He Will Keep Me In/Through The Fire

Daniel 3

v. 13 (Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him)

v. 14 (Nebuchadnezzar asks them) Is it true…do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

v. 15 (Nebuchadnezzar tells them to do what he has commanded or else) …be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

v. 16-18 (The three young men answered the king)…we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

As I read this few words what came to mind was:
Matthew 10:17-20 – But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

Psalm 119:46 - I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

2 Timothy 1:12 - For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

God’s Word is replete with promises from Our Gracious Heavenly Father who is mighty to save us and keep us in His path until He finishes all that He desires to accomplish through us. These young men KNEW WHOM THEY HAD BELIEVED IN. They were confident in The God Whom they served and Whom they had entrusted their whole lives to. They did not look back, they did not shrink, they did not retreat – they stood and shined for their LORD. Much continues to change all around us…could we be in such a position in the near future? What will be our response? Will we stand or will we collapse?

The rest of the story goes on to show us that these three men WERE THROWN into the fiery furnace. They were bound and thrown into extinction (so the king thought). BUT GOD…

v. 25 (the king said) Lo, I see FOUR men LOOSE, WALKING in the midst of the fire, and THEY HAVE NO HURT; (my note: Hallelujah!!!) and the form of the fourth is like the Son of god.

v. 26 (the three) …came forth of the midst of the fire.

v. 27 …saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

They surely knew WHOM they had believed. I wonder if they knew the Scripture from Isaiah 43:1-3(a) – But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior:…

And what was the king’s response (this time, cause we know that throughout the book of Daniel the king keeps going back and forth)

v. 28 …Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that TRUSTED IN HIM, and have changed the king’s word, and YIELDED THEIR BODIES, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

v. 29 …there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.