Friday, March 11, 2011

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - A Story of Bravery and Faith

I'll refer the them as Shad, Mesh and Abed. They were three guys who didn't 'go with the flow' when faced with a big decision but their very decision put them in a place where they had to believe or die.

"King Nebuchadnezzar (I'll refer to him simply as the King) made an image of gold...and set it up in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps (protector of the province), prefects (magisterial title), governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the people (mentioned above) assembled for the dedication of the image that the King had set up, and they stood before it."

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language. As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that the King has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

The next paragraph describes how everyone in the crowd did fall down and worship the image of gold the King had set up. Then came the astrologers who cooked up a scheme to implicate Shad, Mesh and Abed who had not done as the King's command had said. The astrologers story went as follows:

"There are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shad, Mesh and Abed - who pay no attention to you, O King. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."

Furious with rage, the King summoned Shad, Mesh and Abed. So these men were brought before the King, and the King said to them, "Is it true, Shad, Mesh and Abed, that you do not serve the gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?"

The King gave Shad, Mesh and Abed an ultimatum, "If you do not worship it (the image of gold), you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

Now Shad, Mesh and Abed are faced with a decision that could ultimately take their lives if they don't obey the King. Their response shows that they were determined to live according to their convictions no matter what.

"Shad, Mesh and Abed replied to the King, "O King, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

The King became furious and he no longer favored them because of their decision to not obey him. He called for the furnace to be heated seven times hotter that ever before. He called his strongest soldiers to tie up Shad, Mesh and Abed and throw them into the furnace. The fire was so hot the soldiers actually died while throwing the three guys into the furnace.

The King was in for a surprise. "The King leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"

They replied, "Certainly, O King."

He said, "Look, I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

The King then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shad, Mesh and Abed, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"

Shad. Mesh and Abed came out and those people who had condemned the three originally crowded around. They saw that the fire had not even harmed the three men, no hair singed, their robes not scorched, and no smell of fire on them at all.

Then the King said, "Praise be to the God of Shad, Mesh and Abed, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the King's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God...for no other god can save in this way."

Then the King promoted Shad, Mesh and Abed in the province of Babylon.*

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