A decree went forth from the king. All in the kingdom must worship the great image he had created or be killed. The time of worship would be announced with the playing of several musical instruments. Everyone was to fall down to the image!

Three individuals, slaves, refused to bow down. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Jewish slaves taken in the captivity, would not worship the image of the king. They remained stedfast in their service to God regardless of the consequences. When they were brought before the king for their failure to bow down, they were given an opportunity to bow down or else be punished. Faced with this threat, they still refused to bow to the image. The king had them tossed into the fiery furnace, but they did not die. They came forth from the furnace unscathed (Daniel 3)

THEY WOULD NOT BOW. God had instructed his people that he was God and that they should not build graven images and worship them (Exodus 20:1-3). These men were faithful to God and refused to obey the desires of worldly people.

THEY WOULD NOT BEND. Unlike many today, when the pressure to yield to the world’s desire was upon them they would not bend. They were going to be faithful to God regardless of any personal consequences (Daniel 3:16-18). God had warned his people that they should not follow a multitude to do evil (Exodus 23:2). Unlike Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, too many today fold in their allegiance to God when the world exerts even the slightest pressure. Children of God must remain stedfast in their allegiance to God (I Corinthians 15:58).

THEY WOULD NOT BURN. When cast into the fiery furnace, they did not burn, nor were they singed (Daniel 3:27). Today, if we remain faithful to God, we will not “burn”, i.e., we will not have a part in the lake of fire and brimstone. The unfaithful will be punished forever (Revelation 21:8; Matthew 25:46).

–Charles Coats (deceased)