October 14, 2021
What does it say?
Daniel’s friends refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and were thrown into the fiery furnace. God was with them and protected and delivered them.
What does it mean?
In an amazing display of courageous faith, Daniel’s friends chose obedience to God in the face of imminent death. These Jewish exiles must have felt political and religious pressure to bow to the king’s image. Their refusal to submit led to experiencing the companionship of their powerful God in a way they never could have imagined. As a result, all the Babylonian empire heard that the God of the Jews is more powerful than any authority. The prophetic significance of this event pictures a future time when a Gentile ruler will put to death any who refuse to worship him during the Tribulation.
How should I respond?
There are times when obeying God is more important than life itself. God is with you when you are called to suffer because you choose to please Him. When you suffer for honoring God and doing what is right, He may allow you to go through the trial or deliver you from the consequences. Either way, you will have the opportunity to expe- rience His companionship in suffering with an awareness of the Lord’s close presence that is seldom experienced any other way. What change in your behavior would reveal a personal belief that obedience is necessary regardless of the consequences?