How quickly people forget! Only the
chapter before King Nebuchadnezzar had been declaring that the god of the Jews
was the God of gods and the Lord of Kings. And yet here we see him setting
himself up as someone to be worshipped. It’s so easy for people who have seen
and experienced the power of God to let their pride and their egos get the
better of them, and set themselves up in opposition to God. As Christians we
can be tempted to do the same. Despite knowing God, and having experienced him,
we can find ourselves giving our worship to others, whether that be celebrities,
work, sex, or any number of things. The challenge from the passage is whether
we will follow Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three choose to stay true
to the God they serve. And when the King asks them “what God will be able to
rescue you from my hand?” (vs 15 NIV), they have utter confidence. They know
that the God they serve is able to save them from the furnace, from seemingly
certain death. Do we have that confidence in the face of adversity? Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego then go further. Regardless of whether they are rescued
from the fire or not, they know that the God they love is the only true god,
and they will remain loyal to him. To them, behaving differently would be
nonsense.
It’s at this point that we see
God’s power so magnificently at work. The flames are made hotter, and yet these
men of God remain unharmed. The promise of Isaiah 43:2-3 is wonderfully
fulfilled – ‘When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames
will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel,
your Saviour. God promises to be with us when things are tough. Will we welcome
his presence with us at these times? And will we, like Nebuchadnezzar finally
does, recognise the Most High God and give him praise?
(member of the congregation)