Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Daniel 3: 26, 27, NKJV.
Our Father and our God, who is like You in all the world? And You have made us in Your image and likeness! Please help us to keep our eyes on You, when we are in the midst of the “burning fiery furnace.” This is our prayer in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Friend. Amen.
Our Scripture for today is part of one of the best known, and most loved, stories, in the Bible. It is the story of Daniel’s three best friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; the only fireproof human beings that I know of. I am sure that there have been others whom God has also saved from the fiery flames; because He is the same God today, tomorrow, and forevermore!
One of the details of this story that amazes me, is how no mention is made of the king’s reaction to the death of the men who threw the three Hebrew youth into the fire. After all, Scripture informs us, that, “he [King Nebuchadnezzar] commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast theminto the burning fiery furnace” (20). These were not just ordinary soldiers; they were, “mighty men of valor.” They were important men! The marginal reading of the NKJV describes these “mighty men of valor” as, “Nebuchadnezzar’s personal body guards.” But in the presence of the supernatural, their importance faded.
It is not difficult to imagine, the stir this entire situation must have caused in the palace at large! Some of the most respected, and trusted, men, in the king’s court had disobeyed a direct command of the king! Nebuchadnezzar could hardly believe that this was happening! Who, in their sound mind, knowing the “unlimited” power of the king over his subjects, would dare to disobey a direct command from the king? As if this was not bad enough, the king had repeated his instructions. He was convinced that what appeared to his other subjects, to be brazen disobedience, was really a misunderstanding of his orders. So he called the young men to himself, and personally, told them what he wanted them to do.
Their response was not only mind-boggling, but extremely infuriating, to the king. “We do not need any extra time to think this over before giving you an answer, O king. Our minds are made up. We will not worship your gods. Oh, and just in case you believe we are taking this stand because we are assured of deliverance; we want you to know, that even if God should decide not to deliver us, we will still, not worship your gods!”
This was much too much for the king to bear. He called for his most trusted, and I am sure, the most shrewd men of his kingdom – those he trusted with his very life – his body guards, to bind, and cast, these “defiant” youth, into the furnace. He increased the heat seven times more than the usual. “Now let me see which God will free you from my fury!” God would do more than free His faithful children from the wrath of the king. He would subject the king’s body guards – those who watched over the king’s life, under His sovereignty. Watch out king Nebuchadnezzar! Your body guards are now dead. You could be the next!
But God does not seek the death of the wicked, “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. . . ” (Ezekiel 33: 11a). So God did what only He can do, naturally. He made the bodies of His children, fire-proof! Hallelujah! This fact stands out by the statement: “and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.” Emphasis provided.
Our enemies need to be taught that God is Creator, and Lord, of the elements! Therefore, “no weapon that is formed against [His children] shall prosper” (Isaiah 54: 17)! Good for Nebuchadnezzar! He learned the lesson! And so, while God saved His children by making them fire-proof, He used the same fire to melt Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, and saved him!