Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18
The king calls the three Jewish rebels before him. He will see if they dare defy him when they have to look him in the eye. He asks them if it was true that they refuse his decree. That kind of direct intimidation caused Peter to deny the Lord three times. How will these three young men respond when their lives are on the line?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king The young men are given a choice and their reply is instantaneous. No additional thinking is required.
O Nebuchadnezzar They address the king respectfully. He has the right to do as he pleases. They don’t complain about him being unfair or remind him of how Daniel and they told him his dream in his time of need.
We have no need to answer you in this matter They tell the king there is no need to think their answer over. They made a commitment to God and they will not reconsider or change it.
If this be so They then give the king a quick summary of what they know to be true. They realize their penalty for not bowing to the golden image is the fiery furnace.
Our God whom we serve They place their God at the forefront. The God they serve (fear, revere, worship) is not the image on the plain of
Dura. They make it clear they serve a God who is alive. He is not a wooden statute on the plain of Dura who can do nothing. He is in control of the affairs of men.
Is able to deliver us They then discuss God’s power. Nebuchadnezzar challenges the power of their God. He said no God could protect them. They tell the king that they know their God’s strength – He is able.
From the burning fiery furnace God is fully capable of keeping them from the fiery furnace that Nebuchadnezzar constructed. Note they say “from” the fiery furnace. God is so powerful He can keep them from even entering the furnace if it is His will. Their God is greater than the king.
He will deliver us out of your hand, O king They use the same word for deliver that the king did. He asked them who could deliver them
out of his hand and their answer is ”our God” can.
But if not, be it known to you Now the three boys finish with a statement that likely stuns the king. If their God chooses not to deliver them out of the king’s hand (He is sovereign, you know!) and if He desires them to go into the fiery furnace, the king should know something important.
O king, that we will not serve your gods The men make it clear that under no circumstances will they change their minds. There is nothing
the king can do, threaten or offer to make them worship (pay reverence to) anything or anyone other than the Lord God of Israel.
Or worship the golden image that you have set up The word worship is first used in Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar worships and pays homage to Daniel after he interpreted his dream. For Nebuchadnezzar worshipping any and everything is not a problem. He bases his worship on feelings and sight. The young men based their worship on the truth of God’s word and faith in His will.
What can we learn? There are lines that believers in Jesus Christ do not cross if they want to remain faithful. The first line that is uncrossable is who we serve and worship. These young men make that clear. This is the kind of decision each of us must take early in our lives and then be prepared to stand by our commitment no matter the fear and terror Satan might throw at us (and he will). The God who these three men serve is able to deliver them and if He chooses not to, then let it be known to all that they will not deny Him and worship another. The boy’s commitment to God is tested, and they are found faithful. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” God is pleased! Et tu?