Sunday, March 6, 2022
“Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:4-6 KJV).
Is today’s Scripture “dead history?” Or, could there be any relevance to something in “the ages to come?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in an unenviable position. Either they could abandon the LORD God and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, or they could disobey the king’s commandment and be thrown alive into a burning fiery furnace. It was quite an easy choice for them, for they bore in mind the timeless adage, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). We read their response again: “[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. [17] If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. [18] But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Notice, they were so firm in their convictions they would never worship pagan gods—even if their God failed to rescue them from that awful death penalty!
Nebuchadnezzar, extremely upset, has the furnace’s temperature increased seven times hotter than usual (verse 19). Finally, true to his word, he proceeds to execute these saints! “[21] Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. [22] Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. [23] And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”
Let us now see the LORD work….
333 Words of Grace 