The account of the fiery furnace can be found in Daniel 3:1-30. This passage of Scripture teaches us much about Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Before one can understand the fiery furnace, information must be given to each of Daniel’s friends. Before Daniel 3, we learn that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came with David during the Babylonian captivity (Daniel 1:1-7).
Babylon had taken over Israel and took captive many Jews, including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The leader of Babylon was King Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar sent his chief court official, Ashpenaz, to bring in all of the strong, young, intelligent, and handsome men to serve under his rule (Daniel 1:3-4). Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were a few of these young men.
After choosing not to defile themselves with the king’s food, we are told that God gave these four men wisdom. The Bible tells us, “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds” (Daniel 1:17). As the Bible informs us, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were able to understand complex concepts and knew literature. Daniel was explicitly given the ability to interpret dreams and visions.
The ability to interpret dreams helps Daniel when he has to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:1-49). After Daniel gives King Nebuchadnezzar an accurate description of his dream, an amazing and wise answer, and gives credit to God, King Nebuchadnezzar says to give praise to the true God of the earth (Daniel 2:47). Despite King Nebuchadnezzar praising the true God at this time, he quickly changes his mind.
We can learn much about God and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through the fiery furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar had made an enormous gold statue that was set up in the plain of Dura (Daniel 3:1). He ordered all of the people of Babylon to come and worship the image of gold, including the Jews who were taken in captivity (Daniel 3:2-7). When some of the astrologers notice that the Jews are not participating in the worship of the image of gold, they go to tell King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:9-12).
This infuriates King Nebuchadnezzar, summoning Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to stand before him (Daniel 3:13). He planned to throw them into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to the image of gold. After questioning whether or not they are not worshiping the image of gold, they tell him they will not bow down to the image of gold. In fact, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are bold enough to say, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve can deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).
Challenge Questions:
As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say, they will not bow down and serve false gods. They will only serve the true God of the world. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do not doubt God’s ability to save them. However, we must notice that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego tell King Nebuchadnezzar that even if God does not save them from the fiery furnace, they will still not serve him or his false gods. As believers, we also need to be this bold in our faith.
We need to be willing not only to die for God but also to continue to serve Him even if His mighty hand does not save us in our time of trouble. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had a strong faith in God that we also need to have in our present-day lives. They did not trust in lifeless idols, kings, or gods. Rather, they trusted in the true God of the Bible.
Challenge Questions:
In extreme anger, King Nebuchadnezzar orders the three to be thrown into the fiery furnace. The fiery furnace was so hot that even the men who took them to the stove were scorched alive (Daniel 3:19-20, 22). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire wearing their clothes and turbans, and were firmly tied up together (Daniel 3:21).
King Nebuchadnezzar immediately springs to his feet when he sees Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego standing in the furnace without wounds or burns. He also notices a fourth man standing with them, who looks like “a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). This fourth person King Nebuchadnezzar saw would have been the preincarnate Christ. He came to save His children and protect them from the hand of the fiery furnace.
In our own lives, we also need to acknowledge the Lord’s protection and how He can save us in our time of trouble. We don’t need to worry about depending on ourselves. Instead, we can rely on Jesus. The Lord only wants to help us—he won’t leave us in the grips of evil. Just as God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He will be with us.
After King Nebuchadnezzar sees the men unharmed, he orders them to be taken out of the furnace (Daniel 3:26). Not a hair was singed, their robes were perfectly fine, and their skin was not burned (Daniel 3:27). Immediately amazed, King Nebuchadnezzar declares, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way” (Daniel 3:28-29).
Challenge Questions:
From King Nebuchadnezzar’s words, he gives praise to the true God. This shows us that King Nebuchadnezzar did seem to acknowledge the true God’s existence; however, in time, he resorts to his old ways later in the Book of Daniel. In many ways, we might see ourselves doing the same thing. After a period of time, we start doubting God or turning to lifeless things that don’t really fulfill us. Instead of running after false gods, we need to turn to the true God of the Bible.
God eventually humbles King Nebuchadnezzar as his mind turns into an animal’s mind (Daniel 4:28-37). Only when Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges God as the true God is his mind restored. Although we cannot be sure that he placed faith in God, it is essential to note that even a pagan king, such as King Nebuchadnezzar, acknowledges the true God of the Bible. God is real, and He is our help in our day of trouble.
We never need to doubt God’s existence or act like we are better than Him. King Nebuchadnezzar believed he was more powerful and amazing than God, to which God humbled him. In the same way, if we take this prideful spirit, we will also be humbled by the mighty hand of God, and this is for our own good. In our lives, God is working on our sanctification and ensuring we grow to be more conformed to the image of His Son.
Rather than following along with sinful flesh, we need to follow the true God of the Bible. Through the account of the fiery furnace, we learn that we can trust God to save us in our time of trouble. Just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He will be with us. We are also His beloved children, and He will walk with us through every fiery furnace in our own lives.
Challenge Questions:
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