Daniel: Remembering Who's King in the Chaosનમૂનો

Unbound & Unharmed

Three verses after King Nebuchadnezzar proclaims that Yahweh is the “God of gods”, he succumbs to idolatry and builds a giant statue for everyone to worship. Nice move, dude. Nebuchadnezzar demands that everyone bow down and worship the idol, but three faithful friends of Daniel refuse because their undying devotion belongs to Yahweh. Their blatant rebellion stirs up rage within the king and he threatens to have the men thrown into an incredibly hot furnace. The men refuse once more by essentially saying, “Go ahead and throw us in the fire. Our God can and will save us! Even if he doesn’t, we won’t worship your idol.” This moment of bold obedience leads Nebuchadnezzar to crank the heat on the furnace and have the men thrown in. Much to the king’s surprise, these three faithful men are rescued from the fire. They are able to walk out of the furnace “unbound and unharmed”. God’s power is put on full display. That’s what happens when God’s people are obedient even when it doesn’t make sense; even when it’s risky. This story prompts us to demonstrate bold obedience in our own lives. It may look like accepting a lower paying job, working fewer hours, and volunteering more, trusting that God will provide for your needs. It may be as small as stepping out of your comfort zone and finding a way to talk to your next door neighbor even though it makes the most sense to mind your own business and avoid any potential awkwardness. Our bold obedience creates more space for God’s power to be put on display