A Friend in the Furnace

Daniel chapter 3 is called the Fire Alarm chapter by a writer. What are you supposed to do when the fire alarm goes off? We are aksed to run to the exit and get out as soon as you can. As we hear in the air plane announcements, in case of a low pressure, the oxygen masks will drop and make sure you wear yours first before you help your child or someone else. In a fire, we are told to take our safety and run to the exit. Do anything possible to get out. But the three Hebrew boys, Shadrak, Meshak and Abednego, instead of running for the exit, they decided to go to the fire.

In 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah and took into captivity a group of bright young men to train them with skills in administration and leadership. The King ordered to change their names from their Hebrew names to those that reflected Babylonian gods. Hannaniah (The Lord is gracious) became Shadrach honoring the sun god, Mishael (God like) was named Meshak to honor the goddess sheba and Azariah (The Lord is my helper) was named Abednego meaning the servant of god nebo. The king's goal was to change their full identity along with their culture faith.

Then the king made a big statue of gold, and set it up on the plain of Dura and invited governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials for the dedication. They were ordered to worship the statue when they heard the music playing. Whoever would not fall down and worship would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. They all did as proclaimed by the King. But the three Hebrew boys did not follow the command. This was reported to the king and he gave them another chance. The boys said they would not, and they did not worship the golden statue. This was the moment of their actual furnace experience; the unshakable devotion, the unstaggering commitment to face death rather than worship an idol.

There are golden statues all around us. Security, wealth, success, family and many others can become idols of worship. Some idols can be bad habits, temptations, or relationships. These strong forces may try to pull us away from our commitment to God. There is good news to those who walk towards the fire and not looking for an exit. A fourth member of the furnace club was waiting for them in the fire. Who was this fourth man, who appeared from nowhere? The king looked and said, the “fourth one looks like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25). A gentile king received the revelation of a savior, the Son of God who is the Immanuel, 'God with us'. God revealed the mystery of grace and salvation to the gentiles through out history by means of furnace experiences of many heroes of faith.

God did not deliver the three boys from the furnace, rather He delivered them in the furnace. They would have missed the 'fellowship in the fire' with the Son of God if they did not go through the furnace. "Rejoice, when you partake in the suffering that His glory shall be revealed" (1 Pet 4:13).

Blessings

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