Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Many are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah before Nebuchadnezzar gave them the names for which they are more often referred). In his vanity, King Nebuchadnezzar set up a statue to be worshipped as a show of fealty and required those who were of high station in his kingdom to participate.
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”
Daniel 3:1-6
While most were willing to participate, these three men refused on the grounds that they ultimately owed their worship only to God.
There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
Daniel 3:12
Irrelevant Authority
While the focus of the telling is normally upon the salvation God brings these men from the furnace and subsequent change of heart shown by Nebuchadnezzar when he witnesses this, I would like to spend some time reviewing the exchange prior to them being cast into the fire.
Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:14-18
When confronted with a chance to recant their objection to the golden image, they not only refuse again, but go so far as to state that the attempt was pointless! They had no need even to respond to such a plea, so ridiculous it was that the King would suggest such a thing.
Their faith is certain enough that they are willing to be cast into a fire so hot it would even kill those who were sent to throw them in (verse 22), knowing that he is able to save. Notice the language. First they acknowledge that he is able to save them from the fire. Then they affirm that God will save them from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar in any case.
Just because God is able to save them from the fire does not ensure that it is God’s will to do so. However, they do not fear those who can destroy the body but not the soul (Matthew 10:28). Nebuchadnezzar is not able to do anything more than God allows. Should he succeed in destroying their bodies in the fire, they will be just as free from this man’s authority as if his punishment should fail.
This is why their conclusion is that, “if not”, they still refuse to acknowledge his supposed authority, which has been raised against the God who alone is the source of any actual authority.
Faith is Trust
I have encountered those in the Word of Faith movement who count it faithlessness to acknowledge that our desired outcome may not be God’s plan. However, their “if not” statement destroys that way of thinking.
Notice that it is not less faithful that they acknowledge the possibility that (while God is able) he may sovereignly choose not to save them from the fire. In fact, this is exactly what faith requires! They were trusting God’s plan to be best, regardless of the certain desire of the flesh to avoid the furnace. They knew that ultimately, they owed obedience only to God and that it would be worse for them should they fail in that regard even if it means that they suffer the fires of Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace.
While they were subjected to the fires, in their case they did not suffer as a result of them. However, there was another who would put the divine will before the desire of the flesh when confronted with death and who even suffered that death according to the will of the Father.
Jesus, when confronted with his death, acknowledged that his desire in the flesh was to avoid it (Matthew 26:39) yet being perfect in faithfulness would suffer death for his people as was the divine will. Faith is found in “not my will, but yours, be done”. Not because we are suffering the worst for God but because we trust that even what seems like “the worst” is actually best, knowing that:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
