43b The Fiery Furnace [Daniel 3]

The Bible passage: [Daniel 3]

The Story:

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up outside the city of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble all of the officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue.

The officials of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. They stood in front of the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: When you hear the sound of every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”

When all the people heard the sound of every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshipped King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.

Some of the officials took this occasion to maliciously accuse the Jews.

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. You as king have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men have ignored your command; they refuse to worship your gold statue.”

In a furious rage, Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 

Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you won’t worship the gold statue I have set up? Be ready. When you hear the sound of every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. If you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a fiery furnace. Who is the god who can save you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, there is no need to do a test. We will not worship your idol. If we are thrown into the furnace, the God we serve can rescue us from the furnace, and He can rescue us from your power. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than normal, and he commanded some of his strongest soldiers to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace.

So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace.

Since the king’s command was so intense and the furnace was so extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in.

These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the fiery furnace.

King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up, alarmed. He asked his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?” 

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king.

He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire. They are unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace and called out: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who serve the Most High God - come out!” 

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.

When the king’s officials all gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on these men: their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burned, and they didn’t even smell like fire or smoke.

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. There is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

The Lessons:

  • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God totally, even in the face of possible death. They only knew that they couldn’t worship any other but God. They had a strong faith in God that He could protect them if He chose to.
  • They didn’t ask God to keep them from having to go through the fire. They trusted Him to walk through it with them.
  • Could the “son of the gods” have been the “Angel of the Lord”, Jesus?
  • The strength of our convictions can lead others to believe.


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