Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

Overview

Faithful in the Furnace: The Witness of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, was a man of immense ego. In Daniel 4:30, he boasts of "magnificent Babylon, which I have built…for my glorious majesty." That same pride drove him to erect a golden statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide, demanding that every people, nation, and language fall down and worship it at the sound of music—or be thrown into a blazing furnace Daniel 3:4–6.

Three young Hebrew men refused. Originally named Hananiah ("Jehovah is gracious"), Mishael ("Who is what God is?"), and Azariah ("Jehovah helps"), they had been carried into Babylonian captivity in the first deportation—part of Nebuchadnezzar's strategy to strip Judah of its leaders. Their captors renamed them Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego after Babylonian deities Daniel 1:6–7. But you can change a person's name without changing their heart. When commanded to bow, they answered the king with remarkable clarity: "If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us…let him deliver us. But if not…we will not serve your gods" Daniel 3:16–18. Their confession submits to God's omnipotence and his sovereign will. Whether rescued or not, their loyalty was settled.

The furnace, heated seven times hotter, killed the soldiers who carried them. Yet Nebuchadnezzar looked in and saw four men, unbound, walking unharmed in the flames—"and the fourth has the appearance of a god" Daniel 3:25. Was this a Christophany—a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, like the commander of the Lord's army in Joshua 5:13–15—or an angel, as Nebuchadnezzar himself later says in Daniel 3:28? Faithful Christians have argued both. What is certain is that the three came out without a singed hair, scorched tunic, or even the smell of smoke. God was with them in the fire.

For the baptized child of God, this is more than ancient history—it is your reality. At some point in the flames, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego realized two things: we are alive, and we are not alone. Through the cross of Christ, God has delivered you; in the waters of baptism, he has claimed you, forgiven your sins, and given you eternal life. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for you John 14:1–3 and promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" Hebrews 13:5. Whatever furnace you walk through—grief, fear, persecution, illness—you can stand where these three stood: refusing to bow to lesser gods, trusting the true God whether he delivers now or in eternity, and knowing you are alive forever and never, ever alone.

Transcript

Let's open our Bibles. Please this morning to the great book of Daniel, the third chapter for our study today, Daniel the third chapter. 1s

It was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, interesting dimensions, and it was made of gold. 14s

The one who commissioned this was won by the name King Nebuchadnezzar. He was the ruler of the Neo-Babalonian Empire. 29s

To put it mildly, King Nebuchadnezzar had a ego. He had an ego. 41s

Over in the fourth chapter of Daniel, the verse 30, it relates to time in which Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace. 51s

The scripture says, and the King said, is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty. 60s

Nebuchadnezzar had an ego. He built this huge structure, 90 feet by 9 feet, and it was to be an object of worship. 79s

And this object of worship came with it some very clear instructions. 96s

Look with me, please. At chapter 3, we'll pick up in verse 4. 104s

The Harold Proclamed Loud. You are commanded, O peoples, nations and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, liar, 110s

Trigginharp, drum, and entire musical ensemble. You are to fold down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 120s

Whoever does not fold down and worship shall immediately be thrown into a fire furnace of blazing fire. 134s

Well, that's clear, isn't it? He has this huge statue of gold built. It is an object of worship. 145s

And if people don't bow down and worship it, when the musicians on cue strike up the music, then you would be thrown into the fire, fire, furnace and wood burn. 154s

Not everybody though, took kindly to this call. 172s

Look over with me, please, at verse 12 of chapter 3. King Nebuchadnezzar is told this. 179s

There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon. 188s

Shadrak, Mishak, and Abendigo. They pay no heed to you, O King. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up. 194s

Shadrak, Mishak, and Abendigo. Who are they? 212s

Well, they are part of what we are calling the supporting cast in Scripture. They are major figures, for example, like the prophet Daniel. 220s

But there are others that are those supporting cast, where quite often they appear just for a brief moment, and then oftentimes you never hear of them again. 231s

So who were Shadrak, Mishak, and Abendigo? What's their story all about? 241s

To understand who they were, let's get a running start. So let's get a little background. 254s

Let's go to chapter 1 of Daniel, verse 1. We read there, in the third year of the reign of King Jajahoye Kim of Judah. 260s

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The King had a strategy. He was going to take the Jews from their homeland. 271s

It would be the Babylonian captivity. He would take the Jews from their homeland. He didn't take them all at once. 284s

But in the first deportation, what he aimed at were the leaders, were the royalty. That was for the express purpose, so that the people wouldn't have anyone to rally around. 293s

Included in that group were foremen, look at verse 6 of chapter 1. 308s

Among them were Daniel, Hennenaya, Mishel, and Ezoraya from the tribe of Judah. 316s

Daniel's name means God is my judge. Hennenaya's name, Jehovah is gracious. Mishel, who is what God is? 327s

And Ezoraya, Jehovah, helps us. Very names were a testimony to the greatness of God. 344s

They're part of the strategy then to take the leaders, to take the royalty away. They're really the first ones that are taken away, so the people won't have anyone to rally around. 357s

And also another dimension of the strategy was this brainwashing of them, or at least an attempted brainwashing, and involved a name change. 370s

Look at verse 7, chapter 1. The palace master gave them other names. 383s

Daniel, he called, built Chisar, Hennenaya, he called Shadrak, Misheld, he called Mishak, and Ezoraya, he called Abendigo. 390s

What's interesting? 405s

Is that their given names that reflected the greatness of God? 406s

They were now given new names that were based upon the Babylonian deities. 413s

But you can change someone's name, but that doesn't necessarily change their heart. 422s

And they were to have nothing with this bowing down to this golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had commissioned. 433s

Nebuchadnezzar was infuriated about that. 449s

He called Shadrak Mishak, an Abendigo, to appear before him, he inquired of them. 453s

He reminded them that if they didn't bow down before the statue, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. 460s

He reminded them of that fact that that would be what would happen to them. 468s

He even turned to them and said, and what God will deliver you out of my hand. 474s

That occasion, a response. 486s

Let's go to chapter 3, verse 16, please. 489s

Chapter 3, verse 16. 494s

There we read these words. 497s

Shadrak Mishak and Abendigo answered the King. 501s

Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. 506s

If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O King, let him deliver us. 515s

But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. 525s

When they say, if our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, this is an communication that somehow God is limited, God is omnipotent, God is all powerful. 538s

He's speaking here, they're speaking of the will of God. 553s

So in other words, if it is the will of God that God saved them from the fate of being thrown into the fire and dying, if it's God's will that that happen, then God will do it. 557s

But if not, we will still not serve your god. 571s

King Nebuchadnezzar got angry again. 581s

In fact, the Bible said he got so angry that his face became distorted. 585s

He had the furnace turned up seven times hotter. 594s

He had Shadrak Mishak and Abendagou bowned to be thrown into the furnace. 600s

In fact, the Bible tells us in this chapter that the soldiers that were lifting up Shadrak Mishak and Abendagou to put them in the furnace were so overcome by the heat of the furnace that they were killed. 607s

And then the Bible tells us that Shadrak Mishak and Abendagou bowned fell into the fiery furnace. 624s

However, Nebuchadnezzar, he was about to get the shock of his life. 639s

Look, when he pleased, adverse 24 of our text. 655s

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. 662s

He said to his counselors, was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire? 667s

They answered the King, true, okay. 674s

He replied, but I see four men unbound walking in the middle of the fire and they are not hurt. 676s

And the fourth has the appearance of a God. 688s

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, 694s

Shadrak Mishak and Abendagou servants of the most high God come out come here. 699s

So Shadrak Mishak and Abendagou came out from the fire and the saytrap's, the prefix, the governors and the King's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not any power over the bodies of those men. 708s

The hair of their heads was not cinched. 728s

Their tunics were not harmed and not even the smell of fire came from them. 734s

This is quite a miracle, isn't it? 746s

Look at some of the components of this miracle. 750s

Remember they were bound when they fell into the furnace. 754s

But then the scripture says that Nebuchadnezzar saw them unbound, walking in the middle of the fire. 760s

They were thrown into a fiery furnace that had been heated seven times hotter than normal. 770s

And yet the Bible says they were not hurt. 779s

They were thrown into this fiery furnace and yet the Bible says, the hair of their heads was not cinched. 785s

Their tunics were not harmed and I love this. 794s

And not even the smell of fire came from them. 798s

They were in the fiery furnace, walking around no effects of the fire and they don't even smell like smoke. 805s

Miracle. 820s

And then there's a fourth aspect of this miracle. 823s

Look when you please, back up, in the verse 25. 828s

I see four men unbound walking in the middle of the fire and they are not hurt. 833s

And the fourth has the appearance of a God. 842s

So here's the question. 849s

Who's the fourth person in the fire? 853s

It wasn't any of the soldiers they died. 859s

There's no recounting of a fourth person being put in the fire. 863s

The account simply says that Chad Rackmiche, 867s

I can bend to go, worth thrown into the fiery furnace that had been heated seven times hotter than normal. 869s

So, so is the fourth person in the furnace? 877s

That was with them. 884s

It's an interesting story in the fifth chapter of the book of Joshua. 890s

Remember, Joshua came after Moses. 897s

He led the people into the Promised Land across the Jordan. 901s

And the Bible says that he was about ready to face the fortress of Jericho. 905s

A day before that battle was to occur. 914s

Joshua has an encounter with a man. 919s

He comes across him and the man has his sword pulled. 924s

And the man describes himself as the commander of the Lord's army. 930s

Now remember, he's speaking to Joshua, who's the commander of the army. 936s

But this one says he's the commander of the Lord's army. 942s

Joshua falls down and worships him. 950s

And the man doesn't stop it. 954s

In fact, Joshua is told to take off his sandals 956s

because the ground upon which he is standing is holy ground. 961s

So who is that? 969s

Well, it couldn't have been an angel because an angel never takes worship. 972s

Angels worship, but they're never the recipient of worship. 979s

So it couldn't have been an angel. 983s

So who was it? 985s

The account in Joshua the fifth chapter is what's called a Christophony. 989s

Christophony's are pre-incarnate appearances of the second member of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus. 997s

So the commander of the Lord's army, that was a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate, a pre-incarnate manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 1007s

So was the fourth person in the furnace? 1031s

Was that a Christophony? 1038s

Was that a pre-incarnate manifestation of the Lord Jesus? 1040s

Was it a Christophony? 1046s

Some over the centuries have maintained and argued, yes it was. 1050s

Others they say, no it wasn't. 1055s

I fall into the camp of not sure, not sure. 1061s

Could it have been the pre-incarnate Jesus quite possibly? 1069s

Could it have been an angel quite possibly? 1076s

You see unlike the account in Joshua 5 where Joshua, there falls down and worship. 1080s

Well we know that's not an angel because the angel doesn't take worship, but we don't have any further descriptors here in the Daniel text about the fourth person. 1089s

So I think the best we can say is that a Christophony, a manifestation of the pre-incarnate, Lord Jesus Christ, 1099s

is quite possibly. 1109s

Was it an angel at the very least? 1111s

But what do we know for sure? 1119s

What do we know for sure? 1124s

Place yourselves. 1131s

Place yourselves into the experience of Christophony. 1133s

Put the first adapter. 1139s

So you kind of say can you speak into the Spirit of Christophony by the way? 1141s

The great idea of a Christophony that had led to heaven, 1149s

By God save himself and everyone be able to go into the Spirit of Christophony for a full course of invece. 1151s

Now what would it say people should have to say in peace or wonder? 1156s

They sing, oh, an epic aneiser, we have no need to present to the fence to you in this matter. 1168s

If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your 1172s

hand-oking, let Him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve 1179s

your God's and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. So as there 1186s

that He was going to save them, this side of heaven, they didn't know. But what is it that they 1198s

did know? When they are thrown into the furnace, there would have been the moment, right? 1211s

We are alive. We are alive. There would have been the moment when they would have discovered 1227s

themselves walking around amidst the flames and the flames not consuming them. There would have 1236s

even been the moment when they realized that they didn't smell like smoke. There would have been the 1244s

moment when they realized that they were alive and there would have been the moment 1251s

when they realized with the fourth person in the furnace, that they were not alone, not alone. 1262s

A live and not alone. Baptized child of God, that same reality is your reality. 1274s

Even Nebuchadnezzar says this in verse 28, blessed be the God of Shadrak, Mishak, and Abendigo, 1296s

who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. God has delivered you. 1305s

God has delivered you through the cross of Jesus Christ. Claimed in the waters of baptism, 1319s

God has given you His gifts. All of your sins are forgiven. The gift of eternal life. 1327s

You see, at the cross you were redeemed, you were reconciled, and God pronounced the world 1338s

forgiven. Those promises are yours in the waters of baptism. God gives you His gift of faith 1344s

that gift of faith, that indeed appropriates the great victory on the cross. All God's grace, 1353s

all God's gift. Each and every day then, we can awake and know that we are alive. 1362s

Not just alive this side of heaven, but alive for all of eternity and our destiny, our home is heaven itself. 1376s

Remember Jesus says, in John the 14th chapter, I go and prepare a place for you. 1388s

And so each and every day baptized child of God. We can rejoice in the fact that we are truly 1394s

alive for all of eternity and that when death comes to us, that is but a transition in our living. 1401s

Instead of living this side of heaven, we live in the glory and beauty of what the Bible says 1412s

is our homeland, heaven itself in the very presence of the Lord. What a joy it is to live each day 1419s

in that reality knowing that today is one more day in all of eternity. We realize 1430s

we are alive to that extent to that breath. And we also realize that we are never ever alone. 1441s

Jesus made the promise. He said, I will never leave you. I'll never forsake you. 1459s

Whatever joy we experience, whatever sorrow, whatever laughter, whatever tear, whatever challenge we face, 1467s

we are never ever alone. God is always with us. 1476s

Shedrak, Mishak, and Bendigo. They came to the moment when they realized we are alive 1489s

and not alone. 1504s

That's our reality every single day. We are alive and never ever alone. 1509s