Delivered from the Fire to Praise

Daniel 3:19-30

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"

They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

How Daniel trusted the deliverance of God!  He risked all to honor the LORD by refusing to bow to the king’s idol or worship false, serving dead gods which are not gods (Jeremiah 16:20, Galatians 4:8) at the threat of certain death in the fire.  When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow, king Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered the fiery furnace of death to be superheated to eradicate these godly men who would not worship another god.  They were tied up and thrown into that inferno, killing those henchmen who cast them into what was supposed to be their instant death.  God had other plans.  He joined the three in their midst of the intense fire as their Deliverer, appearing in form as the Son of God to the king.  He had freed the three of their bounds and kept them from burning to death in that incinerator as He joined them there!  Nebuchadnezzar was in awe as he now recognized them as servants of the Most High God who delivered them from the fire and to praise this Almighty One whom he tried to usurp with his powerless idols as empty objects of worship.  He beckoned the three to come out of the furnace of death which could not take the life given them and preserved by the Son of God.  He gave praises and glory to the only one who delivers and is to be worshiped when he witnessed the great saving work from the fire of judgment.  Such is the awe people still have when God snatches us from the fire of eternal judgment (2 Peter 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10, Revelation 20:10, 15).  The Son of God came to earth to walk around with us that we might trust His power and ability to deliver us from His wrath on our sin that we may follow Him out of the fiery judgment which we all face as the inevitable to come.  Our enemy would have us worship false dead gods instead of the Almighty and serve our own imaginations instead of having unshakable faith in the Deliverer of our souls.  Nebuchadnezzar realized his error and praised this only God when he witnessed the faith of the three who staked their lives on eternity by refusing to worship other gods or bow to his idols.  The king changed the law from punishment of death for those not worshiping his idols to punishment for those not worshiping or even speaking against this Almighty One who alone can deliver in such a way from the much more intense fire than Nebuchadnezzar’s to come (Jude 1:23, Zechariah 3:2).  God honored these three who stood firm in their faith and even promoted them on earth as they awaited their eternal promotion to glory.  This is an example for us to stand fast and firm in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13, Philippians 3:20-21, 4:1) as we await His return, knowing we who trust Him will never burn.  Such is the promise to all who trust completely in the Son of God who walked among us in the threatening fire of judgment.  We have been delivered from that fire to praise and serve the Son of God!  God will deliver or allow hardship and even death.  In all things He is sovereign and honors those who honor Him.  This is why we endure suffering and do not yield to worshipping other so-called gods or dishonor God by following the world opposed by sin to Him.  The Son of God walks among and in us.