Fear Not Fiery Furnaces

King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” (Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95)

Now that’s trust and faith!  Into the fiery furnace went the three who were unafraid.  They then walked in the fire unhurt and were accompanied by the son of God.  

What’s missing from this reading is the song sung by the three while walking in the furnace.  For example, they sang: ““Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestors, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever…”  This sung is very long and ends with: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.”  

Do we sing a song like this when we feel like we are in a fiery furnace with white hot flames?  Likely not.  Still, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remind us not to fear even the worst of times.  

False kings and pretenders may want us to fall down and worship them (or vote for them).  They expect us to hear the sounds of their social media trumpets, flutes, lyres, harps, psalteries, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, and then follow them like the children succumbing to the Pied Piper of Hamelin.  Rather, we must step into fiery furnaces of protest and resistance and walk unhurt in the flames with our Son of God.

Deacon David Pierce