Today’s Reading:
Daniel 3:19-30 (vv. 26-29)
“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “I see four men, unbound walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth Looks like a god!” 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out here! So, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. …. Not a hair of their head, was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They did not even smell of smoke! 28then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defiled the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this.” (vv. 26-29 NLT)
Nebuchadnezzar II who conquered Judah, was the most powerful and influential Babylonian king during a time that Babylon had great authority and fame and control in the ancient Near East. At this time Babylon was the center of civilization, excelling in building magnificent hanging gardens and is named among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. They also constructed massive temple to honour their god Marduk, a huge palaces and public buildings along the banks of the Euphrates. They also build two great walls around the city and nine gates of the inner wall. The imposing gate built for their goddess of fertility and war, Ishtar was said to have been built with bright blue bricks with a sparkling effect like jewels in the sunlight. The walls featured ornate decorations with large reliefs of dragons and bulls. The gate and part of the walls were excavated and rebuilt in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum in the nineteen century.
We serve a mighty and sovereign God. But unfortunately, most people have this erroneous idea that whatever the result of their challenges – whether victory, triumph; or loss or tragedy, or being protected or divinely delivered, the Sovereignty of God is upheld. But when they suffer incredible defeat or loss, they have to hide themselves in shame so that people will not ask where their God is. Well, whether in suffering or pain or victorious, God Yeshurun, is Sovereign over all his creation. A good example is the story of Job. God gave Job all he had initially and in order to showcase his supremacy of all, He allow Satan to deal blows on Job and took away all he had. Whereas the same Sovereign God blessed and restored more than he Job initially had (Job 1:12; 42:12-16). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the royal and noble young men without blemish and handsome in appearance, skilful in all wisdom, endowed with intelligence and discernment and quick to understand, competent to stand in the presence of king Nebuchadnezzar during the siege of Jerusalem, who were brought to serve in the king’s court (5:1-3; 2Kg 20:17-18; 2Chr 36:5-7; Jer. 27:19-20). They were afflicted in their resolved commitment to God Yahweh. Because they refused to worship the golden image Nebuchadnezzar place for people in his domain to worship, they were cast into the fiery furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than usual (v. 19). The king was surprised to see a fourth man - like the “Son of God" - with them (v. 25). Not only did they come out of the fire unhurt, not a hair on their body was singed and they did not smell of smoke.
Believing in a Sovereign God does not always make things turn out the way we desire. Paul told us that the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for all believers in harmony with Gods’ purposes for us. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose for them (Rom. 8:28). He has not promised us that everything will be rosy. In loss or victory, in triumph or tragedy, and in good health or in pain, God is Sovereign. And we are called and admonished to remain His faithful and obedient people.
Just as God was with these three young Hebrew men in their affliction, He will be with us in whatever situation we may face in life if we wholly trust in him. Also, this is the type of attitude we should have towards anything that would pressurise us into disobeying what we know to be true of the command and will of God for us. We should, therefore, pray for this type of trust, courage, firmness, and faith in our lives.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Passover blood of Jesus, covenant blood of Jesus, overshadow my life, family, and environment, in Jesus name.
Father, increase the power and strength of the ministration of Your words amongst your people, in Jesus name.
Father, let your kingdom come, let the rule of Christ begin, and break with Your iron rod the tyrannies of sin and wickedness in all forms, in Jesus name.
All principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places militating against this nation, be bound, and be disgraced by the power in the blood of Jesus, in Jesus name.
Father, let Your promised rain of blessings fall on all nations, and release your harvest of seasons refreshing, in Jesus name.
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