Who Do You See in the Blazing Furnace?

Have you ever stood so close to a fire that you were uncomfortable…or that singed the hair on your arms or head? Were you standing around a campfire, BBQ, or bonfire? Well, how often do you even see bonfires now? They were an annual event at the Homecoming Football Game when I was in school. The Seniors would gather wood for a week and have a big pile topped by an old outhouse when they could find one. That heap of firewood would create an intense heat that really felt good on a bitter chilly evening, but we’d keep our distance so as to not get burned.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t have that option of standing away from the fire. Since they wouldn’t worship the Babylonian idol, they were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace of Nebuchadnezzar. The amazing thing is that three men were thrown into the furnace, but when King Neb looked into the fire, there were four men. It was Jesus there to rescue Daniel’s friends. That sight enticed King Neb to praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Would you be convinced about who God is after seeing the miracle of those men not being burned up in that hotter than hot furnace? Although King Neb honored God, he was still self-righteous and delighted in his own power. Keep reading more about the Babylonian exile, Daniel, his friends and their commitment to the Lord in the book of Daniel. We can be encouraged by seeing this example of Jesus in the Old Testament.

 

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." ... Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" "Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did," they replied. "Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!" ... Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Daniel 3:14-18, 20-25, 28

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I worship You…not an idol. Help me to be as devout as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and be willing to even go into a blazing furnace, if necessary to declare my loyalty to You. Thank you for this example that Daniel and his friends provided by following Your commands. Don’t worship any other gods. No idols for them…or me.

 

Meditate. Consider God’s command not to worship other gods.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ "Don't be afraid," Samuel reassured them. "You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the LORD with all your heart, and don't turn your back on him. Don't go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you--they are totally useless! The LORD will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the LORD to make you his very own people. 1 Samuel 12:20-22

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Start with some fresh vegetables.

The Daniel Diet. There is actually a book and diet program by that title to help people lose weight. Like any diet program, it is one that you have to be committed to for it to work. What you put into it is the level of reward that you will receive. Daniel and his friends were committed to honoring God with their healthy bodies, so they didn’t want to eat the king’s rich foods.

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah's royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. "Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men," he said. "Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon." The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. ... But he responded, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded." ... "Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. "At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king's food. Then make your decision in light of what you see." The attendant agreed to Daniel's suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. Daniel 1:3-8, 10, 12-16

Can you set aside ten days and try a diet of vegetables and water? I think that is a pretty good challenge. Eat like Daniel and his friends for ten days. Only vegetables and water. There are so many kinds of vegetables you can get enough protein and most all the vitamins and minerals that you need. You may want to take a multivitamin just to be sure.

            How do you think you’ll feel and look after a totally vegetable diet? What is your favorite vegetable? Stock up and cook up a couple days’ worth of food or cook day by day if you enjoy that. This is a good time of the year to have a big pot of soup on these cold days. I think I’ll start with my favorite Apple and Butternut Squash Soup. Actually, apples are not a vegetable, so you can omit those if you really want to be like Daniel.

 

Apple Butternut Squash Soup    6-8 servings

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil

2 medium leeks, white part only, diced

1 red onion, chopped finely

1 green chili, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, grated

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, microplane grated

1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped

4 golden or Jonathan apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups vegetable stock

2½ cups water, plus more if needed

Toasted pecans, for garnish (optional)

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

 

Melt butter or heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili; cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft, about 4 minutes. Add squash, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and water, just enough to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook about 30 minutes, until squash and apples are very soft.

 

Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with sliced apples, toasted pecans, and sour cream if desired.

 

© 2025 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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