This article is a continuation of my "Interesting Bible Stories" series. For this one, we will look at the book of Daniel. Is it possible to be thrown into a hot burning furnace and live? Let's start with a brief background.
In chapter two of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and was so disturbed he was determined to get the interpretation. He called for the magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans (master astrologers) to not only interpret his dream, but also a next level of revealing what his dream actually was. When the Chaldeans told him this was impossible, he threatened them with severe punishment.
The king replied to the Chaldeans, "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap.
~ Daniel 2:5
In the end Daniel, with the help of his God, was able to do as the king asked and tell him his dream and its interpretation. This dream was prophetic about earthly kingdoms. It begins by showing that Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler over all the earth.
"You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, [or] the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given [them] into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
~ Daniel 2:37-38
After the interpretation the king honored Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) with a promotion to ruler over Babylon and many gifts. Also helping Daniel were Shadrach, Meshack and Abed-nego ( otherwise known as Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah-Daniel 1:7).
Dream interpretation is complicated enough, but for Daniel to actually tell the king what his dream was and interpret it is a miracle. Many times we don't even remember our own dreams. How much more difficult would it be to know what someone else dreamed?
I think this could be enough to qualify as an interesting Bible story. However, this is only the background to the story I want to talk about . So today you get a "two fer".
Moving on to the third chapter of Daniel and, as Paul Harvey used to say… ”The rest of the story”, or at least the portion of the story that I want to address.
Like many people in power, King Nebuchadnezzar let the power go to his head. He decided to make a golden image. He then instructed that at the sound of various instruments everyone must bow down and worship the image. And his punishment for anyone who refused would be for them to be cast into a fiery furnace, a rather severe punishment, if you ask me.
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which [was] sixty cubits [and] its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
~ Daniel 3:1
Then the herald loudly proclaimed: "To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and [men of every] language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire."
~ Daniel 3:4-6
It was reported to the king that certain Jews were not bowing down to the image so they called Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to be brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar gave them one more chance but they refused, saying that their God was able to deliver them.
If it be [so,] our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. "But [even] if [He does] not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
~ Daniel 3: 17-18
King Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. He then commanded the three to be tied up and thrown into the furnace. The fire was so hot that the men who threw them into the fire died.
As they looked into the furnace the king saw four men (not three) and they were walking around freely with no harm to them. It was said that the fourth man looked like a “Son of God”. I believe this fourth man was Yeshua (Jesus). The king then told Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to come out. When they came out there was not even the smell of smoke on their clothes.
Nebuchadnezzar then blessed their God and decreed not to offend the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. And he made these men prosper.
Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."
~ Daniel 3:28-29
It's amazing the power that Yahweh has to protect those who follow Him and Him alone. I think we as Bible believers sometimes forget what He can and will do for us. I believe our lack of faith and trust in Him limits what He is able to do.
I encourage you to read chapters 2 and 3 of Daniel for the complete story.
Thank you for reading.
Previous post in this series:
Beam Me Up Scotty...
“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org”
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