Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego–three Hebrew young men who refuse to bow down to the king’s giant image–suddenly find themselves being offered a second chance from the king himself. But the king’s offer is heavily laced with threats: “But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” (Dan 3:15). This doesn’t phase these faithful men at all, however, and they calmly reply: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan. 3:16-18)
The king’s response would indicate that Nebuchadnezzar was NOT impressed by Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego’s declaration of faith! “Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego . .” (Dan 3:19) And in his anger, the king ordered that the furnace be heated 7 times hotter then usual, he commanded that the three Hebrews be bound, and he ordered his strongest men to cast them into the fiery furnace.
Isn’t this, so often, what seems to happen to us when we make a declaration of faith? Often this is the time that everything just seems to start going wrong. It seems that our trials increase seven-fold, and we suddenly find ourselves “bound” Why? Because like Nebuchadnezzar, the devil becomes FURIOUS at our testimonies of faith! And like Nebuchadnezzar, the devil usually proceeds to send in his strongest forces to bind us. Then he heats up the fires of trials and tribulations seven times hotter than ever before, and he throws us in! The trials he sends are so “hot” that his strong forces cannot even stand them.
But there is good news, my friends! Just like Jesus, Himself, walked in the fiery furnace with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego (see Dan 3:24,25), He walks in the midst of even our most fiery trials! Just like the cords were burned off of the hands of the Hebrews (see Dan. 3:25), Jesus sets us free from the “cords” the devil is trying to bind us with! Just like Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, we NEED NOT FEAR! For Jesus walks with us in the midst of everything the devil tries to throw our way!
But isn’t it the case that when we are in the midst of the heaviest trials, this is the time when we can’t seem to SEE God? True. Why? Because the devil likes to keep us blinded by deception. But as surely as He walked in the furnace with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, He walks with us today. The Bible tells us Heb 13:5: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Our job is to believe and claim this promise. When we do, the devil’s trials, the cords he uses to bind us, and his strong forces will all fall away, just as assuredly as they did for these faithful Hebrews.
Father God, When I am in the midst of trials and tribulations help me to remember this story! Help me to remember that no matter what, You will never leave me or forsake me! Help me to remember to look beyond the trials and to claim this promise, ever believing that You will remove the binds, You will keep me from being burned, and You will remove from me the strong forces that try to keep me down!
Mthokozisi Maphumul