DANIEL 3:8-18 A BLAZING FAITH

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 

⁸ At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, ¹¹ and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
¹³ Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, ¹⁴ and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? ¹⁵ Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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.”

If we believe that God is all powerful, ever faithful and absolutely sovereign, then we know that he will deliver us from his enemies. But at its most mature, our faith goes beyond our deliverance to the fulfillment of God’s perfect will. It is from our human perspective that we see God’s glory as being manifested in our preservation as overcomers in this world. However, a perfect faith is focused exclusively on God. It is the faith that is behind the statement, “But even if [God] does not…”

Not only does it border on incredible that the three young men would stand up to a furious Nebuchadnezzar, and that they would defy him with the threat of the furnace before them, but they did this without an understanding of the resurrection from the dead. While we can talk of the martyrs passing through the “fire” and into “eternal bliss,” at the time of the Babylonian exile the Jews did not have an established theology of an afterlife. The faith of the three men in God was as absolute as it was resolute. The sole goal of their lives was not their salvation, but the glory of God.

God’s promises to us are wonderful encouragements to our faith, but if we are to mature in our relationship with God we must seek to grow beyond our subconscious what’s-in-it-for-me faith and into an all-is-for-God faith. This is only possible through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. But we are only in the position to be transformed when we dedicate our whole lives to God through immersion in his Word, constancy in prayer and steadfast obedience to his will. A blazing faith is the result of the proper preparation of the kindling and fuel for the match of worldly opposition.

Let me not, O Lord focus on my eternal salvation to the detriment to my faith in the Giver of that salvation. May my true hope be in you and not the promises through which you have given me that hope. Empower and equip me to prepare for the day of trial so that all the glory might be yours. Amen.

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