Time: Some time between 603 and 583 BC
What the Lord is Saying:
Nebuchadnezzar made a statue 90 ft tall, 9 feet wide. Then he asked for a dedication from his high officers and governors of the statue, asking them to bow to it and worship it. Anyone who refuses will be thrown in a fiery furnace. So, at the sound of musical instruments all the people bowed, well, all the people except the Jews. And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in charge of the province of Babylon, didn't bow. Naturally, this upset Nebuchadnezzar. He brought them to him and they were given another chance before him. They refused and said, "We will never bow to your gods and our God will rescue us from the flames."
Nebuchadnezzar was so mad that the furnace was heated 7 times hotter than usual. The three gusy were bound and thrown into the furnace fully dressed. The soldiers throwing them in were killed from the hot flames.
Then Nebuchadnezzar was amazed seeing not just three, but four men walking in the flames. Neb called them out and the three of them had no burns on them and their clothing was fine. And Neb praised God. (They worshiped God before the provision; only Neb worshiped God afterwards.) And the king made it a penalty to speak a work against God. Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego were promoted to higher positions in the province.
Promise: Trust the Lord, not if he follows through, but because He is Lord.
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