“King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue (of himself) ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:1) He then ordered all the important leaders in the province, everybody who was anybody, to the dedication ceremony of the statue. A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum and every kind of music, you are to FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP THE GOLD STATUE that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. But whoever does not fall down, and worship will IMMEDIATELY be THROWN INTO A FURNACE OF BLAZING FIRE.” (Daniel 3:4-6)
There was a bit of a problem said some of the astrologers who served Nebuchadnezzar, “…there are some Jews—SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They PAY NO ATTENTION TO YOU, Your Majesty. They REFUSE TO SERVE YOUR GODS and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar FLEW INTO A RAGE and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that YOU REFUSE to SERVE MY GODS or to WORSHIP THE GOLD STATUE I have set up?” (Daniel 3:12-14)
But because Nebuchadnezzar liked these boys he said, “I will give you ONE MORE CHANCE to bow down and worship the statue I have made…” (Daniel 3:15) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve IS ABLE TO SAVE US. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that WE WILL NEVER SERVE YOUR GODS OR WORSHIP the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) Because our God told us, “You must not make for yourself AN IDOL of any kind or AN IMAGE of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not BOW DOWN to them or WORSHIP THEM…” (Exodus 20:4, 5)
“Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that HIS FACE BECAME DISTORTED WITH RAGE. He commanded that the furnace be heated SEVEN TIMES HOTTER THAN USUAL. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and THROW THEM INTO THE BLAZING FURNACE. So, they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, THE FLAMES KILLED THE SOLDIERS as they threw the three men in.” (Daniel 3:19-22)
“…King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he spoke, “Did we not cast THREE MEN BOUND into the midst of the fire?” They answered “True, O king.” “Look!”, “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.” (Daniel 3:24-25) All the people gathered around and discovered that the fire hadn’t so much as touched the three men—not a hair SINGED, not a SCORCH MARK on their clothes, not even the SMELL OF FIRE on them! “Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! “Therefore, I ISSUE THIS DECREE: Anyone anywhere, of any race, color, or creed, who says anything AGAINST THE GOD of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be ripped to pieces, limb from limb, and their houses torn down. THERE IS NO OTHER GOD WHO CAN DELIVER LIKE THIS.“ (Daniel 3:28-29)
SO, WHAT FIERY FURNACE WILL GOD HELP YOU WITH TODAY?
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham