Good morning,
Daniel 3 deals with the worship of Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. He commands all his high ranking officials to bow down to it. What will the three Hebrew children do? Will they bow or stand? Remember every decision we make in life has consequences. This one was life or death.
Daniel 3
Nebuchadnezzar’s Giant Idol
The Faithful Jews are Safe in the Great Furnace (v19-25)
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Enraged, the King orders the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. He then commands Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be thrown into the furnace. The soldiers who carry out this order die from the intense heat.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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