Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego

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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego

 

The great historical records of the Bible never grow old. They still thrill our hearts as much now as they did when we first heard them. In this lesson we want to look at the historical recording of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They were servants of God who were thrown into a burning, fiery furnace.

 

First, we need to remember that these three men were ordinary people just like you and me. Their faith was severely tested, but they were victorious. This study is sorely needed today because our faith is always being tested as well. We can take courage as we consider the example of these three brave men. 

I Corinthians 16: 13

 

God will be with and abundantly bless all those who bravely make their stand for Him and His cause. 

Psalm 23:4

 

Let’s start our study by looking at the command given to the empire by Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 3: 1 - 7

 

Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and set it up in the plain of Dura, located in the Babylonian Empire. This great image measured 90 feet high and 9 feet thick. Nebuchadnezzar gathered all the important people of his kingdom to come to the dedication of his image. He gave commandment that at the sound of the music, everyone must fall down and worship his golden image. The punishment for refusing was to be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 

 

Consider the pressures of this situation. Who could resist such a command? Nebuchadnezzar himself was a mighty monarch and a tremendously successful general who never lost a battle. He was a mighty ruler who had the power and authority to do as he said he would do.

 

Also, consider the peer pressure here. It would have been easy to fall down and worship the idol because everybody else was doing it. The fear of persecution from fellow peers is one of the greatest hindrances to serving God. Notice how it weakens faith. John 12:42-43

 

If everyone else is doing or not doing something, few people have the strength to be different. Remember what we are told, though. 

Romans 12: 2

 

If "everyone else" is dressing immodestly, going fishing on Sunday morning, buying lottery tickets, telling filthy jokes, and/or whatever, what shall we do? Will we succumb to the pressure, or make a stand for God's way?

 

Next, we see the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 

Daniel 3: 8 - 18

 

Certain Chaldeans brought accusations against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They informed the king that these three men, who had been given positions of authority in his kingdom, were not willing to bow down to the image. They pointed out to Nebuchadnezzar that their refusal to do so showed  disrespect to the king himself and his false god. The king asked Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego if this were true. Nebuchadnezzar showed his fairness by giving them another opportunity to obey his decree. 

 

Consider the profound faith of these three Hebrews.  Notice how implicitly they declared their faith. They declared that "Our God is able..."

 

In other words, they were saying that God was able to deliver them if He so chose. If He did not choose to do so at this time, it made no difference at all to them. They would not bow down to the golden image. They were ready to die for their faith.

 

We also need to boldly declare our faith at all times.  At times, God may not choose to deliver us and, figuratively speaking, we may be thrown into the burning fiery furnace. No matter what might be threatened against us, we need to boldly make our stand for the Lord and His word. 

Luke 9:26

Hebrews 11:26

Hebrews 13:13-14

 

After their declaration of faith, we see that their faith is tested. 

Daniel 3: 19 - 23

 

Nebuchadnezzar showed himself to be a real hot head and ordered the furnace to be fired up seven times hotter than usual. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, with their clothes still on them, were bound and thrown into the burning fiery furnace. The heat was so intense that it killed the men who were throwing them into the furnace. These facts make the miracle all the more obvious.

 

Our faith will also be tested. 

Jeremiah 20: 12

Job 23:10

 

There will be fiery trials. 

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

James 1:2-3

I Peter 1:6-7

I Peter 4:12-13

 

How would we stand if we had the same test as these three men? I seriously doubt if we will ever be called upon to lay down our lives for our faith; nonetheless, whatever our tests of faith may be, I hope we are strong enough to follow the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

 

We now see that their faith is victorious in the end. 

Daniel 3: 24 - 30

 

The miracle here is one of the greatest revealed in the Bible. They were able to walk around in the fire. A fourth person was present to aid them.  Nebuchadnezzar commands them to come out of the fire, and as the witnesses gather around, they observe that their clothes were not burned, the hair of their head was not singed, nor was the smell of fire or smoke on them. God's promise to the Israelites through Isaiah literally came to pass. Isaiah 43:1-2

 

Nebuchadnezzar rightly declared, "There is no other God who can deliver like this." Consider the awesome power of God. He is a God who is to be respected and feared.

James 2:12

 

God will likewise reward those who make their stand for Him.

Hebrews 13:5

 

He will be there to aid us in our struggle against the temptation to sin. 

I Corinthians 10: 13

 

In every trial or temptation, God will provide a way of escape so that we may be able to bear it. We can take courage as we consider the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They were brave men. God will be with all those who bravely make their stand for Him and His cause.

 

This supposedly is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at the University of Southern California. There was a professor of philosophy at USC who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one  required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God could not exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years he had taught this class and no one had  ever had the courage to stand up to him. 

Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really stood up to him. Nobody would go against him because he had such a reputation. At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there's anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say "Because anyone who does believe in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of  chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that he is God, and yet he can't do it." And, every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students could do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago, there was a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required classes for his major. And he was afraid. But, for 3 months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped. Finally the day came. The professor said "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom.  

 The professor shouted "You FOOL!! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, unbroken. The  professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man, and then walked out of the lecture  hall. The young man who had stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room; and, for the next half hour, 300  students stayed and listened as he presented evidence for the existence of God, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Fiery trials will befall all of us. Let us boldly make our stand.