1
|
|
Daniel
and his Three Friends' Faith
|
2
|
|
(Daniel 3:17-18)
If we
are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from
it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we
want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the
image of gold you have set up."
|
3
|
|
This king had strong
power. His name was Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon.
The king considered himself like a God and made a very big gold image of
himself.
|
4
|
|
The gold image was
set up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
The king summoned all the officials to come to the dedication of the image of
gold. All other provincial officials gathered to join the dedication.
|
5
|
|
Then the herald
loudly proclaimed, "As soon as you hear the sound of all kinds of music,
you must fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has
set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown
into a blazing furnace."
|
6
|
|
After finishing these
words, the sound of all kinds of music was resonated on the big ground. As soon as they heard the sound of all kinds of
music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and
worshiped the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. But there were
three people who did not fall down and worship the gold image.
|
7
|
|
King Nebuchadnezzar
ordered to bring the three men who had disobeyed the order. They were
Daniel's three friends. They could not fall down to anyone except God because
God hates idols.
|
8
|
|
King Nebuchadnezzar
did not want to kill them because they were intelligent.
"You do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when you hear the sound of the music, you
better fall down and worship the image that I have made!!! If you do not
worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then will
your god be able to rescue you from my hand?"
|
9
|
|
They replied to the
king confidently, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do
not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into
the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will
rescue us from your hand, O king."
|
10
|
|
"But
even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your
gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." This is what they
said to the king. It was so sure that those three people would not worship
any other gods(idols) except God.
|
11
|
|
Nebuchadnezzar was so
angry.
"Heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual and tie them up and
throw them into the furnace right now."
|
12
|
|
So
these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were
bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The furnace was so hot that the
flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego.
|
13
|
|
Then King
Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement. "What is that? Weren't
there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? Look! I see four men
walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a
son of the gods."
|
14
|
|
The
three men who were not tied up anymore and another man with bright clothing
were walking around in the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the
blazing furnace and shouted.
|
15
|
|
"Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come
here!" So they came out of the fire and stood before the king.
|
16
|
|
Then Nebuchadnezzar
said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has
sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the
king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or
worship any god except their own God. From now on, if there is a man who will
say bad things about their God, I will kill that person and destroy his
house.
|
17
|
|
Then the king
promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. They risked their lives in serving only God so God protected them in the fire
and instead, God enabled them to be placed in a higher position.
|
18
|
|
We should follow
their faith. In anything we do if we do it with the faith of only believing
in God, like how God lifted and protected these three friends, God will do
the same to you. I hope that you will follow their faith and give all your heart to serve God.
|