The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a thrilling, exciting showdown between king Nebuchadnezzar and these three faithful men. It is the story of the fiery furnace, but the fiery furnace is not the point. The point is the flaming faith of these men that burned hotter and brighter than the flames of the furnace!
Their faith in God burned against enormous peer pressure. Everyone sold out and bowed the knee to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image. Everyone except three! They refused to join in the mass of fear-driven, self-preserving idolatry! These men died to self before they faced the furnace!
Their faith in God burned against enormous political power. They were brought before the king. It is here that one of the most faith-filled declarations of Scripture is given. “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand...But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (3:17-18).
Their faith burned against the flames of the furnace. They would not be swayed based on God’s reaction. They would stand firm whether or not it was God’s will to deliver them! Hear this now. Their faith flamed above their peers, the king, and the response of God. They simply would not budge.
Their faith was then followed by works! They stood firm all the way to being thrown inside the furnace! You know the rest. Jesus met with them at that point, not a single point earlier! May God grant us all that kind of flaming faith!
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