THE FIRE THAT COULD NOT BURN
SCRIPTURE: Daniel 3:27
INTRODUCTION
The first part of a little child’s prayer goes something like this, "God is great, God is good." Do you find that easy to believe? Is God great and good? In every situation?
You know, and I know, we all encounter the testing of our faith in God’s goodness and greatness. Especially does it happen when we experience some threatening problem or tragedy in our lives.
Bad things-and I mean terrible things-can happen to believers Just as they happen to unbelievers. If you do not believe that, just read again the first two chapters of Job in the Old Testament. The tragedy he experienced was almost too bad to believe.
To remind us how severe his personal tragedy was, his wife asked him to curse God and die. Job rejected her advice and continued to put his trust in God. It wasn’t easy for him. In fact, it was a real struggle, but in the end things turned around for his good and God gave him twice what he had before. Job is a role model for us today when we are experiencing a terrible problem and life-threatening tragedy.
You see, Satan brings all kinds of things against us to get us to doubt and deny God. He does not want us to put any trust in Him. Satan would have us to believe that he is going to defeat and ultimately destroy us. That is what he is up to when he puts problems and tragedies in our way. Jesus tells us the devil will come around and try to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). We must do as Job and respond out of faith and complete trust in God, rather than fear and doubt.
Regardless of what the enemy might bring against us in the areas of finances, marriage, family, sickness, or job security, God is good, God is great, and God can turn it around. Paul said, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
In Daniel 3:27 we have a text that speaks about God turning a bad situation around. The story is about three men whom the devil set out to literally destroy. They were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. What looked like total defeat ended up being something harmless.
It is an old story we all know about, but we need to take a new and deeper look at all the factors involved in light of present world conditions.
My text reads,
"And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them."
God took the power out of the fire. It was the fire that could not burn!
A HEATHENISH PROPOSITION
First of all, let us consider that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were confronted with a heathenish proposition. It is clearly stated:
"Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Daniel 3:15).
Who were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? They were the three young men (along with Daniel) from Jerusalem who were taken captive to Babylon by the army of King Nebuchadnezzar. Upon arriving in Babylon, they were hand-picked to enter into a very special three-year educational program sponsored by the office of the king.
They were young and handsome. They were single and had a good education under their belt. They were away from home out from under parental care. They were holding prestigious positions in the government. They were on their way up the "corporate ladder."
Then came an unexpected proposition. You might think at first that it sounded harmless, that it wouldn’t hurt anything. But since we know the first three commandments, we know that this proposal is totally and completely offensive to God. They tell us in no uncertain terms that there are to be no other gods, no graven images, and no one is to bow down and worship any image. God has made this commandment absolutely clear!
It seems there are heathenish propositions all around us today. Proponents tell us they are for our good . . . they will enhance society in general and the quality of our life in particular. There is the pro-abortion proposition, the sexual orientation proposition, the situation ethics proposition, and the permissive proposition. They may sound good at first, but they are in conflict with God’s word. What we believe and practice should be based on Scripture and not mere human reason.
The Scriptures tell us something unexpected happened causing everything to look bad for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king had an image of himself made that was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. The next thing he did was to require everyone to worship the image when they heard the music. For sure, those working for the government would have to do it. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not.
The king was told of their refusal to worship the image, and he became angry and called them into his "oval office." He told them what he expected them to do and that if they complied things would go well with them. Then, with anger In his voice, he told them what would happen if they didn’t.
The king did not tell them to stop their worship of Jehovah. He just wanted them to include his "image" in the picture. But the Bible teaches that you cannot serve two masters. God will not share His glory with another.
The men were told that if they did not go along with the plan, they would lose their jobs and their lives. God help us to have people who will not give in to the evil request of an unethical or immoral boss. If the boss wants you to tell a lie for any reason, may you have the courage to say no. If the boss wants you to join with him In some sinful pleasure, may you have the strength to say no-even If It costs you your job. If the company wants you to always work on Sunday and keep you from worship with your family, may God give you the courage to say no, even when you know that you might get fired or have to find another job. We must not let the threats of evil kings determine the level of commitment we maintain with God.
A HEAVENLY PERSUASION
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego already had their minds made up before the king actually confronted them. Their righteous upbringing caused them to have a stable and sincere commitment to God. It is reflected in Daniel 3:16, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, 0 Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful [worried] to answer thee in this matter."
They didn’t even need time for personal consultations. They thought more about their God than they did about their jobs! A persuasion from heaven was greater to them than a proposition from a king.
Let me say a good word for parents who bring up their children in the ways of the Lord! When Shadrach was born, he was given by his parents the name Hananiah, which means "God Is gracious." When Meshach was born, they named him
Mishael, which means, "Who is what God is?" And when Abednego was born, his parents named him Azariah, which means "whom God helps." This certainly tells us something about parental Influence. Although they were away from home, they did not get away from their upbringing. What a lesson for today!
Those three guys stood together. They were united. It is so good to see friends sticking together The same is true for families. There is such courage and strength In unity and oneness.
We must also notice the three men were willing to suffer the full consequences of their firm decision for God. They were willing, even if God did not come to their aid.
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, 0 king. But If not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up (Daniel 3:17, 18).
There were no special deals to be made with God or with the king. You don’t need a deal with God when you have a solid and growing relationship with Him. Walking with God Is all you need.
A HORRIBLE PUNISHMENT
The Bible tells us what happened to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It was a horrible act of human cruelty.
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and to cast them Into the burning fiery furnace. . . . And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell down bound Into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Daniel 2:20,21).
Because they stood up to the king for what they knew was right, they were attacked. How committed are we to what Is right? How do we know what Is right? I believe the answer can be found In the Bible. It Is there! We can discover It by the help of the Holy Spirit, and then we must be willing to risk our lives for It. Is that what this story tells us?
Look how severe was the attack. They were cast Into the furnace of fire. The soldiers physically threw them Into the fire. We are told they were cast down Into the fire. That Is what the devil wants to do to us. He wants us down. But even when we are physically down, we can be standing up on the inside. Notice this diabolic treatment-they were bound before they were cast down into the fire. It does happen. The devil can physically, mentally and emotionally harm us. Sickness is a very common way.
In my early years as a Christian, I thought that the closer you got to God, the fewer problems and attacks you would encounter. But that Is not true. It seems to me that the closer you get to God In your walk with Him, your worship of Him, and your work for Him, the greater Satan tries to oppose you and attack you in unbelievable ways.
We must understand that the enemy is out to destroy our faith In God.
A HOLY PRESENCE
It is true that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast into a seven-times-hotter fiery furnace because they would not go along with the king’s ungodly proposition and compromise their relationship with God. But let me tell you there Is more to this testimony.
The king asked a troubling question. He asked, "Did not we cast three men bound Into the midst of the fire?" (v.24).
The king then made a glorious but unplanned confession. "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (v. 25). I believe the very moment Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego entered the furnace, the Fourth Man was there to protect them.
The king extended a very welcome Invitation. He said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither" (v. 26). And they came walking out on their own with no harm done to them.
CONCLUSION
We know what changed the king’s mind. It was what he saw. There had to be the painful obedience on the part of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego before there was the mighty miracle on the part of God.
There was the fire. It was real. But It did not destroy the three that chose to trust In God. The fire had lost Its power. It could not burn. What a miracle! They came out without any hurt.
By the way, the three young men who were told they would lose their jobs and their lives If they did not compromise got promoted. God turned their problem Into a miracle. We serve the same God today, and He can do the same thing for us.
God still keeps the fire from burning!
