Vince Deagler

hi all.  wanted to touch on what i find to be a very important part of the story of shadrach, meshach, and abednego in daniel 3.  first, because i believe satan is an actual personality in scripture, i believe in the idea of spiritual warfare.  with that in mind, i have no doubt satan was behind the idea nebuchadnezzar should build his great image and demand everyone bow and worship under threat of execution for non-compliance.  it was a great way to unify an empire that had expanded exponentially in recent years, and a great way for satan to rid himself of trouble makers like these followers of god.  from satan’s perspective i think he saw it playing out like this…deceive nebuchadnezzar into enacting this plan, the hebrews will not comply, they will be reported, they will be executed, problem of god followers solved.

i believe it was dan allander and trempor longman in their book “bold love” that suggest we have the responsibility to give satan a taste of defeat, and others a taste of god.  (if my memory is failing me, and this idea comes from another source i beg your forgiveness)  anyway, i think this is what shadrach, meshach, and abednego did.  and i can’t think of a better scenario playing out.  satan was trying to get rid of perceived trouble makers…as in he was up to evil.  but god intervened, and turned it all into good.  but not without the input of these 3 men.  they refused to give into the pressure to conform even when their lives were threatened.  they were then thrown into the furnace, but they did not burn.  god was in the furnace with them, he would not let them burn.  so nebuchadnezzar calls for them to come out of the furnace.  everyone can see an amazing miracle has occurred.  nebuchadnezzar issues a decree praising the god of shadrach, meshach, and abednego and they are elevated in their roles in the babylonian gov’t.  wow.  talk about a reversal of fortunes.  but then again we are talking about god.  we see this exact pattern in the story of joseph, the crucifixion, and the explosive growth of the early church.  god does some of his best work in difficult times.  but, and this is important, we must give him something to work with.  shadrach meshach, and abednego did just that.  as the bible says…may we go and do likewise. :)

thanks for reading.  love the feedback.  blessings.  vince