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Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-nego are great examples of faith. They did not doubt
that God could rescue them; but if He decided not to, they were prepared
to die for Him. Great faith is faith that is willing to die. Weak
faith doubts God when it must suffer. This is the message of James
1:6-8.
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But
let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts
is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For
let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the
Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (NASB)
James 1:6-8 |
Great faith is believing that God can answer our prayers. James 4:14-17
reminds us that it is a sin to assume that God will do what we want.
We are to say, “Lord willing.” That is what these men did.
We find later that even this pagan king knew they had great faith
(v. 28).
Great Faith.
The early Christians cartooned images of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
in the catacombs beneath Rome. They were examples of faithful men
who loved God so much they were not willing to compromise to save
their lives. The test of great faith is not wealth and luxury - it
is a willingness to suffer for God.
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Then
Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression
was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered
by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it
was usually heated. And he commanded certain valiant warriors
who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then
these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their
caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of
the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s
command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot,
the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach,
Meshach and Abed-nego. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing
fire still tied up. (NASB) Dan. 3:19-23 |
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The
king was so angry that he ordered them thrown into a furnace - a kiln
- for firing pottery. Huge furnaces have been found in Babylon. It
has been estimated that fifteen million bricks were fired in these
furnaces to complete construction work. The furnaces had an opening
at the top and below. These three men were going to be tossed in from
above and fall to the bottom. The king commanded that additional materials
be tossed into the furnace to heat it up. An ancient writer says that
additional naptha, tow, and pitch were added to make the fire hotter.
Rescued.
How would we have felt at the moment we had fallen into the furnace?
If any of us were Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, we would have realized
something unusual very quickly. No heat, no pain, and God’s angel.
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Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste;
he responded and said to his high officials, “Was it not
three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They
answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king.”
He answered and said, “Look! I see four men loosed and
walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the
appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then
Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing
fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!”
Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of
the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the
king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard
to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these
men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers
damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. (NASB)
Dan. 3:24-27 |
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