Daniel 3:8-30 Trial by Fire
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. They will have a ‘trial by fire’ for their actions. They come out smelling rosy.
As we saw the last time we were together, some of the people were busy looking around at who wasn’t complying and not doing as the king had instructed. Instead of focusing their attention and worship on the image Nebuchadnezzar made, they were looking around to see who wasn’t bowing down.
The motives of these men is spelled out right in front of us; malice. They were mean and spiteful. Their reporting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had more to do with jealousy and spite than it with loyalty to the king. I’m banking on the fact that these ‘captive’ Jews were ruling over them. This was one way to get rid of their ‘competition.
The king was furious when he learned of the three men’s actions. How DARE they refuse him a direct command. There could be some misunderstanding. The king gave them a chance to prove it was just a misunderstanding; to correct their behavior. And as an incentive, he had the fire ‘turned up’ 700%!
No misunderstanding. No accident. No need for a second chance. And, no consequence strong enough. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were FIRM in their refusal to comply with this command. It was not a matter of obedience to the king but a question of obedience to God. Either honor God or honor the king in this matter. They could NOT do both at the same time. Guess which one they chose.
I LOVE the part in the story where Nebuchadnezzar sees God’s hand at work but I think I LOVE the part where the three friends stand up for God even more. It did not matter what the king would do to them. It did not matter what God’s ultimate actions would be. What mattered is that God said NOT to bow down to ANY image. They would let GOD answer the king’s challenge. “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 to you O king, that we will NOT serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (verses 17b-18).
God’s final action regarding these men’s predicament wasn’t going to change their answer. God could do whatever He wanted to. It mattered nothing to their faith in Him AND their obedience to Him.
The king goes from red in the face with anger to ready to seething with fury. He is ready to tear them limb from limb with his bare hands if necessary! “Tie them up and throw them in!!!”
It took very little time at all for the king’s command to be followed to the letter. The act of throwing these three men into the fire resulted in the ONLY deaths in this whole story. It also gave God one more opportunity to show how powerful He is. Yes! The fire was hot enough to kill someone instantly. The guards who threw our three friends into the furnace proved that with their lives.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego “fell” into the fire FULLY BOUND. They did not resist the bindings. They did not struggle against the guards. They fell when the hands that were pushing them burned away.
I’m curious to know what this furnace looked like. Apparently, it had a door but also some way for those outside of it to see in. Did they have glass and windows in Daniel’s time? If not, HOW did the king see our three friends and their Companion walking around in the furnace? And, why wasn’t the king burned up when he came to the door to call them out?
My question in NO WAY mean I doubt even one line of this story. It is just that I’m curious.
Another question I would like to ask is, what was it about the fourth person in the fire that made Nebuchadnezzar say “And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods” (verse 25b). Why didn’t he say “like a god”? I suppose some of their gods probably had ‘sons’ attributed to them but what gave them physical distinction that Nebuchadnezzar would classify the appearance of the fourth man in this way? Was He glowing?
Nebuchadnezzar’s response to this entire event makes the people who came against our three friends in an even worse place than they started out. First of all, Nebuchadnezzar gave glory to “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.” (verse 28). THEN he made sure that ANYONE who spoke out against God would surrender their lives and their houses. I’m not sure but this might mean all the members of their house too. He ended by clearly identifying the Lord God as higher and more powerful than ANY other god. He saw God in action and could not deny it!
IMAGINE for a moment that you are one of these men. Your life is threatened if you don’t obey the king’s command, but your very being cries out against it. You understand death. You are FULLY aware that fire KILLS people in the most painful way. You don’t make a big production out of not bowing down. You simply stand quietly as others fall on their faces. When noticed by those who already hate you, you don’t try and hide or pretend they made a mistake. You stand FIRM in the ONLY decision you believe you can make. You KNOW that your soul depends on it! You answer truthfully when confronted and continue to stand by your decision. You don’t resist when bound or when hauled to the door of the furnace. You fall into the fire…
And then, your hands and feet are released. The pressure of the bindings is gone. A hand reaches out and pulls you to your feet. You recognize EXACTLY where you are and Who you are with. You have SO MANY questions you would like to ask (or at least I would). You walk around together, talking about the things in your heart.
Before much time passes at all, you hear your name being called. Do you want to leave? Do you wish for more time with your Savior? Does He leave when you are called out from the fire or does He wait until you are completely out before leaving?
When you finally do step from the fiery furnace, you are surrounded by people wanting to know what happened. They examine you from head to toe, looking for scorched spots on you and your clothing. They sniff your hair and clothing. And they scratch their heads in wonder. They have NO words to explain what just happened. But you do.
You met God in the middle of your mountain moment. You probably don’t have the words to explain it either but that doesn’t matter. You KNOW without a doubt that YOUR GOD showed up and showed the WORLD what He can do for those who love Him.
I have NO DOUBT that these three men were asked to tell the story again and Again and AGAIN by their friends and family. It NEVER gets old! They tell about how they didn’t even feel the flames as they danced around them. How the cords that bound them fell away like snow melting on a summer’s day. About the looks on the faces of the people gathered around them when they came out. And about the king’s response to it all.
I wonder where Daniel was during all this. Was he standing beside the king? Was he still in the palace? I’m CERTAIN that he never bowed down to this image. Was he quietly praying as the king went through this experience with his three friends? We don’t hear him speak up. Was God holding him back so this could play out as a witness to the king?
Most of us will never face this extreme of a challenge to our faith. But the little challenges we come across each day are what build that ‘fire walking faith’. These men didn’t wake up one day with that strength. They looked at the little things in their lives and made the decisions along the way that honored God. We saw one of those ‘little things’ earlier; their diets. That faithfulness and God’s faithfulness for their choices built them into ‘fire walkers’. It brought them to the point that, instead of cowering in the corner when met in the fire, they ‘took a walk’ with their Savior.
Father God, I want ‘fire walking faith’. I’m NOT asking to have to spend time in the fire to get it! I’m asking that You help me be faithful each day to the point that my faith CAN withstand such a trial. I know You have been building my faith. You have even helped me with my ‘hope v faith’ issue You showed me the other day. THANK YOU for that reminder and refresher. Keep building me Father. NOT for my glory but for Yours!
