LO, I SEE FOUR MEN LOOSE

"Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.” (Daniel 3:1, 2). 

 

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon who ransacked Jerusalem and carried away many thousands of the brightest and most talented of the Israelites in order to weaken the nation.  He then put them to work in his own cities to help grow his kingdom.  Because of his success in conquering many nations and expanding the wealth and influence of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with pride and built an idol, requiring all of his people to worship it.  Once all of his officials were gathered together, it was commanded that they bow down and worship the image of gold that the king had set up.  Anyone who did not do so was to be cast into a fiery furnace and burned alive.  It would seem that the king meant business, and expected compliance! 

 

Among the crowd that day were three young Hebrew men who were part of the group of people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away as captives when he destroyed Jerusalem.  The names of the three were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but you may know them better by the names which were given them by their Chaldean captors: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  These three had settled in their hearts that they would not transgress God's law, nor betray their devotion to Him, by bowing down to this idol of gold.  What an awesome conviction for a group of young men to make!  And what a tremendous sacrifice they were willing to make in order to stay faithful to their God!  I wonder how many folks today would be willing to be cast into a furnace of fire rather than compromise their witness to God.  I fear that there are many who would bow down, and then rationalize it by thinking that God would forgive them afterwards, so why go through all that suffering? 

 

When the moment came that all the people were bowing down, these three boys stuck out like flies on cream pie because they were still standing upright.  I don't think they were even slouching, or hunching down in order to appear less conspicuous, and hoping that no one would notice them.  They were standing upright in the power of their conviction!  Well, the king did notice, and he was furious at their refusal to bow.  He even offered them one more chance to comply and to conform before casting them into the fire.  In his pride and arrogance he asked them, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Daniel 3:15b).  Their answer was bold and courageous.  They said, "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.  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.” (Daniel 3:17, 18).  They knew that God could deliver them, but even if He chose not to, they were not going to yield!  King Nebuchadnezzar was left with no choice: he had them cast into the fiery furnace.  

 

We, too, sometimes find ourselves cast into the midst of fiery trials of one sort or another because of choices that we make to honor and serve our God.  The Apostle Peter wrote, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12, 13).  We must not think that we have done something wrong because we find ourselves in turmoil at times - it is simply the effects of the offense of the cross.  We should not be shocked or surprised at these trials, for they are common to the Christian who is willing to stand up for what he believes.  We must realize, too, that the fellowship of Christ's suffering is a high and glorious call, and those who can embrace it will see the life of Jesus manifested in their lives and in their bodies (See 2 Corinthians 4:10, 11; Philippians 3:10).

 

So, our boys were bound and cast into the fire, but King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished at what he witnessed next.  Instead of seeing three impertinent youths consumed by the flames, the king observed FOUR individuals walking about in the fire unharmed!  "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, 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." (Daniel 3:24, 25).  Beloved, rest assured that when you walk through the fiery trials of life, you are never alone.  The Son of God will be there with you.  He will hold your hand, and He will deliver you unharmed!  You are never alone in what you are facing – the Lord Himself is always with you!  It is also significant that these three were cast into the fire bound, but came out loosed!  We may be bound by anxieties, doubts, or fears; we may be shackled by bitterness, regrets, or resentments; but if we choose to walk with the Lord, He will release us from all that would keep us bound. 

 

"Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.  Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, 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." (Daniel 3:26, 27).

 

If we would know the power of Christ's resurrection in our personal lives, we must be willing to first make the tough decisions in life, and then walk through the fires with the Lord.  The result will be that the fire will have no power over us; not a hair of our head will be singed; we won't be scorched or charred, and not even the smell of smoke will be upon us.  In other words, there will be no damaging effects from our experience in the fire.  We will not come out bearing resentments or bitterness for those who may have sent us there, or for God Who allowed it.  God will deliver us completely! 

 

The story of Joseph is another great illustration of this principle.  It is about a young man who loved and honored his God, but his brothers were very jealous of him, and sold him into slavery.  He spent many years in servitude and then in prison after being falsely accused of wrong doing, but God ultimately delivered him.  When he eventually had to face his brothers who had treated him with such malice, it was with great compassion and mercy.  He told them, "God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God." (Genesis 45:7, 8).  Oh, to have such trust in our heavenly Father that we accept our trials as opportunities to work deliverance in the lives of others!  Joseph came through his fiery trial without being singed, or even smelling like smoke!  As a result, others were saved and delivered.  This is our purpose also as Christians: to be a savor (aroma, flavor, essence) of Christ that others may have hope, and be saved, as they observe the Son of God walking with us through the fires of life. 

 

"Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God."  (Daniel 3:28).  Amen!