Faith Through The Furnace

When we search about faith in the Bible, it isn’t difficult to find that there are many verses and examples that deal with this subject. And the reason for that is because faith is the most important aspect of our lives. Hebrews 11:6 tells us: “…But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him…”

In other words, without faith it’s impossible to believe that the almighty and merciful God exists. Without faith it’s impossible to believe and trust that Jesus Christ died for our sins, resurrected, and that He always accompanies and strengthens us so that we may be victorious. Without faith it’s impossible to believe and trust that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and guides us at all times. So this little word is the backbone of our salvation, and the hope of every faithful believer.

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone… nothing more, nothing less…

For the past few weeks we’ve been making our way through Daniel chapter 3 which is one of the great Christian “bed time” stories we enjoy telling our kids… It’s a main Sunday School lesson that or VBS lesson that is taught on a regular basis… and for those of us that have spent quite a lot of time in Church, this historical record is very familiar to us.

This familiarity with the account can be both positive and negative… Positive in the sense that it is good to know the biblical accounts which serve to enhance our faith in God… But, Negative in the sense that such a casual familiarity keeps us from discerning additional truths from what has occurred.

As we continue with our study today, I hope that you do not tune me out just because you think you already know all the ins and outs of…

Faith Through The Furnace

Read Daniel 3:19-30…

This is the last time we will see Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego… These three men who took a remarkable stand for God and for righteousness. They have given us an example of what true faith really looks like… They remained faithful to God and His Word, even though it meant they would be tossed in a furnace.

These three men were in fact thrown into a literal furnace and even though we may never have that same experience, if we are committed to standing up for Christ, then we will have to face our own metaphorical furnaces.

Walking with the Lord and in accordance to Scripture involves valleys, furnaces, and other things we’d like to avoid, because Satan has such a hold on the world around us and the darkness of sin is always trying to snuff out the light of righteousness.

As we get into our study this morning, I want you to know this… When we as Christians, true followers of Christ, motivated by our love for Him… When Stand up for righteousness, even in the midst of threats and intimidation's, God will eventually honor and reward us for it…

At first we may see some negative results from the world. However, when we stay faithful to God, He will faithfully bless us for it.

This morning I want to look at some of the furnaces that we may face…

Facing the furnace of...

First of all, we may face the furnace of…

1. Sinful Wrath

look at vv. 19-21

Daniel 3:19-21 “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. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

N had a problem with sinful wrath. He had an extreme temper. Last week we saw that he was full of violent rage and now that these men have told him, to his face, that they would not bow to his statue, he is letting his wrath take control.

When we let anger and wrath take control of our actions, we will start to make irrational decisions based on our current emotions… And when we do that, we will give absolutely no regard to anyone that we may hurt in the process.

And that is exactly what N did. … … Someone said that “N was blind with rage. In fact he was so full of anger that his face became distorted.” NO one had to ask if N was angry, his face said it all…

He started to make decisions based on his wrath… He gave the command to make the…

1.1 Furnace 7 Times Hotter

The furnace was used for smelting ore. It had a large opening at the top through which fuel and vessels full of ore could be placed into the fire, and there was a door at the bottom through which the metal was taken out. An opening in a wall enabled the workers to check the progress of the melting metal and there were holes in the wall were air bellows could be placed to make the fire blaze even hotter.

Many have wondered why there was a furnace like this out by the statue… Remember that the statue was made of gold and that gold would have needed to be melted down and then formed into the image of the statue.

Just to give you an idea… Gold melts at roughly 1950 degrees Fahrenheit, Steel melts between 2500 and 3000 degrees Fahrenheit… A typical crematorium chamber is set around 1800 degrees… and if we take N request literally he is asking for a furnace temperature of around 13,000 degrees.

Now, scientist believe that the surface of the sun is around 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit… so the probability that N was able to get his furnace to 13,000 degrees is probably a stretch, but the point is, he wanted that furnace as hot as it could get… He was livid and wanted these men immediately incinerated.

Geoffrey King, in his book entitled “Daniel” says N “ought to have cooled the furnace 7 times if he wanted to hurt them; but instead of that, in his wrath, he heated it 7 times hotter”.

Also, out of his wrath… N had them …

1.2 Bound With Ropes

He employed the strongest men that could be found and he had these “mighty men of valor” bind S, M, & A with ropes.

This was completely unnecessary, as they were not trying to escape… They were trusting God to get them through this trial, either by divine intervention or dying as Martyr’s.

And then v. 21 gives us a very specific description…

Daniel 3:21 “21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

N had these men tossed in when they were…

1.3 Fully Clothed

Usually when a criminal received the death penalty, they first be stripped of all of their clothing and die in the shame of their nakedness. Here, however, the anger and wrath of N was so great, that no delay was allowed for any such purpose, and they proceeded to execute the sentence upon them just as they were… Fully Clothed… This fact would later show the Sovereign Power of God and His control over even the smallest of details.

There probably have been times and most likely will be more times that we will face the furnace of Sinful Wrath. Whether it is someones wrath against us, or our own wrath against someone else.

In both scenarios we have to respond in Christ like manner… Remember…

Proverbs 14:29 NASB95

29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 NASB95

9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

James 1:19–20 NASB95

19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

N was definitely not achieving the righteousness of God as he reacted in sinful wrath…

Secondly, we may face the furnace of…

2. Life’s Fiery Trials

Daniel 3:22-23 “22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

These guys are literally facing a fiery furnace, a fiery trial… and again, we may not have to face a literal fiery furnace, but we will have our fair share of fiery trials.

Marriage trials, family trials, work trials, retirement trials, financial trials, friendship trials, health trials… you fill in the blank…

It is so easy, when we are going through a trial, to focus completely on that trial and it how it is negatively affecting us… However, we seldom realize, admit or maybe, at the time, we don’t even care… how our trials have an…

2.1 Affect on Others

This point could be made about our struggle with anger or wrath as well… N, being controlled by his own sinful wrath wanted men to burn that day… and some did… just not the ones that he was hoping for.

N chose his strongest men to throw S, M and A into the furnace and it was these “Mighty Men of Valor” that ended up losing their lives… A trial that was meant to claim the lives of S, M, and A… instead took the lives of some men that were just doing what there boss told them to do.

Our personal trials can have a negative affect on others. We get so drug down by whatever it is that we are going through and we start taking it out on other people… which in turn may cause even more trials…

Maybe it starts as a work trial, that turns into a financial trail, that turns into a marriage trial, which turns into a family trial, and then a friendship trial… and down the rabbit hole we go…

But here’s the thing… our trials don’t have to affect others in a negative way… we can use our trials to help others… we can use our trials to strengthen our marriage relationships, our family relationships, our financial situations…

You see… Life’s fiery trails…

2.2 Require A Proper Response

James 1:2 NASB95

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4 NASB95

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Paul also said this in Philippians 1:12-14

Philippians 1:12–14 NASB95

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Hear is an interesting response to a trial… Again, involving Paul… He was arrested several times throughout his missionary journey’s, but his first recorded imprisonment was when he was in Philippi with Silas.

They were beaten, arrested, locked in stocks and chains and put into the inner room of the prison…

How did they respond?? … Acts 16:25

Acts 16:25 NASB95

25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

It is traditionally believed that the version of Scripture that Paul used for his studies and his preaching, was the Septuagint. The Septuagint was the Old Testament, Hebrew Scriptures that had been translated into the Greek language.

Paul would have known and studied the same account of S, M and A, that we are studying today, however, in the Septuagint, and some other early Christian writings, it is recorded that S, M, and A, were singing a hymn of praise as they were in the fiery furnace.

Here is what I don’t want you to miss… S, M and A, had a faithful attitude throughout this whole situation… throughout this whole trial their only desire was to glorify God… and when we have the proper response to our personal fiery trials of life… Guess what…

2.3 God Reveals Himself

Daniel 3:24-25 “24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I 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.” (actually better translated as “like a god” or “the son of the gods”)”

When N looked into the furnace, he saw several things that caused him to jump to his feet…

He saw four in the fire, not just 3

None of them were securely bound any more

They were all walking in the fire as if it was enjoyable

They were not burning, despite the fact that the temperature had been turned up.

and the 4th person looked as if he was a god.

There is about who this fourth person was, but I wholeheartedly believe that it was Jesus Himself… We know the preincarnate Christ did appear to individuals in the Old Testament… and I believe this to be one of those times.

God revealed Himself to S, M and A… and through their trial, He revealed Himself to N…

Did you know that God could be allowing you to go through a trial in order to reveal Himself to you and/or to others??…

Pastor Thompson makes this statement in his notes… “People have the greatest potential of seeing God in us when we are going through the fires of trouble”

This goes along with the next point on your outline…

We need to have faith as we are facing the furnace of…

3. Worldly Examination

Daniel 3:26-27 “26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.”

N told S, m and A to come out of the fire… it was obvious that he wasn’t planning to go in after them… …

He acknowledges them as servants of “The Most High God”, which was his attitude 20 years prior to this, when his dream was revealed and interpreted.

Then all of the high ranking people examined them and upon that examination they found… All the fire did is burn away the things that had them bound.

The Lord used the fire to loosen these men from the ropes that held them…

Now there is a lesson that we can learn...

When the fires of persecution and affliction come into your life, you need to remember this… It is very possible that The Lord is trying to free you from some of the things that have had you bound in your life.

And as the flames burn away the ropes of nasty sins, bad attitudes, bad habits, etc, you will find that you are freer as you come out of the fire, than what you were when you went in.

And when that happens… remember…

3.1 Don’t Be Prideful

These men didn’t stand at the door of this furnace and taunt the crowd that was watching… “Hey, come on in, the temperature is just right!”… and when they came out of the furnace, they didn’t say “na, na, na, na, na,… can’t touch this!”…

When we are faced with a worldly examination… we need to make sure that…

3.2 All Glory Goes To God

Daniel 3:28-29 “28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

God is to receive all the glory… I don’t think that N quite understood that. Yes, he made a decree that no-one could speak against God and he said that “there is no other God who can deliver like this”… but that is not a pronouncement of only One God, N just knows that the gods he worships could not do what our God did.

If we give God all the glory and remain faithful to him, no matter our circumstances, and especially through times of facing different furnaces, then we will end up gaining and not losing…

v.30 “Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.””

Closing:

Quite Often, these fiery trials seem like the worst possible thing that can happen in our lives… … But, it can prove to be the best thing we have ever experienced.

The fire has the power to set us free from the things that bind us and hinder or walk with the Lord.

These trials may give us an opportunity to see God in a way that we may not see under any other circumstances.

These trials may give others an opportunity to see God through us.

I hope the Lord has been speaking to you through this 3rd chapter of Daniel. I also hope that the familiarity of this account hasn’t hindered you from learning something new…

I want us to always remember that no matter how difficult the situation may seem; no matter how bad the circumstances get... no matter how hot the furnace of this world may be..., when we remain faithful to God, He will never abandons us.

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

When we remain faithful to God, He is there to keep us from the flames. Lets us therefore always seek to strengthen our faith and seek to stand firm in His word. Let’s always seek to have the same “Faith through the Furnace” that these three young men demonstrated, and trust absolutely in the One and Only, Almighty, Sovereign God.

Prayer:

Help us to trust in you as we face the furnaces of life…

Sinful Wrath

Fiery Trials

and Worldly examinations…

May we honor you through it ALL…

Jesus Name…

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