“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. 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 your hand, O King. But, if not, be it known unto you, O King, that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you have set up’.”
Daniel 3:17-18
When we stand firm on “Who God is and what He has promised” (Heb. 11:6), we need what worry about what others may say or do.
Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king. He ruled the NeoBabylonian empire from 605-562 B.C. and captured Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and carrying the people of Judah into captivity.
The oldest son of Nabopolassar, who established the Chaldean or Babylonian empire, Nebuchadnezzar carried Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into captivity after the rebelled against him in 602 B.C. And, in 586 B.C., after having laid siege to Jerusalem for three years, Nebuchadnezzar defeated Zedekiah, the new king, and carried him and the city’s residents into captivity, while also ransacking the city and burning the Temple.
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s 90’9” tall, golden image of himself, he called them in to confront them about their rebellious ways. But, they quickly let him know that they weren’t about to bow down before his self-centered idol (3:1-15).
And, it was at that point when they spoke today’s Manna before him.
They first said, “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 your hand, O King.” Pretty bold words to an egotistical king who’s threatening to turn you into a crispy critter, aren’t they? Glory!
But, they knew their God was/is able.
So, they said “If it’s God’s Will, He’ll deliver us from or out of the furnace and your hand.” But, then, showing great wisdom from on high, they went on to say, “But if not, we’re still not going to serve your gods or worship your golden image!”
What amazing, inspiring courage and tenacity!
But, it wasn’t rooted in fleshly bravado or positive thinking. A thousand times no! It was rooted in God’s Faithfulness. And, they knew if He didn’t deliver them FROM the fiery furnace, He’d deliver them IN the furnace—through death or some miraculous deliverance.
Oh, dear Pilgrim, whenever the pressure’s on, we tend to forget God’s Promises to be “a VERY PRESENT Help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1) and “never leave us or forsake us” (Heb. 13:5b). How wonderful to read that God honored their faith/trust in Him by making them anointed, asbestos believers when they were thrown into the furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than normal (Dan. 3:19-23). And, even an evil, idolatrous king like Nebuchadnezzar noticed their Companion that day (v.25)—and so should we next time we’re tempted to cave in.
January 4, 2012
