A number of years ago I made a discovery seemingly hidden in plain sight on the pages of scripture that I would like to share with you for this week’s devotional challenge.
Let me Prepare you with this Preface of the Prophetic Passage … you may not be comfortable with what your eyes are about to behold, but seeing is believing if you will believe what you see when you look into the fiery furnace that Nebuchadnezzar had prepared for three young Hebrew Rebels who Refused to Bow to him as king or to Bend to him as lord.
I know, you are already jumping to the conclusion that we are going to hear the famous account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But we are not, because those three dudes never existed – never, ever, ever! Look it up in the records of the province of Babylon and you will find that these names were nothing more than fictional Alias’ given by a pagan king. Check their finger prints, their DNA, and their family records and you will find that the young heroes of Daniel chapter 3 were actually names personal friends of Daniel himself who were named HANANIAH, MISHAEL and AZARIAH. (Daniel 1:3-9).
Along with Daniel, these three Hebrew Boys were re-named by the king. Daniel was named Belteshazzar; Hananiah was named Shadrach; Mishael was named Meshach; Azariah was named Abednego.
Oddly enough, only Daniel’s new name failed to stick when it comes to the chronicles of Biblical History. I have inquired of many theologians much smarter than I why the nicknames stuck with the 3 leading characters of the fiery furnace and no one can give me a good explanation. In fact, most admit they have never even thought about it. Maybe you haven’t either. Well, now you have. OK, so let’s get to the Pertinent Point of why it really matters.
First, let’s consider their IDENTITY. Living in a land not their own, they refused to conform to the Pagan Practices that were Problematic to men of deep faith in Jehovah God. These three teenagers never forgot WHO they were nor WHOSE they were.
Hananiah’s name means “the Lord is Gracious” while the King wanted to call him Shadrach with means, “Commanded by aku” (Babylonian moon god); Mishael means, “There’s no God like unto Jehovah” while Meshach means, “who is like unto aku”; Azariah means, “Helped by Jehovah God” while Abednego means, “Servant of nego” (Babylonian pagan deity). This illustrates the importance of Christians remembering WHO we are and WHOSE we are – we are CHRISTians who are called not to Conform or to Compromise (Romans 12:1-2).
Second, let’s ponder their INTEGRITY. Their options were simple … Obey or Die, Bow or Burn, Do what you’re told or Suffer the Consequences — a Fiery Furnace (Seven times hotter than ever before – Daniel 3:19). Hananiah, Meshael and Azariah were Faithful Under Fire! They maintained their Composure and their Convictions even when they knew it might or might not cost them their lives (Daniel 3:17-18). I wonder if we would be so Brave, so Bold, so Believing?
Finally, let’s examine their INTERCESSION. They were not alone … not when they were Demanded to Bow and not when they were Doomed to Burn.
When the sleep-deprived King looked into the Executioner’s Fire, he saw three things — the same three things that we might experience when we go through Fires and Fire-storms of Life ourselves.
Old Nebuchadnezzar saw the LOYALTY of True Friends. They remained Loyal to God and to One Another in the midst of the fire. He also saw great LIBERTY in the Fire. The sentenced servants were no longer bound; in fact, the only things that burned in that fire was the binding that had been wrongly placed upon them.
These Pious Pals were not only still alive against all odds, they were “Loosed & Walking About” (Daniel 3:25) with “No Hurt.” Best of all, the King witnessed the LORD of the Faithful as he recognized the fourth man in the fire as the Son of God. This Christophany (pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord) offered proof positive that God would “Never Leave nor Forsake His Own” (Hebrews 13:5).
Beloved, this promise applies to every single believer. Keep in mind that Jesus is currently, “Seated at the Right Hand of the Father Making Intercession for Us” (Romans 8:34).
Before I wrap it up, let me point out to you that God has our Every Hair Numbered (Luke 12:7) and that Not One Hair of the Hebrew Boys head was even singed (Daniel 3:27) … Neither will any harm come to one of our hairs, eternally speaking (Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34).
In conclusion, may I remind you of the promise found in Romans 8:28, “We Know that All Things Work Together for Good to Them that Love God, to Them who are the Called According to His Purpose.”
God had a great purpose for Hananiah, Meshael and Azariah in the Palace of King Nebuchadnezzar but an even greater purpose in the Courts of King Jesus! They demonstrated the Power, Protection and Perseverance of true believers — even under fire!!!
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