Series: Dog Daze
Daniel 3:16-18 ESV
Have you ever had someone ask you a question that could have caused a huge problem, either immediately or down the road?
When it comes to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that’s how many of us will see or perceive the response of the three fellows from the tribe of Judah who were living in a foreign land under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzer II.
In Daniel 3:15 we remember the mighty King of Babylon asked Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, “And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
We are not told exactly what the King had in mind when he asked that question but. We do know how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded.
Immediately following that question in Daniel 3:16-18 we are told that, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
The response from the three fellows from the tribe of Judah to the question, “who will deliver you?” was quite succinct and a little curt. They answered the powerful king by telling him (in today’s language), whatever. They went on to tell the king ‘if…IF the need should arise, our God will deliver us.’
Picture with me if you will the three powerless Hebrew captives (slaves) had the unmitigated gall to announce to the mighty King of Babylon who is known as one of the greatest kings of his time ‘if the need should arise’ we will be delivered from your hand.
It’s difficult for us to imagine what the King was thinking when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego essentially issued so great a challenge to the king.
They point blank told the most powerful leader in their world the God they serve will deliver us from your hands. As if that wasn’t enough they went on the tell them BUT even if he doesn’t, we won’t bow down to you.
The Hebrew language in verse 18 says, yə·ḏî·a‘ or KNOW! As in ‘know THIS’ which is almost like telling someone they are daft and they have no idea what they are talking about.
Then they went on to spell out to the King they refused to serve him.
They REFUSED. They told him they would not do what he commanded them to do.
In our world that would be a bit like telling a powerful Commander we refuse to do what we are told to do.
Certainly the refusal to obey a command of that nature would have consequences.
While we have an indication that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego absolutely knew there would be consequences we are not told that they knew what Yahweh God was about to do.
In other words, by FAITH they challenged the greatest King in the the Near East. They told the King he could do whatever he wanted to do to them and however that turned out was okay with them.
It makes us wonder if God had given the three of them some special insight into the matter. We are not told they had a vision or a dream.
There is no indication they knew exactly what God WOULD do.
In The Message Daniel 3:16-18 says, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
Notice they said, God CAN rescue us.
BUT even if God doesn’t rescue us we won’t bow down to your golden guy statue.
In my mind that means they completely and totally by faith surrendered the matter of either outcome into God’s hands.
Folks, from where I stand that’s a very tough spot to be in.
You trust God even though God hasn’t really revealed to you what’s about to happen or what the outcome will be. You really don’t know if you will suffer the burns from the fire and die a painful horrific death, or if God has something else in mind.
We have no indication from scripture that they had doubts or they were afraid or if they had even considered the possible outcomes.
What we DO know is that the three fellows from the tribe of Judah (which was the same tribe of another ONE who would come much later) decided that whatever happened was okay with them.
Similar words were spoken later from a boy from the tribe of Judah.
He knew he was facing the most difficult thing he’d faced to date. We know from Matthew 26:39 on the night before he died when Jesus was the Garden of Gethsemane, “he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego told God they believed God would be there for them regardless of what happened in the fiery furnace they knew God would somehow deliver them.
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego turned to God and by faith they believed that God had it all covered.
Spiritual Practice: God has it covered
Whatever God is calling you to do…know that God has it all covered.
In God, Deborah
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