{day 021 project365 2016… in the fiery furnace}

i imagine that this might have
been a very fractional part
of what it looked like for
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
(aka Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego)
to walk into the fiery furnace
they were scared but they trusted
God over their fear… you can
read part of the story below

their faith and trust in God to
obey Him over their fears is
inspiring and makes me so thankful
for their example and directs me
to obey God over my greatest fears

Daniel 3:8-26 (The Message)
Just then, some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up and accused the
Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! You gave
strict orders, O king, that when the big band started playing,
everyone had to fall to their knees and worship the gold statue, and
whoever did not go to their knees and worship it had to be pitched
into a roaring furnace. Well, there are some Jews here—Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have placed in high positions in the
province of Babylon. These men are ignoring you, O king. They don’t
respect your gods and they won’t worship the gold statue you set up.”

Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
to be brought in. When the men were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar asked,
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect
my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up? I’m
giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes
up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If
you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no
questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your
threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we
serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you
might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a
bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or
worship the gold statue you set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut off Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than
usual. He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands
and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace. Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe,
were pitched into the roaring fire. Because the king was in such a
hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the
men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it, while the fire
raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, “Didn’t we
throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?”

“That’s right, O king,” they said.

“But look!” he said. “I see four men, walking around freely in the
fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of
the gods!”

Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in,
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out
here!”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.