Bible Verse of The Day – 1-30-21

Daniel 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had angered Nebuchadnezzar by refusing to worship the gold statue he had created.

They showed their loyalty to the one true God by stating very boldly to the king that “we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up”.

Needless to say, Nebuchadnezzar was irate. At this point he commanded that the furnace be heated up to 7 times hotter than normal.

The fire was so hot that it killed the men who threw them into the fire.

A short time after they had been thrown in, the king couldn’t believe what he saw.

In verse 24, He exclaimed, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”.

The people confirmed this.

And then he proclaimed (in verse 25) that he could see “four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

King Nebuchadnezzar immediately called the three men out from the fire and was in awe that none of them were hurt.

None of them even had so much as the smell of fire on them or their garments.

Because of what he had witnessed, Nebuchadnezzar glorified God and immediately made a proclamation that no one would be allowed to speak anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego without punishment by death.

So often in our own lives, we pray and ask God to deliver us from the things that we are facing. We don’t want to go through pain or discomfort.

But if we look at the example above, we will see that these men of God actually had to go through the fire before they were delivered!

They didn’t see a hand sweeping down and removing the trial in front of them. Instead, they were allowed by God to be thrown into an incredibly hot furnace where He then showed His hand and prevented them from being hurt or burned alive.

By this God was glorified.

Had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego not been thrown into the furnace, the king would never have glorified God. Neither would the men of God have been able to witness God’s miraculous hand of rescue from such a dire situation.

None of us likes the fire of trials. In fact, we probably despise them and will go to great lengths to avoid them or prevent them.

But it’s safe to say that it is only during times of great trial that we can see great moves of God on our behalf.

James 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!