Shadrach, Meshach, And Abednego: Breaking The King's Law

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image. They were first mentioned in Daniel 1, where they, alongside Daniel, were brought to Babylon to study the Chaldean language and literature with a view to serving at the King's court. Their Hebrew names, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were replaced with Chaldean or Babylonian names – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The three men were appointed to high office in Babylon but refused to worship the golden statue the king had set up, stating that they would only worship their God. This refusal resulted in them being thrown into a furnace, from which they emerged unscathed, protected by God, who sent an angel to save them.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the king's image

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image. They were first mentioned in Daniel 1, where they were brought to Babylon alongside Daniel to study the Chaldean language and literature with a view to serving at the King's court. Their Hebrew names, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were replaced with Chaldean or Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, respectively.

King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image in the plain of Dura and commanded that all his officials bow before it. Anyone who failed to do so would be thrown into a blazing furnace. Certain officials informed the king that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were refusing to worship the golden statue. When confronted by the king, they boldly declared:

> "If the God 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 3:17-18)

Enraged by their defiance, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and had the three men thrown into it. However, God miraculously protected them, and they emerged unscathed. Observers, including the king, saw four figures walking unharmed in the flames, with the fourth appearing like "a son of God" (Daniel 3:25). Recognizing the divine intervention, Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the furnace and promoted them to high office, decreeing that anyone who spoke against their God should be torn limb from limb.

The account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a testament to God's power and faithfulness to those who remain steadfast in their devotion to Him. It highlights the sovereignty of God over earthly powers and His ability to deliver His faithful servants from seemingly impossible situations. Their refusal to compromise their faith, even in the face of death, serves as a powerful example of obedience and trust in God's ultimate plan.

They were thrown into a fiery furnace

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon, for refusing to bow to the king's image. The three Jewish men were friends of Daniel and fellow Hebrew captives taken to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, who served as chief governor over Babylon, put his three comrades in positions of high importance.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego unfolds in Daniel 3:8–30. King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden image built as a symbol of his power and glory. He commanded his people to bow down and worship this image whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald. Those who disobeyed the order would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, however, worshipped only the One True God and refused to bow down to the false idol. They were brought before Nebuchadnezzar, where they courageously informed the king that God would be with them. Nebuchadnezzar, furious, ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than average. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were then bound and cast into the flames. The fire was so hot that it killed the soldiers who had escorted them.

But as they peered into the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar and his men marvelled at what they saw: four men walking in the midst of the fire, unbound and unharmed. The king called the men to come out of the furnace, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged unscathed, with not even a hair on their heads singed or the smell of smoke on their clothing.

This miraculous event made quite an impression on Nebuchadnezzar. He declared:

> "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted 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." (Daniel 3:28, ESV)

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a powerful testament to their unwavering faith in God. Their response to the king's decree revealed their unswerving conviction in the God of the Bible and their confidence in God's power to deliver them from evil. Their faith demonstrates that God is able to save us from our problems and trials, even if He does not always do so.

They were preserved from harm

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image. They were preserved from harm, as the king saw four men walking in the flames, with the fourth appearing like "a son of God".

The three men were originally known by their Hebrew names: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. However, upon their arrival in Babylon, they were given new names—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—as part of an effort to integrate them into Babylonian culture and religion. Despite the change in names, they remained faithful to the God of Israel.

When King Nebuchadnezzar constructed a massive golden statue and commanded all his subjects to bow down and worship it, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the idol, demonstrating their allegiance to God alone. They boldly declared: "If the God 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."

Enraged by their defiance, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and had the three men thrown into it. However, God miraculously protected them, and they were preserved from harm. Observers, including the king, saw four figures walking unharmed in the flames, with the fourth appearing like "a son of the gods". Recognizing the divine intervention, Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the furnace, and they emerged unscathed, without even the smell of fire on them.

The deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had a profound impact on Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. The king acknowledged the power of their God and promoted the three men to high office, decreeing that anyone who spoke against their God should be torn limb from limb.

Their account has been a source of inspiration for countless believers, exemplifying the virtues of faith, courage, and the assurance of God's protection. It underscores the sovereignty of God over earthly powers and His ability to deliver His faithful servants from seemingly impossible situations.

The king saw four figures walking in the flames

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image. They were first mentioned in Daniel 1, where they were brought to Babylon to study the Chaldean language and literature with a view to serving at the King's court. Their Hebrew names were replaced with Chaldean or Babylonian names: Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael became Meshach, and Azariah became Abednego.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is recorded in the third chapter of the biblical Book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image in the plain of Dura and commanded that all his officials bow before it. Those who failed to do so would be thrown into a blazing furnace. Certain officials informed the king that the three Jewish youths, now known by their Babylonian names, were refusing to worship the golden statue. The three were brought before Nebuchadnezzar, where they informed the king that God would be with them.

The king commanded that they be thrown into the fiery furnace, heated seven times hotter than normal. However, when the king looked, he saw four figures walking unharmed in the flames, the fourth "like a son of God," meaning a divine being. Seeing this, Nebuchadnezzar brought the youths out of the flames, and the fire had not had any effect on their bodies. Their hair was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and there was no smell of fire on them.

The king then promoted them to high office, decreeing that anyone who spoke against God should be torn limb from limb. The account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a testament to God's power and faithfulness to those who remain steadfast in their devotion to Him. It underscores the sovereignty of God over earthly powers and His ability to deliver His faithful servants from seemingly impossible situations.

The king promoted them to high office

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar II for refusing to bow to his image. They were first introduced in the biblical Book of Daniel, where they are brought to Babylon alongside Daniel to study the Chaldean language and literature, with the intention of serving at the King's court. Their Hebrew names—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—were replaced with Chaldean or Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

In the narrative, King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image in the plain of Dura and commanded that all his officials bow before it. Those who failed to do so would be thrown into a blazing furnace. When the king learned that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were refusing to worship the golden statue, he had them brought before him. Despite the king's threats, they stood firm in their faith and told the king that their God would be with them. Nebuchadnezzar, furious, ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than normal and had the three men thrown into it.

However, when the king looked into the fire, he saw four men walking around in the furnace unharmed—Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the Son of God. Realizing that their God had indeed saved them, Nebuchadnezzar brought the young men out of the flames. He then promoted them to high office in Babylon and decreed that the God of Israel be worshipped.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a powerful testament to their unwavering faith and courage in the face of adversity. Their promotion to high office by King Nebuchadnezzar serves as a recognition of their bravery and steadfast commitment to their beliefs. It also highlights the king's realization of the power of their God and his willingness to acknowledge and honour that power.

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