I love reading the book of Daniel. There are only 12 chapters and please have a read through it. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego always challenges me in my Christian faith, journey, and witnessing. I am sure most of us learned about it in Sunday school.
There comes a time when we must all face our fears and take a stand for what we know is right. That's what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did. They risked their lives when they refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol. They could have rationalised, I'll bow on the outside, but not on the inside, or I'll just pretend the idol is Jehovah. Putting myself in their shoes, I would have done something like what I mentioned above to save myself from the burning furnace. But they took a stand for what was right, and it set the stage for miracles. Many times, in our Christian life we fail to take a stand for what we believe is right according to the scripture. We tend to go with the trends of this modern world.
Let’s hear what the king says, “King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and said to his counsellors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God’.” When you place yourself in a defenceless position, it sets the stage for God to show up.
But if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had bowed to the idol, the following could have happened to them.
1) They would not have received promotions, gold, money, or a house!
2) The Jewish people would not have gained protected status within the Babylonian kingdom
3) Idol worship would have continued in Babylon, and
4) Nebuchadnezzar would not have experienced a life-changing encounter with God.
“Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, ‘Blessed be the God...who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him...there is no other God who can deliver like this.’ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon”—such a powerful statement from the king himself witnessing and acknowledging the power of the living God. Let us learn to honour God with our life and by doing that we are positioning ourselves for Him to bless us and honour us.
God Bless
Christvin Edbarg
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