Daniel In Exile

What did Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do when faced with threats and this most difficult question? The king was demanding someone to tell him his dream and interpret his dream. Lives were at stake! Daniel and the three men “pleaded for mercy from the God of Heaven” (verse 18) which certainly sounds like prayer to me. They prayed about this and God gave Daniel all the answers he needed in a vision. Daniel praised God for providing what was needed. Daniel went to the king, proclaimed his dream back to him and interpreted the dream as the Lord has instructed him. King Nebuchadnezzar was more than grateful!

Why would God do this for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Why would God answer the urgent prayer of these men and provide the answers needed? Why would God help them in the midst of all these threats?

Jeremiah 29:11-13: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah tells us that when we “call upon” Him and we “come” and we “pray” that God “listens” to us. God listened and it was God’s plan that Daniel has the answers the king required. It was God’s plan to prosper these young men in their faith and they understood that God is a God who listens and answers prayer. They are learning to rely on God through prayer in all circumstances which is how God is maturing their faith at this time.

Daniel 2:48-49 shares with us the result of Daniel interpreting the king’s dreams, “Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel's request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.” Daniel and the other men got promoted. They were now men of great influence. It was God’s plan that these men be in these positions to serve Him.

III. DANIEL CHAPTER 3: FAITH AND THE FIERY FURNACE

The story of these men does not stop there, once at the top of the corporate ladder, because with increased position comes increased visibility which endangers these men in Daniel Chapter 3. King Nebuchadnezzar liked people to worship him and things he did and so in the course of time Daniel 3:1 says, “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.” Everyone was supposed to bow down to this huge idol as it was being dedicated and set up… everyone from the highest leaders of the nation down to middle management. When the time came, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow. Everyone noticed. The men refused to bow to an idol. They remained true to their religious convictions as they had done since they arrived in Babylon.