Monday, June 08, 2009

The Fiery Furnace

Could the story of the "The Image of God and the Fiery Furnace" be as much about how we feel emotionally when we are pressured to submit as it is in description physically.

The story shows how when we hold to our beliefs, God will be their to protect us, it is worth staying the course, not letting go to other people's pressure, no matter how tough it is for us. Think about his, if you are like me, I have given in more times than I can remember, I was afraid of the fiery furnace, and suffered for it, living a tortured life. Holding to what I believe is much easier for me now. Firstly, because I believe in God's word, and I would rather be wrong with man than with God. Secondly, I cannot ever go back to a daily feeling of being tortured in the fiery furnace, whatever is being pressured upon me now, is nothing to the hell I will live not just now, but after death if I ever give up my beliefs again.

So, the moral of the story of Daniel 3:16 is trust God to protect you, live your beliefs or suffer a personal hell now and later too, there is no rescuing you.

"The Image of God and the Fiery Furnace"
Da 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Da 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Da 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."

Da 3:25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

Da 3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

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