IN THE FIERY FURNACE.
-July 16.-DAN.
3:14-28.-
“Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us.”
PROBABLY twenty years
elapsed after Daniel and his companions reached Babylon in captivity before the
scenes of this lesson were enacted. Meantime Daniel had been raised to a very
high posi-tion in the empire, as king’s counselor, while his three companions
had been made magistrates in the provinces of Babylon. We know that their
prosperity did not tend to make them careless of their duties and
respon-sibilities toward God, for otherwise they would not have been able to
stand the severe test recounted in this les-son, and which proved a great
blessing to them because of their fidelity to the Lord.
King Nebuchadnezzar just before this had won some great victories over
surrounding nations-Egypt, Syria, etc.-as he had previously done with Judah,
and as the Lord had predicted in the dream which Daniel had interpreted for the
King, which showed the Babylonian Empire as the golden head of earthly
do-minion. His great success no doubt had tended to feelings of pride and a
desire for display. Yet these were probably not the only motives which led to
the program of the great festival in honor of his victories, and the erection
of the great image which all were com-manded to worship. Nebuchadnezzar’s
thought evi-dently was to unify his empire, and as a step in this direction he
desired to unify the religious views and worship of the various peoples under
his sway. In this his example was frequently followed subsequently, for all
rulers have seemed to grasp the thought that man’s mental organization is such
that obedience can be best and most lastingly secured through the acqui-escence
of the religious organs of his mind. In other words, since man is a religious
animal, no government of him can be secure and permanent which does not have,
directly or indirectly, the support of his venera-tion. Hence it was that
Nebuchadnezzar and others endeavored to associate the Creator and the king
to-gether in men’s minds, that venerating the One they should respect and serve
the other as his representative.
It was no doubt with a view to thus unifying the religious sentiments of his
empire that this great feast was arranged, of which the very center of
attraction was the great image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. This
image, with its pedestal, was ninety feet high and nine feet wide. It was of
gold, probably either made hollow or on a base of clay cement. It was located
in the Plain of Dura, about the center of the walled enclosure twenty-four
miles square, known as the city of Babylon. As it is a level country, and as
the structures were comparatively low, the image could probably be seen from
every part of the great city.
The appointed time for the festival having come, leading
representatives, judges, treasurers, governors, sheriffs, etc., from all the
divisions of the empire, clad in the gorgeous garments of the East, were
present. A great band had been prepared, composed of all the musical
instruments popular at that period, and the command of the king had gone forth
that when the musicians should play upon their instruments all the vast
concourse of people, representatives of his whole empire, facing the image which
he had set up, should fall down and worship it, and thus indicate their
loyalty, not only to King Nebuchadnezzar, but also to his gods who had given
him the wonderful victories which they were celebrating.
As magistrates of the empire, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were
necessarily in the great throng, tho it is quite probable that they,
representing different departments, may have been at a distance from each
other, each surrounded by his secretaries, assistants, servants, etc.
Undoubtedly the object of the festival was clearly discerned by these
intelligent men, and the question arose before their minds respecting their
duty to God and the conflict of this with the probable re-quirements of the
king. It was a crucial test for them, for they knew that the king’s powers
were autocratic, and that to cross his will meant death in some form.
Nevertheless, they decided that they must be true to God, whatever the cost.
It might be that their refusal to prostrate themselves before the image would
pass entirely unnoticed by others, or it might be that, even if noticed, the
incident might never reach the ears of the king, but such circumstances could
make no change in the matter of their duty; whatever others might do, they must
not bow the knee to any but the true God. Daniel is omitted from mention here,
possibly because, occupying a different position as one of the king’s per-sonal
staff and household, his conduct would not come so directly in contrast with
the general conduct.
Finally, the hour of trial came, when the great king of Babylon was
recognized not only as civil but also as religious ruler, and the image which
he had set up was worshipped by the various representatives of his
empire-except Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. Their neglect to bow was
quickly brought to the atten-tion of the king, for no doubt these, like all
good men, had their enemies: some enemies through jealousy and rivalry for the
king’s favor; other enemies because, perhaps, they had been interrupted or
hindered in dis-honest practices and contracts with the government. The matter
seems to have astounded the king, and hence his inquiry, Is it true, can it be
true? Surely, no sane men would be so foolhardy as to oppose my decree, and
that in my very presence, and upon such a fete-day as this? Not waiting an
answer as respects matters of the past, the king voluntarily pro-posed for them
a fresh test of loyalty and submission, nothing doubting but what, now that the
matter had come to his attention, they would be moved by fear, not only in
respect to their degradation from office, but by the danger of death in the
fiery furnace, to render prompt obedience.
Perhaps the king’s mind shot a glance backward fifteen years, to the time
when the God of the Hebrews, through Daniel, had told and interpreted his
dream, a matter which none of the other gods of his wise men could do; and as
tho he had this in mind, and wishing to impress the matter upon these three
Hebrews who had dared to challenge his power, he made the boast, “Who is that
God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” In his arrogance of mind and under
the flush of his mighty victories over the greatest nations and mightiest
kings, Nebuchadnezzar felt prepared to have a contest even with the unseen and
to him un-known invisible powers. He would not be backed down in his own
capital city; he would demonstrate his power to inflict a penalty, regardless
of what any of the gods might do in retaliation. He would show that he, at all
events, had the power in the present time, and in this respect at least was
more powerful than any of the gods of whom he had knowledge.
The answer of the three Hebrews was a wise one; seeing from the king’s
mood that the discussion of the subject would be useless, they did not attempt
to re-taliate by threatening him with divine vengeance; neither did they
attempt to convert the king to Juda-ism, knowing well that the provisions of
the Jewish covenant were not for Gentiles. They simply respond-ed that they
were not anxious to avail themselves of the opportunity to argue the matter
with the king. They assured him of their full confidence that their God was
able to deliver them from the fiery furnace, and out of the hand or power of
even the greatest king of the earth; but they answered, While our God is thus
all-powerful we are not by any means certain that he will deliver us;
nevertheless, “O king, be it known un-to thee that we will not serve thy gods
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Angered that his great festal day should be thus marred by even the
slightest opposition to his will, the king did not wait to give another
opportunity wherein the Hebrews might relent. He saw that it was useless, that
they were men of character and determination, and he resolved that he would make
an example of them before all the people. The form of his visage or his
countenance changed toward these men; whereas once he had admired them, as
amongst his ablest counselors and magistrates, and an honor to his empire, now
he hated them, as opponents whose course, if not interrupted, might introduce
disorder into his empire, and lead to more or less sedition, if copied by
others. In his rage he commanded that the furnace be heated seven times, or to
its utmost capacity. The furnace, already heated for the occasion, may have
been the one used in melting the gold for the image, and must have been of
immense size.
Probably as a mark of his great authority, and to show that even the very
greatest of his subjects were subordinate to his supreme authority, the king
com-manded that these three recalcitrant officials be cast in-to the fiery
furnace by prominent officers of his army-no doubt to teach a lesson respecting
the power of the army, and the willingness of its chief representa-tives to
serve the king, as against everybody else.
The Hebrews, bound in their official garb, were evidently cast into the
furnace from the top, because it is stated that they fell down bound, while the
heat was so intense that it even killed those who cast them into the furnace,
possibly by the inhalation of the flames, which might kill them instantly.
The king seemed to be having matters his own way, as usual; even the
mighty God of the Hebrews had not delivered these men from his power. And yet
the king was solicitous and eyed the furnace, and to his surprise beheld those
who had been cast into the furnace bound, walking about free in the
flames-seemingly uninjured. More than this, he saw a fourth person there, of
most remarkable appearance, which caused the king to think and speak of him as
one of the gods. No wonder he was astonished; he was evidently con-tending
with a God of whose powers he had been ig-norant.
Nebuchadnezzar showed himself to be a man of broad mind-in his acceptance
to the Babylonian col-lege of the brightest youths out of all the peoples taken
captive; in his readiness to acknowledge the God of Daniel, when he had
received the evidences of his pow-er; so now, realizing that he had made a
great mistake in attempting the destruction of three of his most emi-nent
magistrates, and that he was thus defying the great God, Nebuchadnezzar was
prompt to make acknowledgment, and approached the furnace, calling out, “Ye
servants of the most high God, come forth and come hither.” In the presence of
the king’s courtiers they came forth, and all beheld them that the fire had
done them no injury, not even having singed their clothes or their hair. This
was indeed a stupendous miracle, and doubtless was valuable in its influence,
not only upon the Gentiles, but also upon the Hebrews residing throughout
Babylon, who would thus hear of the power of Jehovah in delivering those
faithful to him. Whether this had a bearing on the subject or not, we know
well that, while idolatry had been one of the chief sins of the Israelites
before this captivity, there was comparatively little of idolatry in its crude
forms in that nation afterward.
Nebuchadnezzar’s acknowledgment of the God of the Hebrews, who sent his
messenger and delivered his servants that trusted in him, is very simple and
very beautiful. He rejoiced in the noble character of these men, and at once
made a decree “that every people, nation and language which speak anything
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be cut in
pieces, and their houses shall be a dung-hill; be-cause there is no other god
that can deliver after this sort.” And furthermore, he promoted these faithful
men to still higher positions, for they had still more of his confidence
respecting their integrity. Men who would thus hazard their lives for
conscience’ sake could be trusted in the most important positions.
It is not necessary that we determine this incident to have been a type
and look for correspondencies to its every feature. Without so determining,
the Lord’s people may readily find in it many valuable lessons and
suggestions. Not all of God’s people are in such prominent positions as were
these Hebrews: and not many have testings of exactly the same kind as were
theirs, with a literal fiery furnace before their eyes. Nevertheless, there
are trials before the Lord’s people today that are fully as severe. Who will
not agree that questions respecting a public acknowledgment of an idol and thus
a public disavowal of the true God would be a point more quickly and more
easily decided by nearly everyone than some of the subtle temptations of our
day? For instance, various idols are set up all over Christendom, each of
which, it is claimed, repre-sents the true God, and each of which demands
wor-ship in honor and substance.
Babylon the literal was in ruins long before the Apostle John on the Isle of
Patmos was shown in pro-phetic vision the mystic or symbolic Babylon “which
reigneth over the kings of the earth” today. The pro-vinces of Babylon
today are the various civilized na-tions-really “kingdoms of this world;” but
deluded into calling themselves and thinking themselves king-doms of
Christ-“Christendom.” And parallels to the king and the image are also
presented in Revelation-they are religious systems symbolically described as
“the beast and his image.”-Rev. 13:15-18.
Without at present examining the symbols in detail we note the fact that
worship of this symbolic beast and his image are to be the great test or trial
upon pro-fessing Christians in every province of symbolic Baby-lon in the end
of this age: indeed, the testing is even now in progress. And we have the same
inspired record as authority for the statement that only those who refuse to
render worship to those powerfully influential religious systems (symbolized by
“the beast and his image”) will be counted by the Lord as “overcomers” and be
made his joint-heirs as members of his elect Church. -See Rev. 20:4-
As already pointed out, the “beast” represents not Roman Catholics (the
people) but the Roman Catholic system, as an institution: and the image
represents not Protestants (the people) but the consolidation of Prot-estant systems,
as an institution. We have pointed out that the first step in the formation of
this symbolic image of Papacy was taken in A.D. 1846 in the organi-zation of
the Evangelical Alliance, and that the second step must come shortly in an
active living cooperation of Protestants as one system; and that this
infusion of life will result from the Episcopal Church or Church of
England joining or affiliating with other Protestants under some general
arrangement similar to the Evan-gelical Alliance.
While the severest testings will follow the giving of life to the
consolidated image, in the near future, the testing has already commenced with
many, for “Churchianity” is more and more demanding reverence and support, and
those who absolutely refuse to wor-ship its images are already exposed to fiery
trials;-social ostracism and financial boycotts. Prominent amongst these is the
Roman Catholic idol; that church sets itself as the representative of God, and
demands worship, obedience and contribution to its funds. It is one of the
most popular as well as one of the most arbitrary of idols. The Greek Catholic
Church is another idol: the Anglican is another; and the Luther-an, Methodist,
Presbyterian, etc., etc., all similarly demand worship, obedience and revenue.
They have “pooled their issues,” to a certain extent, so as not to war upon
each other’s devotees, but they unite in war-fare against all who do not bow
the knee to some such idol (who reverence and worship only the
Almighty God, and recognize his only begotten Son as the only Head and
Lord of the true Church, whose names are only written in heaven-not on
earthly rolls of membership.)-See Heb. 12:23.
All who refuse to worship before any of these im-ages are threatened with
a fiery furnace of persecution, and the threat is generally carried out as
thoroughly as circumstances will permit. In the “dark ages,” when Papacy had a
monopoly of the “church” business, it meant torture and the stake, as well as
social ostracism. Today, under a higher enlightenment, and especially because
of competition for worshipers, matters are not carried to the same extreme,
thank God! Yet in many instances there are evidences that the same spirit
pre-vails, merely restrained by changed circumstances and lack of power.
Still, as many are witnesses, there are methods of torture which serve to
intimidate many who would scorn to bow the knee to a literal visible idol.
Thousands today are worshipping at the various shrines of Christendom who in
their hearts long to be free from the sectarian bondage of fear-who fain would
serve the Lord God only, had they the courage. And there are some the world
over who, with a courage not less than that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
de-clare publicly that the Lord God alone shall have the worship and the
service which they can render. None, perhaps, know better than the writer the
various fiery experiences to which these faithful few are exposed,-boycotted
socially, boycotted in business, slandered in every conceivable manner, and
often by those of whom they had least expected it, who, according to the Lord’s
declaration, say “all manner of evil against them false-ly.”-Matt. 5:11,
12.
But with these, as with the three Hebrews of our lesson, the chief trial
is in connection with their faith; after they have taken a firm stand for the
Lord and his truth they may indeed be bound and have their liber-ties of speech
and of effort restrained, and they may indeed be cast into the fiery furnace,
but nothing more than these things can be done to them. As soon as they have
demonstrated their fidelity to God to this ex-tent, their trials and troubles
are turned into blessings and joys. As the form of the Son of God was seen
with the Hebrews in the fiery furnace, so unseen, the Lord is present with
those who trust him and who, be-cause of faithfulness to him and to his Word,
come into tribulation. How beautifully this is expressed in the familiar hymn,
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine”
And sometimes even the worldly can realize that the Lord’s people in the
furnace of affliction are receiv-ing a blessing, and sometimes thus our
Heavenly Fath-er’s name is glorified in the world, as in Nebuchadnez-zar’s
experience. Sometimes the Lord’s people who are
bound, restrained of liberty to proclaim the truth, find, as did those Hebrews,
that the fire burns the cords and sets them free, and really gives them larger
oppor-tunities to testify to the glory of our God than they could have had by
any other course.
The Lord’s providences vary, and it is not for
his people to decide when shall come remarkable deliver-ances, and when they
shall apparently be left entirely to the will of their enemies without any
manifestation of divine favor on their behalf. Note, for instance, the
fact that, while the Lord interposed to deliver these three Hebrews from the
fiery furnace, he did not inter-pose to prevent the beheading of John the
Baptist, altho of the latter it is specifically declared, “There hath not
arisen a greater prophet than John the Baptist.” We remember that, while Peter
was delivered from prison by the angel of the Lord, James was not deliv-ered,
but was beheaded. We remember also that Paul’s life was miraculously preserved
on several occasions, and that the Apostle John, according to tradition, was
once cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, but escaped uninjured, while on other
occasions dire disaster came upon the Lord’s faithful ones, and that quickly,
as in the case of Stephen, who was stoned.
It is not, therefore, for us to predetermine what
shall be the divine providence in respect to ourselves; we are to note the
point of right and duty and to fol-low it regardless of consequences, trusting
implicitly in the Lord. This lesson is most beautifully set forth in the
language of the three Hebrews, who declared to King Nebuchadnezzar that their
God was entirely cap-able of delivering them from his power, but that, whether
he chose to do so or not, they would not violate their conscience. It is just
such characters that the Lord is seeking for, and it is in order to their
develop-ment and testing that multiform evil is now permitted to have sway.
While such testings have been in progress to a con-siderable extent
throughout this entire Gospel age, the Scriptures clearly indicate to us that
in some special sense all of the Lord’s people will be tested in the “harvest”
or closing time of this age. Our Lord speaks of it, likening our Christian
faith to a house, and rep-resents the trials in the end of this age as a great
storm which will beat upon every house, with the result that all that are
founded upon the rock will stand, and all founded upon the sand will collapse.
The Apostle Peter speaks of this trial-time, saying, “Think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which shall try you, as though some strange thing
happened unto you.” ( I Pet. 4:12.) We are to expect a testing in the end of
this age, just as there was a testing of the Jewish nominal church in the end
of its age. As in that testing there was a thorough, complete separating of
the “wheat” from the “chaff,” so here the separating will be com-plete between
the “wheat” and the “tares,” as our Lord declares. (Matt. 13:24-30.) Throughout
the age the “wheat” and the “tares,” by divine arrangement, have been permitted
to grow side by side; but in the “harvest” the separation must occur, that the
“wheat” may be “garnered,” received to the Kingdom.
The Apostle Paul, also, speaks of this time of
fiery trial, and, likening the faith and works of a zealous Christian to a
house built of gold, silver and precious stones, he declares that the fire of
this day, in the end of this age, shall try every man’s work of what sort it
is, and shall consume all but the genuine faith and character structures. ( I
Cor. 3:11-15. ) But we are to remember that such loyal characters grow
not sudden-ly, in a few hours or days-mushroom-like,-but are progressive
developments, fine-grained and strong like the olive-tree.
Looking back, we cannot doubt that the step of self-denial recorded in our
previous lesson,-taken for conscience’ sake by the Hebrews,-had much to do with
the development in them of the staunch charac-ters illustrated in this lesson.
Likewise we who have become “new creatures,”
reckonedly, in Christ, know that we are to be tested (if our testing has not
alrea-dy commenced), and should realize that only as we practice self-denials
in the little things of life, and mor-tify (deaden) the natural cravings of our
flesh in re-spect to food, clothing, conduct, etc., will we become strong
spiritually and be able to “overcome.”
Many deal slackly with themselves in
respect to little violations of their consecration vow, saying,-“What’s the
use” of such carefulness and so different a life from that of the world in
general? Ah! there is great use in it, for victories in little things prepare
for greater victories and make them possible: and on the contrary, surrender to
the will of the flesh in the little things means sure defeat in the warfare as
a whole. Let us remember the maxim laid down by our Great Teacher-that
he that is faithful in the things that are least will be faithful also in the
things which are great. And this is the operation of a law, whose operations
may be discerned in all the affairs of life.
Our Lord expresses the same thought, saying,-“To him that hath (used)
shall be given (more) and from him that hath not (used) shall be taken away
that which he hath.” If we start on a Christian life ever so weak in the flesh
and weak in spirit, we will find that faithfulness in the little things will
bring increasing strength in the Lord and in the power of his might. But it is
in vain that we pray, “Lord, Lord,” and hope for great victories and the “crown
of rejoicing,” if we fail to do our best to conquer in the little affairs of
dai-ly life. In other words, our testing is in progress from the moment of our
consecration, and the little trials are but preparations for greater ones
which, when faithful-ly attained, we will be able to reckon with the Apostle as
light afflictions which are but for a moment, and which are working out for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.-2 Cor. 4:17.
The answer of the Hebrews to Nebuchadnezzar,-“Our
God whom we serve,” is worthy of note. They not only acknowledged God and
worshipped him, but they additionally served him, according as they had
op-portunity. And so it will be found today: those who have the
necessary strength of character to refuse to wor-ship human institutions and
thereby to “suffer the loss of all things,” counting them but as loss and
dross, that they may win Christ and be found finally complete in him, as
members of his glorified body, and joint-heirs in his Kingdom, not only
practice self-denials, but gladly serve and confess the Lord in their daily
life. Rightly appreciated, a profession of love for the Lord would always be a
profession of service to his cause. Whoever is not rendering some service to
our King in the present time of multiplied opportunities has at very most the
“lukewarm” love that is offensive to the Master.-Rev. 2:4; 3:16.
Let us resolve, dear brethren, as did the three
Hebrews of this lesson, that we will worship and serve only the Lord our
God-that we will neither worship nor serve sectarianism, in any of its many
forms, nor mammon, with its many enticements and rewards, nor fame, nor
friends, nor self. God “seeketh such to wor-ship him as worship him in spirit
and in truth,” is the declaration of our Lord and Head.-John 4:23, 24.