It Sure is Hot in Here
In 1949, after being re-elected for a second term as President, Harry S. Truman told his staff not to pay attention to the criticism over their appointments. When pressed by his staff, Truman said – “I’ll stand by you, but if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
Does your loyalty to God depend upon your circumstances or do you remain faithful (loyal) even when the heat is on?
In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we find a story (Chapter 3) of three young Jews who remained faithful to God even when the heat really got turned up, literally! The story begins when the king issues a decree that everyone must bow down and worship a gold statue made in his image or be thrown into a fiery furnace. When the three men refused to obey the king’s decree, he was furious and summoned them, giving them two choices, either bow down to the gold statue or be thrown into a blazing furnace.
They refused to worship the statue, and here is what we read, verses 16-20 – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “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. Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
About now, Shad, Mesh, and Benny were probably wondering where God was as they were bound and thrown into the fiery furnace (v.21). This fire was so hot that several of the king’s soldiers were killed by the flames as they put the three men into the furnace (vv.22-23). After some time, King Nebby had his advisors check on the status of the three men, no doubt convinced that they were cooked to “well done” by then. But guess what, the three men were seen walking around in the fiery furnace, unbound and unharmed. Plus, a fourth man (vv.24-25) was in there with them! Say what? How did he get in there?
How does the story end? Not only were the three young men rescued by their God (vv.26-27), and promoted by the king (v.30), but an entire province was instructed to have faith in this God.
Just who was that fourth person? King Nebby described him as “a son of the gods,” an amazing insight from a once pagan king. Remarkably, he then goes on to proclaim what we know today: Jesus is the Son of God (vv.28-29). He is Immanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23).
How do we know King Nebby had a change of heart and began to worship God? In the very next chapter, he confessed his sins to God and professes this – At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation (4:34).
If you get nothing else out of today’s writing, I want you to at least hear these six words, found in v.18… “But even if he does not.” Scripture might not contain more heroic words than those.
So, right now, I ask you, and I ask me – Do you have the unwavering “I know God can but even if He doesn’t” kind of faith? Are you still faithful even when the heat is on?
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