Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego (Dan. 3) must’ve been awestruck by the LORD’s power in bringing them unharmed through the fiery furnace! I imagine being one of them and going home that night, knowing:
1) That they had put full trust in God. But that in itself was no guarantee that they would escape the flame, was it? So, what's more important, escaping certain death or being so sure of God's grace & power, that you're absolutely resigned to whatever he decides? There's a peace in such trust as we would do well to emulate. Amen?
2) They went also knowing that they were willing to die rather than submit to a false god. They could've justified bowing down for the sake of the kingdom, right? After all, they were witnesses in Babylon! They needed to remain alive. If they just bowed, but didn't really mean it, then they could stay alive another day to continue being a witness for Jehovah! But what kind of witness would they have been? To what kind of God would they be testifying, one that needed their voice MORE than he desired their obedience? "To obey is BETTER than (even) sacrifice" (1 Sam. 15:22), as vital & necessary as was sacrifice!
After it was over, Nebuchadnezzar glowingly praised, "Blessed be the God of Sharach, Meshace, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God" (Dan. 3:28). Amazing commendation, especially from the king who had just furiously attempted destroying them!
3) And they also went home knowing that they had experienced a bone fide miracle, releasing them from the power of the flame! Did they sleep for elation? Could they have done anything but sit around rehearsing God's great deliverance? It was not just that they believed God COULD do it. God in fact DID do it! That’s what’s so amazing.
We talk about God’s power; they did too. But to have experienced it, well, that’s another story! How long might it have been before they were back to normal? Did they not also appreciate the miracle more since they were in a powerful state of faith? To have so trusted God that they were willing to be thrown into the fire, in essence to die right on the spot, they were therefore more prepped to respond glowingly to this unbelievable manifestation of power.
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