We seem to believe all things can be explained by logic; that our reasoning powers are capable of deducing what can be believed and what is utter, uneducated foolishness. What is rational is tolerated, but if it cannot stand the test of logic it is not considered, nor does it exist. And something else I've learned, God does NOT reason the way we do. Shocker, isn't it? Not only that, He doesn't do things like we do either. He's always doing things we, or science, can't explain. I love it! Case in point--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
In the province of Babylon on the plain of Dura, King Nebuchadnezzar erected a gold image ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He then summoned all the provincial officials to its' dedication. At the sound of the music, from the many instruments present, they were all to bow down and worship this golden spectacle. The cost of non participation was being unceremoniously thrown into a very hot, fiery furnace. And of course, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood their ground. Not a muscle moved. And, as you might expect, they were summoned before the King. Up until this point, these three had been favored by Nebuchadnezzar, but this public humiliation put him in a rather bad mood. Then, on being given a second chance, these men responded without hesitation. "Oh, 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." WOW! Now what was a bad mood turned to absolute rage. How dare these sniveling Jewish delinquents talk to him this way! The order to increase the heat of the furnace by seven was immediately given.
At this point, the idea to maybe do a little negotiating would seem the reasonable thing to do. And logic would say, "if I refuse to bow down to this ridiculous idol which doesn't mean anything anyway, and I die for it, I'll lose all my effectiveness. After all, God put me here as a witness for Him. How can I do that, if I die?" They had decided ere this that their highest calling was to serve a God like no other, who reigned within, and not made with human hands. He had stood beside them up until now, and they were not about to let God down. As they were being cast into the heaving furnace, the chosen men, because of their strength, withered and died before the all engulfing heat of the flames. Implicit trust in the God of the universe put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire, and it wasn't until they were in the midst of the blaze that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was revealed, just standing there talking to His boys. The ropes that bound them dropped off in the blaze, but these boys never even broke a sweat. Now Nebuchadnezzar's face looked quite different than before. A look of utter disbelief halted his rage, for what he was seeing was not possible, but it was, just the same. There were now four indeviduals in the midst of the fire, not three. In submitting to the fire, Christ is revealed. This story is not about the faithfulness of three men to God. It is however about the faithfulness of God to us. He awaits the few who are willing to be cast into the fire of affliction in order for Him to reveal Himself. The one who makes possible the impossible; the one who tosses logic aside for your and my saving intervention. To win the hearts of those who do not believe, the fire you see, becomes a privilege.
Daniel 3
Copyright 4/22/2014
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