Nebuchadnezzar makes this clear when he asks, ‘who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?’. It is inconceivable to him, and probably most of his court, that there is any god stronger or more powerful than him. He is considered as the ultimate authority, so what he says goes, and no-one can stop him. Then these men disobey his orders. To many in society, these men must have been considered either brave or stupid, possibly insane. Yet they still stood up for what they believed. 

Shedrach, Meschach and Abednego did not know how this circumstance was going to end, but they did what they thought was right anyway. In the face of certain death, they were ready to accept it if necessary. They held onto the god they knew, and trusted him even when it seemed impossible for it to work out for them in this world. 

We face many unknown, and sometimes difficult or impossible situations in our lives too. We don’t know the end story either. But, we can know that there is a God who saves. A God who is more powerful and stronger than any other force. A God who cares and looks out for His children. 

Are you HIs child?

If so, what have you to fear? 

When you encounter the next battle of life, the next impossible situations, let your prayer, and your mindset be, like these three Israelite men, ‘our God whom we serve is able to deliver us’.