[:en]SCRIPTURE: DANIEL 3
“Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” (Daniel 32:14-15)
“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O 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 is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O kings, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18)
“He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25)
“Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trust 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 house be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way” (Daniel 3:28-30)
THE IMAGE OF GOLD AND THE FIERY FURNACE
King Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold 90 feet high and 9 feet width on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He commanded everyone to fall down and worship the image when the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre,harp, pipes and all kinds of music are sounded. All people and nations fell down and worship the image of gold except Sadarach, Meshael and Abednego.
When the king summoned them and asked them to worship the image otherwise they would be thrown into a blazing furnace, this was their reply to the king”. “O 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 is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand. O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (vs. 16-18). Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded his soldiers to tie up Shadarch, Meshael and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. The furnace was so hot that the flames of fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego while the three men fell into the blazing furnace. But the king saw 4 men inside the furnace instead of 3 walking around in the fire unbound and unharmed. So the king got them out and believed in the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, He decreed that the people who would say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and abednego be cut into pieces and their house turned into piles of rubbles. The the king promoted the three men in the province of Babylon.
THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD:
- Proud people who want others to obey what he says – King Nebuchadnezzar
- People who would conform to the world in exchange for prestige and gain – those who bow down to the golden image.
- Traitors who pay back evil for good – the astrologers whom Daniel had saved had reported to the king Nebuchadnezzar that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not bow down to the gold image he set up.
- People who stand on their faith despite dangers to their lives Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
To which group of people do you belong?
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