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| 3 Hebrew Men in the furnace.
Daniel 3. 1 Nebuchadnezzar the
king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set
it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King
Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the
governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the
officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators,
the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the
magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication
of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is
commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 "that at the time you hear
the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of
music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar ha set up. 6
"and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the
midst of the burning fiery furnace." 7 So at that time, when all the
people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of
music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshipped the gold image
which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 Therefore at that time certain
Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King
Nebuchadnezzar, "O King, live forever! 10 "You, O king, have made a
decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in
symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11
"and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace. 12 "There are certain Jews whom you have set over the
affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king,
have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image
which you have set up" 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the
command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the
king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I
have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the
horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and
worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast
immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver
you from my hand?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said
to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17
"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 "But
if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we
worship the gold image which you have set up." 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was
full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was
usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valour who were in
his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery
furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their
turbans, and other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22
Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the
flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And
these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose
in haste and spoke, saying to his counsellors, "Did we not cast three men bound into
the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king "True O king." 25
"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of
the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." 26
Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke,
saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servant of the Most High God, come out,
and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the
fire. 27 And the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the king's
counsellors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had not
power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the
smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed
be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His
servants who trusted in Him, and they were have frustrated the king's word, and yielded
their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!" 29
Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything
against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like
this." 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the
province of Babylon. |
| You may be going through a
situation where your faith in God is being tested, and you are tempted to compromise your
Christian values in order to get relief of some kind. This story is fitting in such a
case. These young men were in BIG trouble...imagine being thrown into a furnace because you decide to please God rather than man. However these young men's obedience was based on faith in God and knowledge of His word. In verses 17 and 18 they were in effect saying "Even if God doesn't act, we will still do what is right and suffer for it" Sometimes God will not save you from the fire but save you in the midst of the fire...hallelujah! By this you will know that by living for Him, you have no need to fear...He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). God also rewarded the men for their faith by causing the to be PROMOTED (verse 30). Be encouraged, that after you have passed your test, a blessing awaits you. In these situations God is using you so that He will be glorified in the eyes of those around you. Like Nebuchadnezzar, people will see Him working in your situation, and want to know Him (verse 29). |
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