<Daniel 3:16~27>
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King 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 deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand.
18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 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.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,
27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
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<Where is God?>
King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, built a massive golden statue and commanded everyone to worship it or be cast into a blazing furnace. Daniel’s three friends chose to defy this order. They declared that while God could rescue them, "even if He does not," they could only obey the Lord. Enraged, the king threw them into the fire. However, he was stunned to see a fourth person in the flames—someone with the appearance of "a son of the gods." When they emerged, not a hair on their heads was singed, and the king came to fear the living God.
It is crucial to understand the true core of this story. If you see it simply as a success story where "they entered the fire, came out unharmed, and were promoted," you are missing the point. The heart of this story is not that Jesus rescued them FROM the fire, but that He entered INTO the fire to be WITH them.
He may not always snatch us away from every pain, betrayal, or loss. He does not always make the rivers, fires, and floods disappear. Instead, He steps into those moments and walks beside us. He is the one who has the power to protect us until the very end by being present in the midst of it all.
The same Jesus who walked in the fire with the three friends took on human flesh to seek out His people on earth. Even now, He enters the suffering of His people to be with them. Therefore, when you feel as though you are standing in a wilderness of suffering, do not view it merely as a misfortune to be avoided. Instead, desire to experience the Lord who is with you in that process, and let your relationship with God deepen through that experience.
To summarize once more: The core of this message is not "rescue from the fire," but "Christ came into the fire to be with us." The Lord of Glory personally visited the place of suffering to be by our side. This is the Gospel. The Gospel is not a tool to help us avoid pain and satisfy our desires. Because the Lord visits us in our suffering, we as Christians do not need to fear it.
In the wilderness and in the fire, may you grow to resemble the Lord. May your prayer this week be: "Lord, I desire to live a life like Daniel’s three friends. Please help me."