What To Do When You Are Thrown Into the Fire!

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Daniel 3

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Though Daniel had interpreted the king's dream, which influenced the king favor to him and his other friends, this favor soon faded for Daniel's three friends. The king made a gold statue, ninety feet high and demanded all people from all nations come and worship him as king. All the people obeyed, except for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Why were they so courageous? Because they knew God would deliver them. 

And here was the amazing thing that they said. Even if God didn't deliver them, they would not serve the king's gods nor his statue. What courage!  What faith! Later we see their faith is rewarded. 

 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. 25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

Much to the king's amazement not only are the men not burned by a furnace, which was so hot it killed the king's men guarding it, but there is a fourth man in the fire.  We know who that fourth man was. 

"Nebuchadnezzar tells us who the fourth person was – the Son of God. Jesus was literally with them in the worst of their trial. We don’t know if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego knew that the Son of God was with them in their fiery trial. Sometimes we are aware of Jesus’ presence in our trials and sometimes we are not – but He is there nonetheless." - Guzik

Where is God calling to trust Him even if it feels you are being thrown into the fire? As believers in Jesus, we know that he is always with us, both individually and as the body of Christ. "Wherever two or three are gathered there I am with them!" - Jesus 

This also reminds us of an important point. The three men went into the fire together. Who are the two or three people who will go into the fire with you? They are more valuable than gold! 

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