Fiery Furnace
331
not have. They had been faithful in the performance of every duty.
He would give them another trial. If only they would signify their
willingness to unite with the multitude in worshiping the image, all
would be well with them; “but if ye worship not,” he added, “ye shall
be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” Then
with his hand stretched upward in defiance, he demanded, “Who is
that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”
In vain were the king’s threats. He could not turn the men from
[508]
their allegiance to the Ruler of the universe. From the history of their
fathers they had learned that disobedience to God results in dishonor,
disaster, and death; and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom, the foundation of all true prosperity. Calmly facing the
furnace, they said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer
thee in this matter. If it be so [if this is your decision], our God whom
we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He
will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” Their faith strengthened as
they declared that God would be glorified by delivering them, and with
triumphant assurance born of implicit trust in God, they added, “But
if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
The king’s wrath knew no bounds. “Full of fury,” “the form of
his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,”
representatives of a despised and captive race. Directing that the
furnace be heated seven times hotter than its wont, he commanded
the mighty men of his army to bind the worshipers of Israel’s God,
preparatory to summary execution.
“Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their
hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment
was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew
those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.”
But the Lord did not forget His own. As His witnesses were cast
into the furnace, the Saviour revealed Himself to them in person, and
[509]
together they walked in the midst of the fire. In the presence of the
Lord of heat and cold, the flames lost their power to consume.
From his royal seat the king looked on, expecting to see the men
who had defied him utterly destroyed. But his feelings of triumph
suddenly changed. The nobles standing near saw his face grow pale as