By
Clifton Angel
About 2,600 years ago, God gave idolatrous
Judah into the hands of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar made special servants of
the young men of Judah who fit his criteria. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah (more commonly known by their catchy Babylonian names:
Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego). In the account of Daniel 3, we learn where
King Nebuchadnezzar erects an image of gold and decrees that all must worship
the it (1–7). The Babylonians complained to the king how that certain Jews—Hananiah,
Mishael, & Azariah—were not bowing to the statue (8–12). The king
threatened them with the fiery furnace (13–15). Their response to the king was:
“ If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be
it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up” (16–18). So, the king threw them into the
furnace, which was so hot it killed the king’s servants who were charged with
the task (19–23). Nebuchadnezzar saw four men in the furnace, and none of them
were consumed (24–27); therefore, Nebuchadnezzar changed his attitude toward
God and the three Hebrew servants (28–30).
Numerous modern lessons can be learned from
this tremendous and miraculous occasion. Some likely worshipped the image of
gold because they truly love the golden image, or because they wanted please
others, or they feared persecution. Some love money and make it their idol today,
because they truly love money and believe it is what brings them happiness (1
Timothy 6:6–12), and some do so because they love to have the glory of men
(John 12:43), and some do so for fear of persecution and ridicule (1 Peter
4:16; Matthew 5:10). There were also those who refused to bow to the golden
image. Some worship the God of Heaven today because “He will deliver us.” How
many will worship the God of Heaven even if He doesn’t deliver us? (Matthew
16:24–25). Finally, there is a lesson in the strength we obtain from suffering
(1 Peter 3:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:5–9; James 1:2ff). While our faithfulness to
God may cause us to pass through the fire on earth, our opponents will
eventually be put to shame. It might even be the case that how we respond to suffering
and persecution changes their attitude toward us and the God of Heaven—like
Nebuchadnezzar with the Hebrew youths.
Truly, He
will deliver us.
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