Fireproof
The Lord recently spoke to my heart about the truth, strength, and reliability of His word. Many of us know the story of the three Hebrew men who survived the Babylonian king’s fiery furnace. Taken from their homeland when Babylon conquered Judah, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the finest young men of noble and royal birth that King Nebuchadnezzar specifically requested be brought into his service. They were given the Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and were appointed as administrators within the Babylonian province.
The book of Daniel, chapter three, tells their story within the account of the approximately ninety-foot image that Nebuchadnezzar commissioned. At its dedication, all the king’s officials – satraps, deputies, governors, judges, stargazers, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and chief officials – were summoned from the Babylonian provinces to witness the great event, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego among them. The crowd was instructed to bow and worship the image when the music played. Failure to comply would result in death by burning.
These three Hebrew men, however, did not bow, and when Nebuchadnezzar heard of their defiance, he was enraged. Furious as he was, he even gave them another chance to bow to the image. Nebuchadnezzar thought their lives were in his hands.
“But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” (Daniel 3:15b, NIV)
Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, splendor, and power had inflated his pride to gigantic proportions. Whereas he had bowed to the living God previously, now he thought himself to be all-powerful and worthy (Daniel 2:46-47). But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to him resounded with flint-like dedication to the true God of Israel:
“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, NIV)
Their confidence in God was enough to risk their lives and is remarkable, to say the least. They did not give in to fear of the king or of the furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego survived their fiery ordeal, having been set on their feet by the Lord who walked with and among them in the furnace. Their faith was strong enough to carry them safely through the fire: “… the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them” (Daniel 3:27, NIV).
The building of their formidable faith, however, must have begun long before that moment. As royals or nobility, these men were raised with the knowledge of God, taught the Torah, and attended the synagogue. While the nation of Judah was drifting from God and diluting His worship with their adulterous worship of other gods, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego built their faith. Having access to the scrolls of the prophets, perhaps they heard Isaiah’s prophecies of God’s eventual punishment of Israel, inflicted by Babylon for their unfaithfulness to Him. However, whether they knew Isaiah’s words or not, God’s word spoken through His prophet proved true.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:1-2, NIV)
This prophecy was God’s word to His people, promising salvation and an end to their exile. Isaiah had spoken a prophecy concerning Israel’s future, but for those three Hebrew men, it was for that very day!
This story is another example of why we must be reading God’s word -- faithfully meditating on it and absorbing it daily, and deepening our relationship with Him through prayer and worship. The Bible is an ancient document that is alive and relevant for us this very day! God still speaks to His people through His word. The stories are true, the character of God is unchanging, and it works to strengthen our faith in Him who is able to deliver us from every trial, whether flood or fire. I invite you to dive into the truth and depth of the Bible today, build your faith and confidence in God today, so that you, too, will stand firm when things get hot.