Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, Sunday, February 27, 2022

Daniel’s Friends and the Fiery Furnace.

Today, Pastor Michael is continuing his theme of Daniel and we’re getting into Chapter 3.  From Chapter 2, we learned that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, it was interpreted correctly and he knew of the empire to come, after Babylon.  Yet, instead of him considering this was his real encounter, with the Living God, he went back to idolatry!  He commissioned a huge statue and an orchestra to create an anthem to him, to make his subject bow down to him. And if they did *not* bow down to him, they would be thrown into a furnace!  

When the anthem played, only three did not bow down. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not.  The king’s advisors were so jealous of these three that they ratted them out and the king flies into a rage and commits them to the furnace!  The three answered the king, “…we do not serve your god nor the gold image…”

(Bible for Hope Study Notes) When the three men were confronted and threatened, they offered a marvelous and courageous statement of faith: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 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. 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” (3:16-18). Their tone was respectful, confident, and uncompromising. They only assumed God’s unlimited ability, not what might happen to them. They were clearly ready to die rather than deny God.

The depth of our faith and our loyalty to God can only be measured against resistance. Threats of harm or whispers of compromise have this equal possible benefit in common: They provide an opportunity to test our faith. Sometimes, as in Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego’s lives, the test becomes a miracle!

(Disciple's Study Bible Notes) SALVATION, Belief—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are examples of the kind of faith God wants people to have in him. Faith has such trust in God’s love and power that believers hold to God no matter what happens, no matter who seeks to change their minds, or what threats they face.

Verses can be found today in Daniel, Chapter Three (3).