Daniel 3:19 Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual.
The Lord is aware of the details of the temperature, type and turbulence that we are in. The three Hebrew captives in Babylon Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had built. King Nebuchadnezzar who ruled Babylon between 605-562 BC was a proud and pompous King and was the one who destroyed the temple of Solomon and took the wise, intelligent, strong fighting men, craftsmen and artisan as captives to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was merciless to the captives. He stripped them naked, bound them in chains and dragged them to Babylon. By his command the exiles on their way to Babylon were not allowed to stop until they reached the boundary-line of Babylon even for a moment, as the king feared that they would pray during the respite and their God would be willing to help them as soon as they repented. After enduring the tyranny of this furious king, the three Hebrew lads had the courage to stand against the orders of the king and refused to bow and worship his golden image.
God permitted these young men to be summoned, questioned, accused, bound and to be thrown into the furnace but He did not allow them to burn in fire. They were unharmed, unhurt and unbound in the furnace. God was in the every detail of the furnace trail and trial. He leads us to the furnace to exhibit His potent and power.
Three reason why God allows a fiery furnace experience:
1. Fire: God permits us to go through the fire to refine us. It is in the furnace of unlawful accusation, illicit blame or illegitimate allegation at work or among friends or family that God purifies us. We would fast, cry and lament for God to stop furnace experience but it would appear that He has ignored our prayers. It was not Nebuchadnezzar who controlled the temperature but the Lord Himself. The fire that consumed the soldiers, welcomed the Hebrew boys and turned into a cooler. It was in the furnace that they met their Saviour. Fiery furnace will refine us.
2. Fury: The fury of the King could not kill the zeal of the Hebrew boys. This was the same king who massacred their friends and family and mutilated their bodies. The threat of torture did not tempt them to renounce their faith. Heart aches, disownment, dejections or rejections are the fury that will be aimed at us when we stand for the truth but these fiery arrows will only set us free from bondages and burdens. God is in the darts of disappointments that we face. The furnace experience will exhibit the power of our God to the world.
3. Ferocity: The king’s rage, fierceness or ferocity sky rocketed when he heard the audacity of their faith and he increased the heat of the furnace by seven time. Daniel 3:17b the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from your Majesty’s hand. However, the anger, hatred and ferocity of the king could not harm the ardent captives. There is no authority, dominion or power above the name of Jesus. Our God is in control of the dangers that we face. The fierceness we face is to make us bold, courageous and audacious in the Lord.
God is in details of the duration of the furnace, the darts of disappointments and the dangers we face.
Daniel 3: 18 But even if He does not, we want you to know, your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, you are with me in the furnace and is in control of the temperature. Refine, mellow and mould me into an honourable vessel as I go through the fire. Amen
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