Daniel 3:12-14 “There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not rewarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?”
Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king. O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Daniel 3:28 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.”
The choice was clear for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were either to bow to the king or bow to the Lord. The result of the former would likely be a pardon, and the result of the latter would cause them to face the full wrath of a powerful and ruthless monarch. In all his rage and fury, the king made clear this stark choice to these young men. Their response was convicting and powerful!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not careful to answer the king. While they fully understood the consequences, they also fully understood the primacy of subservience to the Lord. Emboldened by faith, they told the king that they expected God to deliver them. Yet, they also realized that God may have other plans that would lead to their demise.
Even then – maybe especially then – these young faithful men stood strong against the ungodly dictates of their dictator. It was this step of faith through trusting obedience that punctuated their godly stand. As a result, their God was able to demonstrate His power to a Babylonian people who otherwise were awed by earthly power.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO DEMONSTRATE A SPIRIT OF TRUSTING OBEDIENCE IN OUR LIVES. We should not be careful in living for the glory and honor of God. We should be committed to doing so, because we trust Him with the outcome. Even when the odds are against us, we must stand strong in the spirit embodied by these young men by saying with our words and with our actions – But If Not we will remain faithful!
