In The Details

Dan.3:²⁷ “Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!”

The Bible included such detailed description of the men after they emerged from the fire to show us that God is the total deliverer. In Daniel 3:1-7 [please read], Nebuchadnezzar requiring his leadership to bow down before the golden statue was strategic. The underlying reason can be traced back to Daniel 2 [please read]. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a huge statue; the head was gold, the breast was bronze, the thighs were iron, the leg was mixture of iron and clay. Then a rock that was hewed [carved], was released from heaven. It crushed the statue at the leg, the whole statue crumbled and was scattered. The rock grew big enough to fill the whole earth.

Daniel interpreted the dream thus; the gold part was Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, after him will be a weaker kingdom – silver, then bronze, then iron, then a mixture of the iron and the clay. The iron and clay will try to intermarry and try to form alliances, but it will not stand. But the Kingdom of God will be released, it will crush it, and God’s Kingdom will fill the whole earth [talking about the church]. On the back drop of that, Nebuchadnezzar setting up the golden statue was a direct act of rebellion against God. He made everything gold and then gave a command that the people that can cause the rebellion and form subsequent kingdoms [his leaders], come and bow. It shows you why he was so enraged at the three boys. He probably thought, “So, these are the traitors?”

Do you think the three young men expected to be saved from the fire? Their statement shows that they did not expect to be saved. They knew God was capable, but they also knew that God is sovereign. God has His own mind; His own agenda and He can choose to save or not to save. This is a part of God many Christians do not get. God is not only able, God can choose not to, and it has nothing to do with having faith. God can choose to move the mountain now or at a different time. He is God! Although following Christ can be difficult, but it is immeasurably easier with the help of others who also love God and want to do His will. It always helps to have people of like minds pulling in the same direction. If you are struggling in your Christian walk, check the people around you. Who you talk to when something is burning in your heart usually determines how far you rise [that is, if you rise at all] or if you fall. This is so important to the fulfillment of destiny.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I lay my life before You, take away every relationship that is not in God’s plan and orchestrate the relationships that will accelerate Your plan, in Jesus Name. Amen!