The Fiery Furnace

“And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.” – Daniel 3:23-25

King Nebuchadnezzer tells us right off the bat who the fourth person was. It was Jesus Christ, son of God. He was literally with them in their worst trial. We don’t know if Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew Jesus was with them in their fiery ordeal. Isn’t that just like us sometimes? There are times we are fully aware of Jesus’ presence in our lives and trials, and sometimes it feels like He’s not there, but He IS nonetheless.

Charles Spurgeon observed that God’s people are often in the furnace and though there are different kinds of furnaces they serve similar purposes in our life. There is the furnace that men prepare, that Satan prepares and that God prepares. God can deliver us FROM a trial or he can miraculously sustain and strengthen us IN a trial. King Nebuchadnezzer also observed that the four men were free in the fire. The fire only burnt the ropes that bound them.

Verses 26-27

“Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.”

Before they are out of the furnace the king recognizes that they serve the Most High God. The fire also had no harmed them and had no power over them because of Christ. John 16:33 says, “In the world you will face trials of many kinds, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” This miracle turned the king’s life around. The testimony was amazing to him as he saw God work in the lives of these men who believed in Christ, it impacted him.

Imagine the impact our own trials can have on the people in our lives. For a long time as our family was going through our own fiery furnace, we didn’t talk about anything, or share about what we were going through. But within the last two years God started to do so much that we couldn’t help but share Christ coming through for us in the mist of our trials. Which is what I use this blog for.

I’m here to share with you what God is doing in and through me so that maybe it will encourage you. James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it joy when you face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” If we never go through the fire, we would have no reason to have faith in what Christ is able and capable to do and we miss out on the astounding miracles. 

If you are in your own fiery furnace right now, know that Jesus is right beside you and you will survive because HE has overcome and so will you!