Faith That Would Not Burn (Part Two)

At the appointed time, the Chaldeans followed the order of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 3:7).  However, what about the Jewish young men?  The Bible records that certain Chaldeans came to Nebuchadnezzar and said, “There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee:  they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan. 3:12).  Nebuchadnezzar’s initial reaction was one of pride.  He was infuriated with the refusal of the youths to worship the image (Dan. 3:13).  He spoke to the young men, and explained that they would be given another chance to show their compliance (Dan. 3:15).  If they would fall down and worship the image, then nothing more would be done, but if they continued to refuse, then the fiery furnace would indeed be utilized.  In his offer to the young men, Nebuchadnezzar asked a question that he would live to see answered.  He said, “…but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands” (Dan. 3:16)?  Little did Nebuchadnezzar know that the true and living God would indeed make Himself known, and that the king would learn Who was really in control!

With the opportunity afforded to them to once again make a decision of whether or not to worship the image, the three young men did not delay in giving their response.  It is written, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter” (Dan. 3:16).  Some might have difficulty in understanding what was meant by their answer.  They were letting the king known that they were not full of care over deciding what to do.  They continued, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Dan. 3:17-18).  In other words, their minds had already decided to stay faithful to God.  Nothing that Nebuchadnezzar could do to them would shake their faith!

Like before, Nebuchadnezzar allowed his pride to dictate his reaction.  He was so enraged at the refusal to comply that “…he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated” (Dan. 3:19).  One might say that Nebuchadnezzar’s anger was multiplied to the degree that he wanted the fiery furnace to be.  He was intent on executing these men, thus showing his strength and control.  So, he commanded to bind the lads, and to cast them into the furnace (Dan. 3:20-21).  The heat from the furnace had been elevated so intensely that those who took the Hebrew youths were slain from the intense heat and flame (Dan. 3:22).  However, an amazing thing occurred.  Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) did not perish.  Even once the young men were in the midst of the furnace, they still did not die.  Instead, “…Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?  They answered and said  unto the king, True, O king” (Dan. 3:24).  Nebuchadnezzar then stated, “…Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Dan. 3:25).  The young men were completely safe from the fire’s intensity.  As a matter of fact, the Bible records, “And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Dan. 3:27).  Their faith was rewarded!  They had survived the ordeal without any evidence that they had been anywhere near a fire.  Being with the Son of God is where true safety and security is found!  By being faithful and letting their “light” shine, the young men shone brighter than the fire that was to kill them.  In fact, their “light” was so bright that “…Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that thy might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill:  because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon” (Dan. 3:28-30).  What an amazing example of faithfulness and the results thereof.  Let us never forget, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
~ Corey Barnette