Week 29 Daniel
There are probably a few stories in the OT that are better than the one about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in chapter 3. But only a few.
What happened was that Nebuchadnezzar had a huge statue built and then called a gathering of public officials and told them that when they heard horns, flutes, lyres, harps, bagpipes: and all kinds of music you are to fall down and worship the golden image.
So with the exception of SM&A all the government officials bowed down.
And SM&A learned the same lesson in Babylon that I learn each day in Alberta: you’ve gotta conform and if you don’t there’ll be a price to pay! For SM&A the price was physical incineration.
One thing that really stands out is the high degree of indifference the three men showed to social pressure. They told the king: if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us and He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.
The outcome made no big difference to them. Being normal guys they likely would have preferred staying alive. But who they worshiped was a bigger than mere life.
Worship the wrong god? You’re already dead.
Note: quotes from Daniel 3:5, 17-18 (NLT)