Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

King Nebuchadnezzar made an enormous golden image ninety feet high and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He summoned all the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image. When all were assembled, a herald proclaimed loudly, 'Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.'

When the music played, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image—except for three young Hebrew men: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These were men who had been taken captive from Judah as teenagers and trained in Nebuchadnezzar's palace. They had already distinguished themselves by refusing to defile themselves with the royal food and wine, and God had blessed them with knowledge and understanding. Now they faced a far greater test of their faith and convictions.

Some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews, reporting to the king: 'There are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.' Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned the three men. He gave them one more chance, asking if it was true they refused to worship his gods or the golden image, and warning them about the furnace. Then he posed a challenging question: 'What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?'

The three men's response is one of the most powerful declarations of faith in Scripture: 'King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.' Their faith had two parts: confidence in God's ability to save them, and commitment to obey God regardless of whether He chose to deliver them.

Nebuchadnezzar was absolutely furious. His attitude toward them changed completely, and he ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. He commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. The men were bound in their robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and were thrown into the furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames killed the soldiers who took them up. The three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing fire.

Suddenly, King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet in amazement. He asked his advisers, 'Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?' They assured him there were. The king exclaimed, 'Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!' God had not prevented them from being thrown into the furnace, but He was with them in the flames. The fire had no power over their bodies—not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, 'Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!' When they came out, all the assembled officials saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies. The king said, 'Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.' The king then promoted the three men in the province of Babylon and issued a decree that no one could say anything against their God. What was meant to destroy their faith instead became a testimony to God's power that reached an entire empire.