Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

13 September 2024

Reading From Daniel 1-3

“Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

–Daniel 3:22-25

     I have always been astounded at the thought of the men escorting the three Hebrews up to the opening of the fiery furnace being killed by the heat even before reaching the portal.  This shows that the Lord God was protecting them all the way.  Not only were the guards burned but so was whatever they used to bound the prisoners. 

     The text tells us that they fell into the furnace.  This tells me that perhaps the furnace entrance was elevated above the ground, reached by a staircase or scaffold of some kind, and large enough to hold several fully grown men.  It is another miracle that they did not die from the fall, but the greatest miracle I see here is the fourth man in the furnace.  From the description of a man whose appearance, “is like a son of the gods,” a believer cannot help but think that this was most likely a preincarnate intervention of the Son of Man, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. 

     When we show our trust in God by our obedience, we can also trust that God will deal with all of the ramifications of that obedience.  He doesn’t ask us to do something and then leave us hanging.  His our Perfect Parent.  Our Heavenly Father not only shows us the way forward, but He provides everything we need for the journey, including His protection. 

“O Lord, we are grateful for Your Presence, Your Provision, and Your Protection in our lives.  You are so very good to us.  It takes great courage to follow You no matter the cost, and so we pray that You would fortify us with Your wisdom, discernment and power.  May Your sons and daughters be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.  Strengthen us we pray, Amen.”

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

–Philippians 4:6-7

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. –John 12:26

But in that coming day
    no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
    raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
    their vindication will come from me.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

–Isaiah 54:17