"Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace."--_Daniel 3:17._
YOU remember that the Jews had been so wicked, that God had let them be
conquered by their enemies, and taken quite away from home to the great
city of Babylon.
The king of Babylon worshipped idols; and he set up a great golden
idol, much higher than this room, and commanded that as soon as his
music played, everyone should fall down and worship the image; or if
anyone would not, that person should be thrown into a burning fiery
furnace.
A furnace is like a very large oven, or like a brick-kiln--a sort of
house quite full of fire--for burning and baking bricks, or melting
iron, or anything else that requires to be made very hot. Many people
were afraid of such a horrible punishment as being thrown into the
furnace; and when they heard the music, they made haste to bow down
before the great golden image.
But the Jews knew that they must not worship idols; so what could they
do? I only know what three of them did. They were three young men,
named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who were brought up before the
king, because they would not bow down before his great image. The king
asked them how it was; and told them fiercely that if they would not
worship his golden image, they must be thrown into the fire.
[Illustration: I am with Thee saith the Lord to deliver Thee. JER. 1-19
WHEN THOU WALKEST THROUGH THE FIRE, THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNED; NEITHER
SHALL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON THEE]
But they stood up boldly, and said, "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."
The king was very angry at this brave answer. He had the furnace made
seven times hotter than usual; and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
were thrown into it, tied hand and foot; and the flame was so hot, that
it burnt the men that threw them in.
Presently, the king gave a loud cry. For in the midst of the fire were
the men, not tied, but free, and walking in the burning heat, as if
they were in cool spring air! And there was another with them, whose
form was the Son of God. Then he called them, and the three came out.
There was no smell of fire about them, and not a hair of their heads
was singed; they had not felt the heat at all; but that Holy One had
taken care of them, and had kept them safe in the midst of the fire.
Then the king of Babylon knew how wrong he had been; and he sent forth
a command, that no one should ever speak a word against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who had saved them in the burning
fiery furnace.