Get Jesus In Your Furnace

Introduction – Why This Story Still Burns Bright

I believe in the Word of God.

It is more than a history book. More than a collection of religious sayings.

This is the living, breathing truth of God.

If you live by the Bible, you will be saved, healed, delivered, and set free.

Not merely a church attender, but a transformed follower of Jesus.

Plenty of people go to church and never let God’s Word grip their heart.

But when you step into a fellowship that teaches the Bible and the heart of God—watch out!

Your roots will go deep, your faith will stretch wide, and your life will begin to bear fruit.

Keep on keeping on.

That brings us to Daniel chapter 3—a furnace story as old as Babylon and as fresh as this morning’s headlines.

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1. The Golden Image and the Power of Music (Daniel 3:1–7)

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, erected a ninety-foot golden image on the plain of Dura.

The call went out: “At the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image.”

Notice what comes first. Music.

The king understood something about the human heart:

music has a way of carrying ideas past the defenses of the mind straight into the soul.

Every generation knows this.

There’s music that celebrates violence, music that glamorizes drugs, music that feeds sexual temptation.

The 60s had it, the 70s had it, the 80s and 90s had it, and today’s playlists are no different.

A young man once shared his testimony with me.

He was raised in church by faithful parents. He sang in the choir, married a godly woman, and looked like the picture of a settled Christian life.

Then he fell into adultery.

When counselors asked, “Did drugs pull you down? Drinking? Pornography?” his answer surprised them.

He said, “I started listening to the wrong music.”

At first it seemed harmless—just a different radio station on the way to work.

But soon Christian music annoyed him. Prayer meetings irritated him.

Worldly music softened his resistance to God and opened a door to sin.

He finally confessed, “I can trace my fall back to those songs. They broke down my hedge and invited compromise.”

Friend, the best way to stay free is to learn from those who fell and refuse to follow the same trail.

Nebuchadnezzar knew that music can mesmerize the crowd and prepare hearts to bow.

The devil hasn’t changed his tactics.

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2. A Name They Couldn’t Erase (Daniel 3:8–15)

When word reached the king that three young Hebrews refused to bow, he exploded with fury.

Remember their real names: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—each one a confession of Israel’s God.

Babylon renamed them Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to scrub out every trace of Yahweh.

The world still tries to rename God’s people.

It will tolerate profanity but bristles when you praise Jesus.

You can curse God in a movie script and win awards, but say “Jesus saves” in the public square and you’ll be told to keep quiet.

Nebuchadnezzar sneered, “Who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Pilate said something similar to Jesus centuries later: “Don’t you know I have authority to release you or crucify you?”

Jesus calmly replied that any authority Pilate had was given from above.

The rulers of this world are never the final authority.

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3. Faith That Refuses to Bow (Daniel 3:16–18)

Now listen to the courage of these three men:

> “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,

and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Three breathtaking convictions stand out:

1. Fearless: “We are not afraid of you.”

Fear of man is a snare (Prov 29:25).

Faith in God drives it out.

2. Faith-filled: “Our God is able to deliver us.”

They believed God’s power wasn’t theoretical; it was present and able.

3. Faithful even if not delivered: “But if not… we will not bow.”

This is mature faith—trusting God’s character whether or not He provides immediate rescue.

It only took three faithful witnesses to confront an empire.

God still raises young men and women who will say no—

no to drugs, no to premarital sex, no to dishonest gain—

not because of a school poster or a clever ad,

but because Jesus Christ is Lord.

Friend, saying no to sin is not negativity.

It’s the most positive “yes” you can give to God’s plan for your life.