69. IN THE FIERY FURNACE
"When thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burned"
Aim
To show how the faith of three Jews saved them from death in the fiery furnace.
When Nebuchadnezzar had heard Daniel reveal his dream, he knew that he had spoken the truth and he praised Daniel's God. He promoted Daniel and his three friends to positions of honour in his kingdom, making Daniel the chief of the wise men. Yet for all this, he did not humble himself before the God of heaven. Like all kings before him, he could not imagine his kingdom coming to an end. He loved to walk about his palace and view the splendour of the great city of Babylon, "the golden city" (Isaiah 14:4), and consider his power and fame. He was always making plans to add to its glory, so that his kingdom might be established for ever. One such plan was to set up a huge, golden image, that all his subjects should bow down and worship.
Daniel 3
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S GOLDEN IDOL: Daniel 3 1-7
Nebuchadnezzar set up his golden image on the plain of Dura where all could see it. It was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide (about 27 metres high and 3 metres wide). He planned a special ceremony and invited all the governors and officers of the provinces which he had con quered to come to the dedication of the image. Amongst those who re ceived an invitation were Daniel's three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, (Daniel himself was not there). The king had earlier changed their names to Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (Daniel 1:7), for these names honoured the gods of Babylon.
A herald came forward and made an announcement to all those who had gathered at the king's commandment. The king had decreed that all should bow down and worship the image when they heard the sound of the instruments begin to play. "Whosoever falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of the burn ing fiery furnace " (v 6). So at the appointed time the orchestra began to play and all the people assembled there fell down and worshipped the great golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. There were three men, however, who did not bow down. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego remembered the commandment of Yahweh their God, saying, "Thou shalt have none other gods before Me... thou shah not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them" (Deuteronomy 5:7-9).
THE JEWS ARE ACCUSED TO THE KING: Daniel 3:8-18
The wise men and counsellors of Babylon were not at all pleased that Nebuchadnezzar had promoted Daniel and his three friends to such honoured positions in his empire. They looked for opportunities to criti cise them, but these young men behaved so wisely and so well, that they found nothing to complain about. Their religion was so different from the Chaldean worship that this seemed to be the only way in which they could find fault. So it was that the Chaldeans noticed that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego had refused to bow down to the golden image despite the king's decree. They lost no time in coining to the king to report the matter. "There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve: not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (v 12).
Nebuchadnezzar was furious and demanded to see the men. They had always carried out their duties so faithfully, that he thought there must be some mistake. He would give them another chance.
"But if ye worship not, " the king warned them, "ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? " (v 15).
Nebuchadnezzar knew that their God was a revealer of secrets, but he could not believe that He had power over fire, for the Chaldeans them selves worshipped a god of fire. The three young men would not be moved. Their minds were made up.
"Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace," they said. They had complete faith in Yahweh, for they knew He could do all things, even deliver them from such a fiery furnace, if it was according to His will. "But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up " (v 18). They knew that whatever happened to them it would be according to God's will and they were prepared to accept that.
FAITH QUENCHES FIRE: Daniel 3: 19-30
The king was beside himself with rage. How dare these Jews defy him! He would not tolerate such disobedience and commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than usual. He got his strong est soldiers to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and to throw them into the flames. So these three were bound right there and then in their coats and hats and flung into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. The heat of the fire was so intense that those who threw them in were them selves burned to death as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego fell into the midst of the roaring flames. So the king's anger was satisfied as he watched those who had challenged him being punished.
Suddenly the king started up from his seat with a look of amaze ment on his face. "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire," he demanded of his counsellors. "True, () king, " they replied. Yet to his astonishment he could not see three, but four men, walking and apparently unharmed in the midst of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth was like "the Son of God" (v 25). That fourth one was indeed an angel of God, sent by Him to look after His servants.
Then Nebuchadnezzar himself came as near as he could to the door of the furnace and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, ye serv ants of the Most High God, come forth and come hither. " The three faithful Jews walked out of the fire (v 26).
All the king's officers gathered around and stared in amazement at these men, "upon whose bodies the fire had no power. " Not a hair of their head was singed neither were their coats charred, nor was there even a smell of fire upon them (v 27). It was a miracle and they had all seen it with their own eyes. What could the king do but praise their God.
"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God" (v 28). So Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that no one in his kingdom, whatever nationality they were or whatever language they spoke, should speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. If they did they would be put to death and their houses mined, "because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort," he said (v 29). Then he promoted the young men to a place of greater honour in his kingdom than before.
LESSON FOR US
These three Jews in Babylon were outstanding examples of faith, for" through faith they quenched the violence of fire" (Heb. 11:33-34).
They had promised in their hearts to obey God's commandments, not just when things were going well, which is easy, but in times of diffi culty and trial as well. They knew God could save them, but even if He should choose not to save them, they would still obey His command ments.
We may not have to face being thrown into a fiery furnace, but the test is the same. Our faith must be seen in our actions. They had grown up to believe God and to love Him. So they were prepared to face such a terrible test of their faith when it came. God tests the faith of all those whom He loves. We must prepare our hearts now to learn of His ways so that whatever trials come on us we may be able to stand as firmly as they did when faced with the fiery furnace.
QUESTIONS
Short Answers
1. What did Nebuchadnezzar set up on the plain of Dura?
2. What did everyone have to do when the music played?
3. Who refused to bow down to the golden image?
4. What was the punishment for not bowing down to the golden im age?
5. What answers did the three Jews give when Nebuchadnezzar gave them another chance?
6. What command did Nebuchadnezzar make when the three Jews refused to obey him?
7. How many men did Nebuchadnezzar see in the fiery furnace?
8. Who was the fourth one in the furnace?
9. What did Nebuchadnezzar call these three Jews when he saw that the fire had no power on them?
10. What decree did Nebuchadnezzar make after the three Jews had come out of the fire unharmed?
Detailed Answers
11. (a) What command did Nebuchadnezzar make about the golden image?
(b) Why did Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refuse to bow down to the golden image?
(c) What lesson do we learn from this?
12. (a) Tell what happened when the Chaldeans came to Nebuchadnezzar and complained that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refused to bow down to the golden image,
(b) Tell how God saved the three Jews.