The Fourth Man In The Fire
(Dan. 3:24-25)
Intro:
A. Quick show of hands. How many of you are familiar with the incident where Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego were cast into a fiery furnace? Anyone remember that in your Bible? I want to start by telling you that we are around 15-20 years into the book of Daniel. That makes these 3 men somewhere between 30-40 years old. Now, I am going to use that scripture to teach a lesson about God. We’re not going to stay in Dan 3 but dig into why this story in Daniel 3 is important for me today. So that we are all on the same page, I am going to retell you the passage in my own words.
I. Into The Fire
A. It must have been incredible to see. A statue 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide made of gold. I have no idea of the statue's likeness. Maybe it was of the dream we read about. Maybe it was some deity that Nebuchadnezzar believed in. Maybe it was his own likeness for all to see. It really makes no difference.
B. What we read in Dan. 3:1-7 is that at the sound of special music, all people from all nations were to fall down and worship the golden image. In fact, if you don’t fall down and worship it, you will be thrown into a fiery furnace.
C. What would you do? There is pressure to conform to the people around you. The word we normally use is compromise. Now Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had all kinds of reasons at their disposal for why it could have been in their best interests to compromise.
D. But we know from Dan. 3:8-18 is that these three men did not. The king gave them a second change to bow down and even said, “who is the god who will deliver you out my hands?” (vs 17) But they still would not bow BECAUSE they put Jehovah first.
E. They said to the king, “The God we serve is able to deliver us from the burning furnace, but if not, we still will not worship your gods or this golden image.” That bold!
F. That got the king angry! He made the fire seven times hotter. He ordered they be bound in their cloaks and hats and the men that threw them into such a hot fire died from the flames. Now listen to Dan. 3:24-25.
II. The Fourth Man in the Fire
A. The only thing that burned in that fire was that which the king used to bind them. Nothing burned. Three went in and three came out, but there was a fourth man in the fire with them. Who is that fourth man? Nebuchadnezzar said it was one who had the appearance of a son of the gods, and later said it was an angel. Whoever the fourth man is, God got the glory. But what am I supposed to gain from this?
B. I have listened to people in pain. I can understand the questions. Where was God when Babylon came marching into Israel and lead the people away in chains? Where was God when the temple was destroyed and the furnishing stolen and placed in the temple of idol? God doesn’t always keep us from death or save us from someone else’s sinful action. But it's not because God is not aware or with us. To say that I am so good I should never face pain and suffering, is to see myself more righteous than I am. This is not about why God doesn’t take away pain and suffering or stop evil.
C. Let me give you three options as to is what that fourth man in the fire does for you and me today.
III. God Delivers
A. Option 1 – God will deliver me from this persecution, this pain, this abuse, this addiction, this… And sometimes God does. In Acts 12, God allowed Herod to kill James the apostle, the brother of John. Why? Bible doesn’t say. But then, when Peter is put into prison and is about to face the same death, God send an angel to lead him out of the prison and deliver him. Why? Even Peter didn’t know.
B. I am alive today by the grace of God and so are you. To this moment in time God has delivered you from the furnace. There are so many things I don’t know that could have happened to me that God didn’t allow. There are times when others have been in a situation and died, but I lived. I thank God for delivering me from fires I didn’t even know I could have faced, and the saving me from some I did.
IV. God Strengthens Me
A. Option 2 – God strengthens me while I am in the furnace. Paul would tell the church in Corinth that in days coming out of Egypt they all saw and experienced the power of God, but because of sin most of them died. After telling them that truth, we read these words (READ 1 Cor. 10:12-13).
B. The “fourth man in the fire” steps into your life and mine and gives us power over temptation. That’s spiritual deliverance. I like that. Paul said, “God is faithful.” God is not setting me up to fail, I do that well enough on my own. God delivers me, strengthens me and will not let me be tempted beyond my ability to say “no” to sin. The truth is sometimes I have to endure the temptations, but it still is not victorious over me, because God is with me in the furnace.
C. Lest we forget, Jesus told his disciples it was better for them that he goes away. The reason why it was better is because when he went away the HS came to stay. As a disciple, John assures me, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” God gives me strength in the fire.
V. God Allows Death
A. Option 3 – God allows the fire to consume this physical body. I mention how God allowed the apostle James to be put to death. Jesus told Peter he would die a martyr’s death. Paul knew that a sinful government would bring about his execution. I want to live, but I want to live for all eternity with God more than I want to live this life without Him.
B. The calling to be faithful unto death is really a calling to be faithful unto the point of death, or even if brings about your death.
C. Listen to one more scripture about the fourth man in the fire and what he does for you and me. It’s Paul final words written to Timothy. (READ 2 Tim. 4:6-8)
D. The fourth man in the fire has a crown of righteousness for me because I would not bow to a false god. I want to have a fireproof faith. I want to stand before evil and say, “my God can save me, but even he doesn’t, I won’t bow.” Maybe you are in that fiery furnace right now. Maybe you are struggling with a sin or carrying a burden too great to bear alone, we have people in the back with will pray with you.
