SCRIPTURE: DANIEL 3
MEMORY VERSE:
“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. But even if he does not, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:5-6)
THE IMAGE OF GOLD AND THE FIERY FURNACE (vs. 1-30)
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He summoned the satraps. prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. Then made a command: “As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that king Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (vs, 5-6).
Some Chaldean astrologers denounced the Jews. They told the king that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not follow his command. They would not worship the image of gold he had set up. The king was furious with rage. He summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and told them upon hearing the sound of all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image. But 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 king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (vs. 16-18).
Then Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven time hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie them up and throw them into the blazing furnace. The furnace was so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who were assigned to throw the 3 men into the blazing furnace. The three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. The king was observing and amazed to see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed and the fourth looks like a son of the god. Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” (v. 26). So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire without harm in their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Nebuchadnezzar praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego because He had sent his angel and rescued his servants. He decreed 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. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
THOUGHTS:
Nebuchadnezzar erected a large image 90 feet high by 9 feet wide at a strategy to unite the nation and solidity his power by centralizing worship. The gold image was made of gold from head to toe because he wanted his kingdom to last forever.
The brazing furnace was a huge industrial furnace with hot temperature which no one could survive. When the soldiers went up to the large opening, the roaming flames leap up and killed the soldiers. But when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was inside the furnace, God send an angel to protect them because they courageously took their stand never to worship another god. They were pressured to deny God but they chose to be faithful to him no matter what happened. They trusted God to deliver them but they were determined to take their stand regardless of the consequences. Are you ready to take a stand for God no matter what? Or do you rationalize to justify your action? We should be faithful to our God whether He intervenes on our behalf or not. Our eternal reward is worth any sufferings we may have to endure.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was untouched by fire and heat. God’s deliverance was a great victory of faith for the Jews in captivity. As a result, Nebuchadnezzar himself acknowledged that God is powerful and he commanded his people not to speak against God.