by Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 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. 18 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.”
In the above verses, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are about to be thrown into the fiery furnace for not bowing to the golden idol Nebuchadnezzar had set up in the kingdom.
Recently, I read these verses for a morning devotion and the little phrase, “we are not careful to answer thee in this matter” jumped out at me.
This phrase helps set to the scene of these three men who are about to be thrown into the fiery furnace. I have always read these verses and heard preaching about the bravery of these three men and my heart has always loved the stand these men took when the time came in their lives to stand up for their God – our God – our Saviour!
When reading about these men, I have always thought, “Wow! Such bravery. I hope someday, should I have to, I can take a stand like these men and be willing to die for my Saviour.”
After I read the phrase above, “we are not careful to answer thee in this matter” I realized, that in the flesh, this stand was not easy for these three men. “Yes, no doubt they were still brave; but I believe by this phrase, it shows they were not super-human like we think they were. They were human like you and me. They were probably a little bit afraid. They might have been shaking in their shoes.”
Many Christians I know would like to have this kind of bravery/strength should the time ever come in our lives to take a stand for our Saviour that if it meant giving our lives – then so be it!
Note: We should also have this kind of bravery about handing out a tract or witnessing. But, onto the story.
Then I pondered, “How did these 3 men get to this point of such spiritual strength? A spiritual strength that obviously lead to a great physical strength to not run away, or in this case, bow to the idol?” God led me to three verses and points. Let me quickly share them with you and prayerfully they will be a help during whatever stand you may be trying to take for God in your life – even if the trial is not one to give your life for God but just a stand to live a Godly life for your Saviour.
First – The strength we have is not sufficient enough. We have to depend upon God.
II Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”
Go ahead, admit it – we cannot do anything alone. We must have help.
Second – We can depend upon our God to give us the strength we need – when we need it.
Isaiah 40:29 “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”
God does not lie – he follows through on his promises. We can depend upon him to give us the strength to live the Godly life he wants us to live.
Third – We need to wait upon God. “Yes – wait!”
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
What did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do prior to this day that helped them in their stand for God? They were waiting. What did they do while they waited on God in their lives? What were they doing while the Israelites were besieged and in captivity under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar?
They were waiting on God!
- They were not hanging out with the world and eating and drinking wine with the King’s companions. They chose not to defile their bodies and God blessed them for a stand they took over this way before the stand they took that could have cost them their lives. Read Daniel chapter 1. (Hint: Read these verses carefully, there is another lesson to be learned here of which I may expound upon in a future post.)
- Daniel 1:15-17 “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”
- I think these 4 men were living together or at least spending a lot of time with each other. They were children of God trying to take a stand for God and by being together they could encourage one another. When Daniel heard the King’s dream he went home to his Godly friends. Read Daniel 2
- Daniel 2:17 “Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:”
- The friends prayed together. When Daniel heard about the King’s dream – he went straight to his house and desired that his friends pray with him so he might know the interpretation of the King’s dream.
- Daniel 2:18-19 “That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision…”
So, back to our original question, “How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (and Daniel) get to the point that they could take a stand for God that could have cost them their lives?
Summary:
- They knew their strength was not sufficient, they knew they needed God’s strength
- They choose to wait on God while in captivity.
- They chose not to eat with the world, they chose not to defile their physical bodies
- They fellowshipped together and encouraged each other
- They prayed together
Way before they were about to give the ultimate sacrifice for God – their life – they were already taking a stand for God in many other areas of their life. So, because they were doing the things menti
oned above, when the time came to stand before the fiery furnace, they had the strength to say,
Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…But if not…we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Prayerfully this helps us all, when Satan attacks, to take the stand we need to live a Godly life for our Lord and Saviour.
