Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.” Daniel 3:28
People today claim if God would just do a miracle they would
believe. Scripture gives us example after example to show that is not true. In Egypt Pharaoh saw God do multiple miracles. Instead of belief Pharoah hardened his heart. Balaam shows us the same thing. God causes his donkey to carry on a conversation with him. Balaam
thought God was special and powerful but his heart he rejected God. After God miraculously protected Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael though the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar is confronted with what he just witnessed – God is greater than him (he built the furnace) or his idol (god of fire). The king cannot, does not, deny what
God has just done. He is impressed with God’s power but the knowledge is academic – watch his reaction.
Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Nebuchadnezzar gives glory to God, but he recognizes that this great God is not his God. He is the God of these three brave men who went through the furnace. The miracle does not convict his heart, he sees no need to worship the true and living God.
Who has sent his angel The king recognizes God’s authority – He has the right to command angels. Remember that the One in the furnace is not really an angel, He is the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar
recognizes the authority of God but but he does not recognize that it pertains to him.
Delivered his servants Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the power of God to defeat him and the mightiest threat (the furnace)he could create. Yet God’s protection does not convict his heart.
Who trusted in him Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that God honors faith in Him. He saw the three men take their stand based on their belief in who God is. There were no sacrifices or offering of gifts, their
settled trust in the character of their God (no matter how He responded). They had faith, not him.
And set aside the king’s command Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that God’s law is higher than his law. When the king’s commands are in conflict with God’s law the king’s decree is invalidated (the word set aside means to change, violate or alter). He sees the men obey God not him.
And yielded up their bodies Nebuchadnezzar realizes the God of these three men requires full surrender to His will. (Perhaps this is the
reason he is not drawn to God at this point. He is not ready to surrender to anyone but himself).
Rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Nebuchadnezzar understands this God requires exclusive allegiance to Himself alone. This God will not accept being one of many gods a person worships. He alone is the one true God and all others must be rejected.
What can we learn? Nebuchadnezzar witnessed Romans 12:1-2 lived out in front of him. He witnesses faith that pleases God and moves God’s heart. Having seen this miracle the king learned much about the God of Israel. His knowledge of God is much greater than many today. God allowed this test in the lives of Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael in order to reach the heart of the king who is confronted with something he finds hard to understand – a faith that is willing to give up everything and anything to worship a God these men cannot see.
Despite all Nebuchadnezzar learned about God this day, he does not know God personally. His heart is not convicted of his sin nor is he humbled even of His sin before a holy God. He knows about God but he does not know God. God is not through working in King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart however. He allowed this test and miracle as a way to draw the king to Himself but Nebuchadnezzar is not there yet. At this point he is like many who will stand in front of the Lord
and tell Him they knew Him only to hear His words, ”Depart from me, I never knew you”. Those are the saddest and last words many unbelievers will ever hear because miracles do not change their hearts. Only realization of their sin before a holy God will do that.