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Daniel and his Three Friends' Faith

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(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."

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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?"

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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."

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"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.

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Nebuchadnezzar was so angry.
"Heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual and tie them up and throw them into the furnace right now."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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"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.

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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.

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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.

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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.