Challenged by John Harper
September 15, 2024
Menu
It’s August 25, the last Sunday of this summer.
Summer’s been hot! Many of us are looking forward to the first morning when we step outside and smell it — you know what I mean — when we smell the first hint of fall in the air! It disappears as quickly as it arrives, but we know it when the scent passes by.
Life gets hot, as well.
Circumstances can really heat up, can’t they? Life is difficult for everyone, but sometimes our circumstances heat up seven times what is normal. A medical emergency occurs, an accident happens, a loved one passes, or a job is lost. We know when we are in such an extreme season when our kids do things like set up a Go Fund Me account, friends mail us grocery gift cards , and meals get delivered to our front doors.
Things heated up in the book of Daniel during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king ordered all people in Babylon to bow down to a statue of him. For those that didn’t bow, the heat would come. Literally. The king said, “…whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.” (Daniel 3:6)
Three Jewish men refused.
Three devout Jewish men kept up their daily practice of praying to God three times a day. A group of astrologers tattled. They told the king about the three men — Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. (Daniel 3:8-12) When the king confronted the “brave three,” they didn’t apologize! Nor did they promise to change their ways. Instead, they boldly said to the king what I hope I would say in their situation:
..“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
[Oh, Lord, make me this strong.]
The king was enraged by their bold refusal to not worship him and continue to openly worship God instead.
The king fired up the furnace seven times its usual temperature!
The three men were bound up while fully clothed and carried to the furnace. Those who threw the three men into the furnace were incinerated at the furnace door! (Daniel 3:21-22)
The three men had some company in the heat.
But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” (Daniel 3:24-25)
The three men were summoned out of the fire.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! (Daniel 3:26-27)
How does this apply to us?
The furnace has been turned up in my family many times its normal since February of 2023. A family member was in and out of the hospital until receiving an organ transplant several months ago. The last hospitalization lasted the entire spring of 2024. Every day during that time I taught class then went to the hospital until after dark. I continued my day job from my laptop sitting next to a hospital bed and prepared my loved one for bed every night before I left to drive home. As if that wasn’t enough, I fell and broke my wrist one morning and required surgery. (I am now one steel plate and ten screws heavier.)
But did Jesus show up with me in the fire? Yes.
Though my entire family suffered, I will only speak for myself here. At the end of the semester, I could say Jesus saw me through. The prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread” was answered every day. When spring classes ended, I held notes of thanks in my hands written by students telling me how meaningful the semester had been. What?!? This was made possible when I could barely think, stay awake or focus?
I held the miracles.
Those notes were bona fide miracles in my hands. I knew what my semester had been like. I knew how weak I was. I knew how many times I had gotten up in the morning and asked God to breathe for me. Some days that is all I prayed before standing up to face the day.
Here’s what is still happening…
Not a hair on my head has been singed, my clothes are not scorched, and I still don’t smell like smoke! I know this because I invited Jesus into the flames with me and He says this is the result. This is the miracle that happens whenever Jesus – the fourth person who “looks like a god” – is in the flames with us.
I am watching my friend Margee in the seven-times-hotter furnace right now. She just completed round 37 of chemo and she does not smell like smoke. I am watching Amber suffer from a largely unknown medical condition, and not a hair on her beautiful head is singed. My friend Pam would most likely say the day of her spouse’s unexpected death felt like being thrown into an extra hot furnace fully clothed and bound. Yet today, her clothes are not even scorched. She invited Jesus into the flames and her 21- day devotion on grief is now available HERE.
All of us can truly live this miracle. The same promise appears in Isaiah as well: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)
In last week’s BLOG we were were Olympic athletes. I guess this week we can call ourselves firefighters!
Don’t be afraid of the flames.
Picture Explanation: We look hot because we are! But we don’t smell like smoke.
Speaking of living a short life with God by your side: If you are interested in participating in a co-ed online One Gritty Blink Bible study this fall, click on the Oaks Ministries link below and send me an email so I can place you on a list to be contacted as online and face-to-face studies are planned. Let’s not just focus on things in this short life, but also what counts for eternity.
Note: No part of my posts are derived from A.I. Thoughts and writing stem from my mind and heart as I process life week-by-week and continue to grow in my understanding of God and how to apply His wisdom to the world around me.
© 2024 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.
In case you want to read the entire story:
Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue
1King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statuea sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,b and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.
3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded: 5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music,c you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”
7Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused
8At this time some astrologersd came forward and maliciously accused the Jews, 9saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever! 10You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue, 11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 12But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
13Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up? 15Now, if you are ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the statue I have made. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17If the God whom we serve exists, then He is ablee to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. 18But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
The Fiery Furnace
19At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, 20and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace.
21So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
22The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
24Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?”
“Certainly, O king,” they replied.
25“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!f”
26Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, 27and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angelg and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.”
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6
12 Responses
Excellent illustrations of what it means to go through the fire and take Jesus with you. Appreciate the thought that goes into each of your posts, and how practical they all are. Great job – again – as always!
Thank you. Jesus will see us through. He is the only way through.
I totally agree, Steve!
You are a testimony to me on how to cling to Christ through difficult times. Thank you.
Oh, friend, I am clinging hard today. Only He can get us through.
Oh, Laurie…..I just read this passage in Daniel this morning less than 30 minutes ago! As I read through your devotional I identified when you said, “God breathed for me”. Yes,
and then I saw my name……oh, my friend….We have both seen and experienced the fire and known the “fourth one in the fire” with us. Thank you….God is so faithful…..remembering our first meeting, 6 years ago, with you and John and the tender presence you both offered.
Quick update, Alicia is in seminary, working on an M. Div to become a hospital chaplain. Only God… love and prayers to you today.
So glad to hear from you, and so affirmed that this was to publish today. So cool that you just read it! Praise to the fourth one in the fire! We love Him so!
Beautiful post. He is more than able to see us through difficult circumstances.
And you know the flames well too. Oh, sister. This is real life!
This story never gets old! Thank you for retelling it. A national law demanding people made in the image of God give allegiance to a huge man-made image of man. Impressive as it was, and powerful as the threat was, three men showed undying faith in the one true God and profound sacrificial obedience to Him. They both expected miraculous provision, yet were willing to die for their faith. God, can such faith be found in America today?! In a burning fire 🔥 🔥these bound men walk, unbound, not singed, and walk out without even a smell of smoke because God Himself walked in the fire with them, . . . just like He does with us! And a pagan king worshipped God. So incredible, this God of ours!! … Thanks for always remembering your friends in the fire as well, Laurie, even when your furnace turns up 7X.
We all have our times in the furnace. And we can all live the miracle. Absolutely amazing.
Such a great post and I loved the comments!