Finding God in the Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Every person can grow in their understanding of God by seeing the characteristics mentioned in this passage.

Introduction:

Have you ever watched a father as he held his baby for the first time? Many times that new dad will hold that child with a great deal of gentleness and care. He will make sure that he has a good hold on that baby, so if that child would make a sudden move he would be able to catch it.

As that little baby grows they learn to do more and more things. They will learn to walk and that father might be right behind that child, so that when it is taking its first steps he can be there to catch him or her if they would happen to fall. He is not far away he is being very attentive and ready to save the child. That child may not even be aware of their father’s presence.

Some day that child will likely learn to ride a bike. That same father will show the same care and concern as before. Even though every emotion in that father wants to pull that child close, he allows them to freedom to grow and explore. Once again he will be very close to the child, but the child might not be aware of that father’s care or his presence.

I see that side of God in this passage. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are three of God’s children. They are venturing into some new territory for them, but God is right near them, ready to steady them if something bad were to happen. We can see this in the characteristics of God demonstrated in this passage.

Characteristic I. God is jealous

A. At the beginning of this passage the king looks to be really full of himself. He decides to have this giant statue made and wants everyone to bow down and worship the statue at designated times. Probably if it had just been a statue of the king there would have been no problem. However, it became a problem for worshippers of God when they were required to bow down and worship this image. This was a problem because this would be idol worship, which is one of the Ten Commandments. In the first two commandments God states, “you shall have no other gods before me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol.” By bowing down and worshipping the statue that the king had created, they would be breaking two foundational commandments.

B. Jealousy is an interesting concept. It is a character trait used to describe God, while at the same time it is something that is discouraged in people. With people jealousy is aroused when someone does not get his or her own way. With God jealousy is about protecting his people and seeking what is best for them. When God is jealous he is protecting his people. In this case he is a jealous God because people are heading in a wrong direction. When people start to worship idols or false gods they are following nothing. They are being drawn farther from God. It is not good for people to do this, and God is protecting them.

C. Idol worship and worship of false gods is an exercise in futility. So we can know that when God gave us the command to not worship other gods and to not worship idols he was protecting us. It is for our own good. It is an amazing thing for me to consider that the same God who created the universe cares about me. He cares about me so much that he is always looking out for my best interest. He knows what is best for me and he wants me to have what is best for me.

Characteristic II. God brings order

A. I told you last week that we are to submit to those in authority over us, even if we don’t like those who are in that position. We also need to do it if we don’t agree with them, or if they appear to have evil motives. Here is a great example of that. The three Jewish men are asked to break two of the commandments by someone who is in authority over them. The question then arises, how do they recognize reconcile these two items. Someone could look at this passage and say they did not submit to the authority that was over them. I would say, yes they did submit. In v. 16 "O 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 save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

B. They don’t want to break God’s command, which was more important than breaking the king’s command. The submission of these men comes into play as they accept the consequences of their decision. They did not want to disobey God, so they willing accepted what the king said would happen to them. Just because they were submitting to the authority that had been placed over them did not mean they would come out of this smelling like a rose. On the contrary they were forced to suffer the consequences of their obedience to God.

C. I think that many times we have decided that if we obey God’s laws, such as submitting to authority everything will go smoothly. I can tell by the statement of these men that they did not know what the outcome would be. God might deliver them, or they might die. Either way they were going to be known as men who obeyed their God. I would say that many people make their decision on what will be the best outcome for them. In this situation they might bow down to the statue just to avoid trouble, but not really mean it. The decision of these men was to honor God even if the outcome was not favorable toward them. We see from the outcome that God has established the order in the world for a purpose.

Characteristic III. God is caring

A. The three Jewish men are given more chances to honor the king and obey his command, but they repeatedly refuse to disobey God. In v. 19 we are told that the king’s attitude toward them had changed. He was really mad at these guys. He has some of his strongest soldiers tie them up. He was mad so he had strong soldiers tie them. He also had the furnace heated seven times hotter. It was so hot that it killed some who put the men in the furnace. He was really angry at the disobedience of these three men. When they come out of this furnace that had killed some of the soldiers the men are unharmed. “They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.” These men did not even show evidence of being in a fire. God had protected them.

B. It might look as if God had abandoned these men. He did not. He was watching over them through this whole ordeal. He did not stop caring for them. God was very aware of their faithfulness. He was aware of the danger they were being faced with. He was aware that the king’s attitude toward them had changed. He knew all of this. God continued to care for these men even though it looks like they were left all alone. God demonstrated this same care for David when he went out to face Goliath. The odds were against David, but God was on his side. David was faithful and God was with him. In the book of Acts God delivers Peter from death as he is sitting in a prison cell. In the middle of the night Peter is escorted past guards and out of the prison. It was an experience that Peter described as dream like. God cared for Peter.

C. All of these men are in situations where they are faced with life and death consequences. Each one of them sees their faith in God as more important than their own life. In each of these scenarios we see God caring for these men before someone has the chance to take their life. We have people in the world today who are in almost identical situations. Their lives are being threatened on a daily basis. They choose God over the threats of men. We need to be willing to do the same, knowing that there is not a situation we will be faced with that God will not take it through it.

Characteristic IV. God honors faithfulness

A. It seems that as quickly as the king’s attitude changed about the three Jewish men it changes back. The king reverses everything he had done. He takes the focus off from him and he places it on the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He praises God and he commands worship of God rather than worship of the statue he had constructed. He even lays down punishments for those who disagree with God. We see the king make a complete turnaround. He then even goes farther and he promotes these men. They became more important than they had been.

B. These men were faithful to God even when it was not a popular decision. It looked like they might get into big trouble by being faithful. When they were thrown into the furnace God protected them. When they came out without an evidence of harm, the king honored them and made a huge step closer to God. In addition the men were promoted. God honored the faithfulness of these men. They were allowed to see some amazing miracles in their life. They got the chance to see God change a stubborn king. I believe that a lot of this came as a result of the faithfulness of these men. God honored their faithfulness.

C. Ask yourself the question, when is it hardest for you to remain faithful to God? Maybe it is during times when people are threatening you. Maybe it comes at times when other challenges come into your life. I get very defensive when people threaten those who are closest to me. Our challenge is no matter how difficult our circumstances to not lose sight of God.

Conclusion:

Our God cares for us so very much that it can be hard to grasp the extent of that care. As we consider this, I would challenge you to try to measure in your mind how little God requires of us compared with his great love. He is just like the father I was trying to describe in the beginning. He is never very far from you. He is going to catch you when you lose your balance.