Yesterday morning I found myself reading the first three chapters in the book of Daniel and the familiar story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace. Many times we have the tendency to read the familiar stories and are satisfied with what we are reading knowing the ending is going to be great. It is a “happily ever after” story of sorts, and yet, it sure did not look as though it was going to end that way. We know the end of the story. We know how things work out for the good of these three young men. Try putting yourself in the beginning of the story not knowing the end. Go ahead and jump into the shoes or sandals of one of those three young people. 

They have been working with their mentor Daniel and they have seen the faithfulness of God and His provision for them in chapters 1 & 2 of Daniel. They were part of a team of men who were in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. They were to give the king counsel whenever he asked for it and they were to do whatever the king desired. Daniel and the three young men were living, breathing trophies of the grace of God to a pagan king in a pagan community. Daniel 1:20 tells us that they were 10 times better than all of the other men in the kings service. The king had a dream and he demanded that the wise men tell him what he dreamed and then to interpret it for him too. If they could not, all of them would be killed, including Daniel and the three young men. Daniel heard of this and he went to the king, told him what he had dreamed, and then gave him the interpretation of it. As a result, all four of them were spared as well as the other wise men and the king gave testimony of the God of Daniel when he said: “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings.” (Daniel 2:47)  What a testimony!

Not long after that, king Nebuchadnezzar erected an image of gold that was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, and a ceremony took place to dedicate this image and the king that it represented. At the sound of trumpets and all kinds of music, everyone was to fall down before it and worship it. Anyone who did not obey this command was to immediately be thrown into the fiery furnace. The service took place and the three young men refused to bow or worship the image and there were those who reported their unwillingness to do so to the king. The king was furious and called for the three young men to come before him and yet he would give them another chance. He would have the trumpets sound again and all that they had to do was fall down and worship the image, but, if they did not, they would immediately be thrown into the blazing furnace. Just bow, that’s all.

I can come up with all kinds of questions surrounding this. Where was Daniel? Why did the king erect this image after promoting Daniel and having him as his chief counselor? Did he talk to Daniel about this? Why was the king so furious? He had to know that these three men would not bow and worship. They were very clear about who their God is. Why did he give them another chance? Did he think that they would give in? The really interesting question is the one posed by the king himself at the end of Daniel 3:15 when he asks “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” That question has got to be answered! How soon the king forgets what he said previously in Daniel 2:47 “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings.” The three young men respond to the king and they basically say king, you already know the answer to that question. We do not need to defend ourselves. In fact, “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.”(vv.17-18)

Wow!!!  How did they do that? How were they able to face certain death by fire when all that they had to do was bow and probably say nothing. Their bowing represented their worship. I want to suggest that the reason that they were able to stand tall in the face of certain death is because they had already bowed to the God of gods. When they were previously faced with certain death, look at what they did in Daniel 2:18 “He (Daniel) urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” They prayed! THEY PRAYED!!! This was the way that they lived. Their lives were characterized by prayer. It does not stop there. They also praised. 
They praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and power, You have made known to me what we ask of You, You have made known to us the dream of the king.” (2:19-23)

They prayed and then they praised! They knew who their God is and what He is capable of and they pleaded for mercy. They talked to the right person. They did not ask everyone else first and then end with God.  They talked to Him, and then they praised Him. He is the God of their fathers and they remember all that He did for them. Don’t ever forget that they ended up in the fiery furnace, but even there, God was with them. Whatever it is that you are going through or find yourself in the middle of, pray, pray, pray!  When you pause from prayer, praise Him, praise Him, praise Him! Make it a regular pattern in your life so that others might take note of it. You will be amazed at what God might do!