Together with kindness and in understanding, let’s take this time to self reflect. I am here to inspire, encourage, and remind you that God has given us the most important weapon we have to fight the enemy, His Word.

Now let’s dress our soul like we dress our bodies, EVERYDAY!

And Then There Were Four

“Look!” He answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the mist of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the son of God.” Daniel 3 :25 NKJV

In the summer of 605 B.C., Daniel,  Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken from their homes, families, culture, way of life, and thrusted into a Babylonian world. Stripping them of everything, they were given new names. But in due time, the king and his people would know there is a God in Babylon.

As we rewind back to the beginning of book of Daniel, we see Nebuchadnezzar’s chief official, entering Jerusalem, and taking the young men captive. The Babylonians were looking for certain qualifications in areas like- without physical defect, handsome, learns quickly, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. These four guys weren’t just better than the rest, they were ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters” in ALL of Babylonia!

King Nebuchadnezzar recognized that they were the cream of the crop. So, he took them under his wing, giving them food and drink from his own table. Even though he offered, they did not accept it. They were trained in the ways of the Babylonians. Eventually they were appointed as administrators over the province of Babylon. Keep in mind that there were all kinds of ideas being put into the king’s head, as he was reminded that those Hebrew boys did not serve his gods or worship the golden image that he has set up.

Full of furious rage, he commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him. He wanted to see where their loyalties lie. His bottom line was simply this, when you hear the music, fall down and worship the image that I have made. However, if you do not, you all will be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

For these three guys, their actions came down to faith in the one true God. Imagine it, everyone looking and waiting for them to bow down. Can you hear the whispers, and mummering of the crowd and kings court alike?  And how about that sour look on the kings face, that said, “well, I am waiting.”

They responded to the king like this, “ O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

In my mind I see an embarrassed and now furious king who would not be made a fool of, as he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual.  He ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind them and cast them in. Even the king’s soldiers were killed because it was so hot. And they fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O King.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

Nebuchadnezzar recognized the supernatural miracle before him. He calls them out of the furnace, he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God.”  Not a hair on their heads were singed, and no smell of fire on their clothing.  He went on to say, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trust in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”

Trials in this life are unavoidable friends. This passage of scripture is meant to stir up our heart, giving us the assurance, that we can come through those obstacles and challenges.  Just like God was with them in a strange Land, he is indeed with us in the hot furnaces of our lives too. Here are three take aways from the three Hebrew boys: One, their confidence in the God,  Second, their acknowledgement of God over the world’s most powerful king resulted in God’s supreme power being revealed to unbelievers Thirdly, their faith demonstrates that God will deliver, giving victory to his children.

Remember friends, we are each other’s keeper and the only time we should be looking down on someone is when we are helping them up.