Daniel 3:19-25
Daniel 3:19-25
New King James Version (NKJV)
Saved in Fiery Trial
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
My Thoughts:
What a site that must have been, not only seeing the three men you just cast in to the furnace walking around when the men that tossed them in were killed by the heat, but now there were four men walking around.
When the king saw that he could not burn the men who would not bow to his image, he was awestruck. God had delivered His faithful followers from death. The thing is if Nebuchadnezzar had known God better he would have known this would happen.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had read the writings from Four centuries before when David a man that knew God well, had written, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1)
And thay would have known what Isaiah would have written one century before in (Isaiah 41:10) “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
And in (Isaiah 43:2) we read “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”
To their honor these three men knew that God was always with them, even if God had chosen to let them parish. You see something God delivers us but many times he allows us to witness for Him after an apparent defeat rather than obvious victory.
Revelation 13 warns us of there being another time when His people will be called to stand for Him, or bow to a false god.
Then there is the statement the king made ““I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” did he know of the prophecy of the messiah or was he talking in a general sense? Well the word used in the Hebrew was “elahin” which is plural but through the OT is translated as God. The Revised Version, translated it as “like a son of gods”.
Ellen White Statements:
“My husband stopped hauling stone, and with his ax went into the woods to chop cordwood. With a continual pain in his side, he worked from early morning till dark to earn about fifty cents a day. We endeavored to keep up good courage, and trust in the Lord. I did not murmur. In the morning I felt grateful to God that He had preserved us through another night, and at night I was thankful that He had kept us through another day.
One day when our provisions were gone, my husband went to his employer to get money or provisions. It was a stormy day, and he walked three miles and back in the rain. He brought home on his back a bag of provisions tied in different compartments, having in this manner passed through the village of Brunswick, where he had often lectured. As he entered the house, very weary, my heart sank within me. My first feelings were that God had forsaken us. I said to my husband: “Have we come to this? Has the Lord left us?” I could not restrain my tears, and wept aloud for hours, until I fainted. Prayer was offered in my behalf. Soon I felt the cheering influence of the Spirit of God, and regretted that I had sunk under discouragement. We desire to follow Christ and to be like Him; but we sometimes faint beneath trials, and remain at a distance from Him. Sufferings and trials bring us near to Jesus. The furnace consumes the dross and brightens the gold.” {LS 105-106}
Last thoughts:
So for my last thought I would like to leave you with a story of a Medal of honor winner. His story should show you that this courage that the three men have is still alive and will in people today.
He was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor and one of only three so honored (the others are Thomas W. Bennett and Joseph G. LaPointe, Jr.). ( He was a Corporal (Private First Class at the time of his Medal of Honor heroics) in the U.S. Army assigned to the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. He died the same day as another Medal of Honor recipient, David Bleak.
Desmond Doss refused to kill, or carry a weapon into combat, because of his personal beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. He thus became a medic, and by serving in the Pacific theatre of World War II helped his country by saving the lives of his comrades, while also adhering to his religious convictions. Shortly before leaving the Army, Desmond was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet (120 m) high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying all 75 casualties one-by-one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On May 2, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave’s mouth, where he dressed his comrades’ wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On May 5, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On May 21, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers’ return, he was again struck, by a sniper bullet while being carried off the field by a comrade, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.
It takes great men of courage to serve in the service of God and Country. This must be why we see Joshua state in (10:25) …“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
About bobh6
40 Days of study 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful followers. Desmond Doss was faithful as well. His trial by fir was not literal as was the three Hebrews but Jesus was with him every step of the way. Desmond understood the meaning of ” but if not”, but he also knew that God can and does still deliver those who trust Him. Seven times hotter!! To be so hot as to kill the men throwing them in. God was there and He sent His Son to walk in the flames with them. This was His way of showing to the Babylonian Empire that He cared. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, knew this. Desmond Doss knew this. We must know this as it happens every day for us as well. “Fear nor, for I am with you” Isaiah 41:10
I love the book of Isaiah. and try to live by the messages in it every day.
We see God with us illustrated here, and how appropiate that a reference to the son of God is made. We often angels are watching over us and accompany us, but how often are we aware that God is with us. Through our hardships, trials and trubulations we usually are better able to see God right beside us. How sweet to feel His presence and breath in His peace.
I know through some of my “wrost” experiences I’ve found God there in ways I hadn’t seen Him before then. Those formally dark experiences God has transformed into brightly glorious expereinces that even still today fill my heart with such assurance and overwhelming love that it carries such power and profound devotion and gratitude (life changing and invigorating)…something I doudt I would of know unless I had even the smallest faith enough to carry me through them in the first place. Faith builds on faith.
I’m sure these three young men were never the same; and we never are when we see God so real in our world. What a powerful impact this must of made on all those witnessing it.
I know that if God had not been with me during the darkest hours I would not be here today. I agree that faith builds on faith.
Got to wondering: do you think God will show his presence in a literal way during our last time wilderness experience, like in the time of the Exodus. In a sense that would be a repeat of the exodus, with us going into another literal promised land. I think if God shows his presence to us it would definetly encourage us. He did say he would never leave us and will be with us up to the last day.
Re-posted this question on tommorrow’s study. Fits better there.
I think we will know he is there, because during the end times everyone will have one of two marks and Revelation 16 says that the last plagues will not affect the righteous.
I’m talking literial not just knowing He’s there, but seeing His presence there.
.