Jump Start # 1889

Daniel 3:17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”

The amazing faith of the three Jewish youths, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego is a story that has long been used in VBS and in children’s Bible classes. This was written not for that sole purpose. This is not just a story, but a real historical account. This is what happened. This is for us. We need to learn from them.

There are several background stories that we forget when reading about the fiery furnace.

First, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego are Babylonian names given to these Jewish youths. Their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

Second, they were taken captive during an invasion of their homeland. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down. The Temple was ransacked. Many citizens were killed. In the aftermath, many of these young men were taken captive. Their names were changed. They were taught the Babylonian language. The Babylonian culture and religion was impressed upon them. They were being turned into Babylonians. Nothing is ever said about their parents. Did they survive the invasion? Were they killed? Were they left behind? Were they taken to Babylon? Would they ever see their parents again? What about brothers or sisters? This is an important understanding. Their faith and their words were not whispered into their ears by their parents standing besides them. They were on their own.

Third, the reason they were in Babylon was because of God’s punishment upon the nation. Prophet after prophet had warned the nation. Those words were ignored and the patience of God ran out. It is easy to conclude that God would not help them, hear them or do anything for them since the nation was being punished by God. These three didn’t hold that view. They knew that God would help.

Fourth, there is no indication that these three had ever seen a miracle. It had been a long time since God had done something miraculous in the land. Yet, they believed, somehow and someway God would deliver them.

Fifth, their confidence was not in themselves but in God. Our God is able. They did not have an escape plan. They did not consider a compromise. They were all in with God. It was God who would pull them through this. And, if for some reason He didn’t, which meant that they would die, they still would not bow to the image. Idolatry was wrong. They knew that. Nothing would make them disobey God. Nothing was worth disappointing God, even if it was necessary to save their lives. Why live if they forsook God? What was there to live for if they turned their back on what they knew was right? If they bowed once, it would be hard to refuse the next time. Either they were all in with God, or they were not.

Certain things are right and certain things are wrong. Always. It doesn’t matter where you are or who you are with. There is no way that a wrong can be made right. A wrong can be forgiven but it was still wrong. This absolute trust in God and knowledge of what is right and wrong is so refreshing to read. In a day in which people are wishy-washy, always finding the middle ground of compromise, of not wanting to offend anyone, what these three did was to put a stake in the ground for God. Here is where we stand. Live or die, we stand here. We are not changing. Give us a second chance, which the king did, and our answer remains the same. Give us a thousand chances and our answer remains the same. We will never bow to your image.

You can just hear the progressives of today screaming about how insensitive these three were. They offended the king of Babylon. He was furious. By refusing to bow, they were making a statement that the king was wrong. Oh, how could they do that, some would cry today. But in all the progressive mumble jumble, what we find is that many lack a spiritual backbone and many, if called upon to stand by themselves, could not and would not.

It wasn’t easy for these three. This was a life or death situation. They stood out. Everyone saw. The king intended to make a point with them. The king intended to save face by showing that their God was unable to stop him.

Today, our fiery furnace may be nothing more than a student away from home in a college dorm. Instead of bowing, the pressure may be to take a swig of alcohol. He may be challenged. He may be mocked. He may be ridiculed. All eyes may be upon him. Mom and dad are not there. What will he do?

Our fiery furnace may be at a boardroom meeting at work. The numbers do not look good and management wants to make them look good. Ethics are tossed. Inferior products are considered as a solution. Fudging the numbers is proposed. And there you sit. Everyone is all in but you. This isn’t right. You know it. All eyes are upon you. And now, before everyone, you are told to go along or walk out and never come back. What will you do?

Pressure. Alone. Serious situations. These all melt when we have unbelievable faith in God and understand that He is able to deliver. It won’t be through a miracle but He can open doors. He can change hearts. He can protect. These moments are scary. They seem to last forever. Often we wonder what will we do? How will we survive?

Just bowing down seems so easy. Just do it and everything goes back to normal. That’s the pressure. But to bow is to kill a part of your faith. To bow is to sell out to Satan. To bow means how can I ever approach God again? How can I praise Him in worship, when I let Him down? How can I count on Him to hear me when I didn’t stand for Him? How can I trust Him when He can’t trust me?

A bow. A furnace. A decision. A choice. A faith. In many ways, we all face what these three Jewish boys faced. Bullied at high school for not bowing. Ignored at work and passed over for promotions for not bowing. Unable to get a date because you won’t bow. Honesty. Ethics. Faith. Courage. Doing what is right. These things come with a price. The situations are most times uncomfortable.

And there we stand, told to bow or else. Our God is able to deliver. That’s what they knew. That was their answer. That was their resolve.

Faith, trust and courage in God. We need more of it today. We need more who will do what is right, even if it costs them and even if it hurts them.

Our God is able…

Roger