RESOLVED

TO IN GOD’S RESCUE AND SERVE HIM ALONE

Before reading about the golden image and the fiery furnace, take a moment to still your heart before the Lord and ask Him to open your eyes that you may see wonderful things in His Word! (Psalm 119:18)

DAY 1 The Fiery Trial

Read Daniel 3

Daniel and his friends had been promoted to leading positions in the government of Babylonian Empire after the dream episode recorded in chapter 2. Surely now they would be in a place of protection and security. Instead, they quickly encounter another life-threatening crisis triggered by the deadly combination of a pagan environment and an egocentric, unpredictable despot. Daniel, who thus far has been the group’s courageous spokesman for the Lord before King Nebuchadnezzar, is absent for some reason, so the weight of this trial falls on his three friends – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. (Community Bible Study, page 40)

1. Let’s begin by asking the five W and H questions in this fascinating account. Who are the characters? (There is a repeated list of those summoned. Look in a dictionary to distinguish some of these titles. How would you describe those gathered?)

What happened in this account?

When did these events occur?

Where did this happen?

Why did this happen?

How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego respond to this trial?

How did God work in this situation?

In this first reading of this account, what stands out to you?

2. We’ve already seen that these young men were firmly rooted in God’s Law. Read through the first part of the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20:1-6 or Deuteronomy 5:6-10. How would worshipping the golden image have violated their convictions? What are some ways people today are guilty of practicing idolatry? What is so appealing about idol worship?

3. If you had been in their shoes, how would you have responded to this command to worship the golden idol? What are examples of dangers we might face today that would require courage like that shown by Daniel’s friends?

Day 2

The Most High God

1. Go back through the narrative and list everything you observe about God.

2. King Nebuchadnezzar used a title that expressed God’s universal authority, the Most High God. What does his use of this title reveal about what he believed about God at this point? (Daniel 3:25-29)

3. This name of God in Hebrew is, El Elyon, the Supreme, Highest, Most High. Look up the following cross-references. What else do you observe about God Most High?

4. Daniel 2 & 3 contrasted what the gods of Nebuchadnezzar were not able to do with what God was able to do. Look for these contrasts? What is God able to do? What is God able to do for you?

DAY 3 Trust in God’s Rescue

Read again Daniel 3:16-30

1. What was the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to this trial? What did their words reveal about their trust in God?

2. What are some ways the young men could have compromised? What might they have said or done to squirm out of their problem?

3. How were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego men of faith but not men of presumption? How do we act in a like manner?

4. Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “Faith Hall of Fame.” Read Hebrews 11:1-3, 6, and 32-40 (If you have time, read the whole chapter!) Most scholars believe verse 34 refers to the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in this fiery trial. Verse 35 says, “there were others” who weren’t rescued…but they were all commended for their faith. According to these verses how would you describe the characteristics of faith?

5. What do you observe about this fourth person in the fire? After looking in the text, read Isaiah 43:2-3 to expand your understanding. What promise do we have from God in the midst of every difficult situation in life?

6. How does one grow in resolve to trust in God’s rescue and serve Him alone?

When Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone in Babylon to worship a pagan image, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faced with a decision: Would they remain faithful to God, or would they compromise their convictions? Even under threat of death, these three men were resolved to trust in God alone to rescue them from their circumstances.

The Faith I Believe

• In 1 Peter 4:12, Peter writes, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” We may not face a fiery furnace, but Peter’s words remind us that we will face “fiery ordeals.” What fiery ordeals (trials) are you facing? What truths from this week’s passage can help you as you endure these trials? (See also 1 Peter 2:18-20 and 2 Peter 2:4-10).

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in God’s ability to deliver them from the fiery furnace. Furthermore, these men were resolved to trust in God’s character even if He chose not to rescue them!

God is always able to rescue, although He may only do so in the life to come. This means that although some of our prayers for healing, restoration, and resolution will not be answered here on earth, they will be finally and fully answered in heaven. For now, though our circumstances may change, we can trust in the character of an unchanging God who is sovereign over our circumstances.

Make a list of the attributes of God that provide hope and encouragement in times of trial. Spend time praising God for these attributes, acknowledging His goodness in the midst of life’s storms.