Facing the Furnace

  

*24*Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” *25*He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” 

*26*Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. *27*And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. *28*Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. *29*Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” *30*Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. 

Daniel 3:24–30.

WOW!

Don’t you think this account is incredible? 

The three men; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are thrown into an overheated furnace and survive - that’s amazing in itself, but we also learn that; there’s another person there the, ‘fourth is like a son of the gods’, and not only that but they do not even smell of smoke when they walk out, and there is no evidence on their bodies (or clothes) that they have been anywhere near any fire! That’s incredible!

Now, I wonder what the onlookers were thinking or feeling! Especially those whom were responsible for these men being thrown in. They must have been awestruck, devastated and terrified all at the same time! Some of those gathered had planned for these three jewish men to be killed, but the plan had failed in an unbelievable and almighty way. Then, not only that, but the very people they wished dead, were now promoted! How vulnerable and confused the accusers must they have felt.

What a beautiful picture of how God switches things around. He brings the dead back to life, and the proud and aloof to humility. 

Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego had been given the death sentence, and they still did not renounce their faith. They faced a powerful, ruthless king, and they did not fail to stand in hope. The accusers accused, and these men still stood for what they knew was right, even though it meant they had to face death, the result was that their faith was revealed through the fire as genuine.   

These men; Meschach, Abednego and Shadrach were doing what they knew was right by their God. They stood up for what they believed and did not fall into what the rest of the world expected from them. They faced persecution for it. For being different, for not conforming to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:1). For being faithful followers of the One True God, they were rejected by those in power, accused by those in authority. 

So, if today you are facing trials, accusation, persecution, even death, you are in good company. Shedrach, Meschach and Abednego also did - Will you hold on to what you believe, like they did, to the end? Do you have the courage to admit the faith you have when faced with opposition (- that’s a tough one as it is often tempting to be quiet).

I am encouraged, and a bit scared by the examples we have read today, of men really staking their lives on their faith and not being ashamed to do so. Would I stand and face the furnace knowing that God can do something miraculous through it? Would you?