Posted on 06/17/2018 5:11:20 PM PDT by metmom
“Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire” (Daniel 3:19-20).
Persecution is the world’s futile attempt to silence the voice of godly integrity.
King Nebuchadnezzar was a brilliant and powerful man who had built an enormous empire by bringing entire nations under his control. Yet when three youths refused to compromise their devotion to God, he lost rational control and flew into such an intense rage that his face became visibly distorted.
Wanting to vent his wrath upon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. You might expect him to have turned the fire down, thereby punishing them more severely by prolonging their pain. But the king was reacting emotionally, not logically, which often is the case when sinful people are confronted by righteousness.
We see the same pattern throughout Scripture. For example, King Herod’s wife hated John the Baptist and had him beheaded for confronting her sinful marriage to the king (Mark 6:19 ff.). Those who couldn’t cope with the wisdom and spirit of Stephen stirred up the Jews against him, which eventually led to his death by stoning (Acts 6:9 ff.). The Old Testament prophets and the Lord Himself were killed by those who were hostile to God. Similarly, the Thessalonian and Judean Christians endured angry persecution from their own countrymen (1 Thess. 2:14-15).
The opposition we face today may be more subtle, but it all has its source in Satan, who “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). So don’t be surprised if subtle opposition suddenly erupts into murderous wrath. But be encouraged, knowing that even when it does, it can never thwart God’s plans or overcome His sustaining grace.
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray for boldness to speak the truth in love and never to fear the world’s reaction.
For Further Study
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10.
Why does God allow Christians to suffer persecution? When and how will God deal with those who persecute His children?
Studying God’s Word ping
Just curious, how could they tell the furnace was seven times hotter? In a typical furnace, there would be a peak temperature. In an air introduced furnace, there could be three recognized temperatures, of black, orange red, and white, based on a piece of iron within.
But the other four temperatures would be difficult to determine. Perhaps an estimate based on the amount of fuel used.
Well, that was his order.
Whether they achieved it or not is another matter.
Actually, I think it is an interesting historical note, that at the time they *might* have had some means of making seven different measures of the heat of a furnace. This would have been very important depending on the purpose of the furnace, say melting metal, turning sand into glass (”through a glass, darkly”, as they could only produce tinted, semi-transparent glass at the time), or hardening or glazing brick or pottery.
Whether they achieved it or not is another matter.
Kind of like when I told my son that he was "grounded forever." It sounded pretty good, but it did not happen.
Yes yes
As does the truth get persecuted
Until it wins
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