Daniel 3:19-30
Book of Daniel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 10 viewsWhen we are focusing on Christ and pleasing Him, we have supernatural strength, when we focus and ourselves and our problems we have compounded weakness that can do nothing.
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19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: 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 Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
The word Visage just means his face When the king heard the bold response and saw the bold faith of the three, his rage could be seen on his face. This rage was so deep that the regular fire (which would kill anyone) was not enough. He demanded the heat be made 7 times hotter!
Then he wants them tied up, I would thing any soldier could tie them up, but he wanted his mightiest soldiers to do it. This man is still all about proving his own might and trying to prove that he is the most powerful being.
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 flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
these three were fully dressed and tied up, then carried over to the fire. The fire was so hot the soldiers carrying the men died when they got close and the three men fell into the flames.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, 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.
The king is shocked to see 4 men in the fire not just 3 and they are walking around and moving free. The only thing burned on these three men were the ropes they used to tie them up. The power of God was definitely with them, and this man who did not know who God is notices the power of the fourth person. He knew these men could not save themselves, this had to be from the power of God.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
I think its key to note these men did not come out of the fire until the king told them to. They knew God had the power to save them even if he decided not to, then they knew God was saving them and they stayed in the situation until the king told them to come out. we are seeing the ultimate trust in God and and God’s plan and perfect patience in waiting for God to deliver them.
The king, not knowing much about the true God instantly knew that the God the Jews followed was higher than any other god (false gods).
27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
In front of all the rulers that just bowed to the 90 foot tall idol, God proved that He is the all powerful God. They did not even smell like smoke when they came out.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
God used this difficult trial in these three mens lives to prove His might to the entire world and all the leaders of the world. you might say, yea but in the end they were not harmed. But remember what we talked about in the first half of the story, they had no idea what would happen. They knew 100% that God had the power to save them, but they also knew that God would not save them if He had a different plan. Their faith was not in God removing the difficulty their faith was that God’s plan was better than any plan they had.
When we see the events begin to unfold I can only imagine the dread they might have felt knowing the pain that may be coming their way. As we read scripture in the book of Acts when Steven was killed, or when Joseph was sold into slavery and put in prison, we understand that God does not always remove the difficult times.
If our faith is in God removing difficult times, our faith will fail when the difficult times come.
One important thing to note is that no matter if God allows us to go through the difficulty or if he chooses to remove the difficulty Christ is with us and if our focus is on Him and pleasing Him, He will give the strength for us to get through it.
6 For if I desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But now I resist, lest anyone should think of me above that which he sees me to be or hears from me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 I asked the Lord three times that this thing might depart from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul gave us a personal experience he had. God allowed a him to go through a very difficult time and told Him “I will not remove this situation, you will find my strength through it”.
When we are focusing on Christ and pleasing Him, we have supernatural strength, when we focus and ourselves and our problems we have compounded weakness that can do nothing. This mindset changed Paul’s perspective, now he takes pleasure in the hardness of life because he knows God is using it for His glory!
