He's Right There With You

The Four Men in the Fiery Furnace. Три отрока в пещи огненной (Четвертый - это архангел Михаил) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last month my pastor began a series on the book of Daniel, and even though I've read the book many times before, the story still fascinates me. In case you don't know about Daniel, he was one of a number of Hebrew slaves taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Right away, Daniel and his three friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego distinguished themselves by refusing to eat the rich food that was put before them. They opted instead for vegetables and water. (Daniel 1: 8 - 16).

Later, Daniel interpreted one of the king's dreams - a dream that troubled the king so much that he vowed to put his own wise men to death if they couldn't interpret it. Daniel, who had been blessed by God with the gift of interpreting was the only one able to interpret the dream. The wise men's lives were spared and Daniel and his friends were promoted.

One would think that after all the favor the Hebrew young men received from the king, they would obey whatever he asked of them without question. But no. When the king made a decree that everyone must bow down to his image when the signal was given, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow. The king became angry and ordered them bound and thrown into the fiery furnace. But to the amazement of the king and all his officers, they saw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walking about loosed in the fire. But that was not all. King Nebuchadnezzar observed, " Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.  He answered and said , Lo, I see four men loose , walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (3: 24 - 25).

The king then called the men out upon whose bodies the fire had no power , nor was an hair of their head singed , neither were their coats changed , nor the smell of fire had passed on them(v 27). The king was forced to acknowledge that "there was no other god that can deliver after this sort" (v 29). 

We may not go through a literal fiery furnace like these three Hebrew men did, but our trials and sufferings may be so severe we feel like we are in a fiery furnace. Just know this: God is right there with you, just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But you must call out to Him, trust Him and He will deliver you. 

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