Shadrach,
                  Meshach,

Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon, and had sent his armies to conquer the kingdom of Judah.

Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed, and the majority of its inhabitants forcibly removed into exile.

There were some noble youths of Judah sent together to the king's palace - Daniel and three friends who had been renamed, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were being taught, trained and tested for service to the king.

As Jews brought up on the Hebrew Scriptures and utterances of prophets, they spent the rest of their lives obeying God, and getting into trouble with jealous courtiers in Babylon.

They got away with their first disobedience. It was only a matter of saying "no" to the diet of the king's table. But it set a precedent, because the four were more healthy, attractive, and intelligent while eating vegetables and drinking water, than those who ate meats, pastries and drank wine.

Daniel was a gifted prophet, and with the prayers of his friends, he was able to hear God's words when they needed a specific answer. Because Daniel always followed God's commands, he continued to grow in wisdom and knowledge. He became increasingly valuable to the king.

So also did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

The proud monarch wanted to be worshipped, so he set up a golden idol with the command that when the musicians played, announcing a time of worship, everyone was to bow down before the idol.

Jealous courtiers reported to the king that the three men would not worship the idol - or any other of the Babylonian gods, either.

Here's how the Bible tells the story, in the Book of Daniel:

                                                              

Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

"Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king,

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

"But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

Daniel's Friends Protected

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.

Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."

He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.

The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.

"Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

 

The history of Daniel and his friends should be of great importance

for the sons and daughters of God today.

Our religious observances mean nothing to Our Father.

But worshipful relationship and obedience means everything!