There are times when we will have to walk through that dark lonesome valley with the shadow of death lurking over our shoulder, but we who know the Lord never have to fear for the Lord Himself will help us and comfort us throughout that journey. We believers in Christ Jesus even have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to help us and direct our steps.
Sometimes the trials that we face in life make us feel like we have been thrown into a blazing furnace of fire. We may feel overwhelmed and hurt. We may feel pressured and stressed to the max and we wonder if we will survive. It reminds me of what happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they did not bow down to the king's idol. We can read of that account in Daniel Chapter 3 which says,
"1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,
5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;
6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;
11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.
18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.
27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:1-30 NKJV)
Nebuchadnezzar set up this huge image of gold and he wanted everyone to bow down and worship it when several musical instruments were played. Then some people told the king that three men did not obey the orders and they were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
The king even gave the men another chance to bow down to the image, but they refused to bow down to a false god. They served the true Living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They had faith that the Lord would deliver them from the blazing fire in the furnace. The king was so mad that he made the furnace much hotter than usual. It was so hot that the soldiers that took the men to the furnace died.
The three men were tossed into the flames of the furnace bound. Once they were in there the king noticed that there were four men walking around inside the furnace and all we untied. The fourth was like the son of the gods as the king described him. The men came out of the furnace unhurt. They made it through the flames.
We can learn something from this as believers in Jesus Christ we to will face fiery trials, but we can know that Jesus will be with us in that furnace and if we are trusting in Him we can know that He will bring us through. He will rescue us from our hardship in a few ways. Sometimes He takes the problem away. Sometimes He leads us through it and we learn to draw nearer to Him. There will be times when He will take us home to Heaven to be with Him for all eternity. That will happen to each one of us that have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior one day.
When we are facing difficult times and we know we will may we continue to trust the Lord Jesus Christ and keep our focus on Him no matter how hot the furnace may get. The Lord is Mighty and He will go with us through any adversity that we may encounter.
Lord,
We praise Your Holy Name.
Help us to look to You Lord Jesus when we feel like we are in a furnace during a trial.
Empower us through Your Holy Spirit to endure and persevere with our eyes upon You O Lord.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.
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