Commemoration of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah | Aug 22

It was during the time of the Babylonian captivity, Daniel and three fellow Hebrews, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were chosen to enter the king’s service because they were “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified…” (Daniel 1: 4). The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar (bel is my judge); to Hananiah, Shadrach (illuminated by the sun god); to Mishael, Meshach (who is like Venus); and to Azariah, Abednego (the worshipper of Nego).

An amazing story of these three young Hebrew men Hananiah (God is gracious), Mishael (Who is like God), Azariah (The LORD is my helper), who grew wise and respected as high appointed officials in Babylon. Other Babylonian officials who were jealous of them and were able to get King Nebuchadnezzar to command that all people bow down to a golden statue. When the three men refused to bow down and worship the idol and god of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fiery furnace which was heated seven times hotter than normal.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and cast into the furnace, they began to lift their voices in praise and prayer, to God. When King Nebuchadnezzar, looked into the fire, he saw four men walking around in the furnace unharmed – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and the Son of God.

Nebuchadnezzar was astonished that the fire did not consume Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He was even more amazed when he saw not three, but a fourth person with them: “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” King Nebuchadnezzar brought the young men out of the flames, promoted them to a higher office, and decreed that the God of Israel be worshipped.

The three men, who held on to their belief and faith in the One True God, even when threatened with a fiery death and defied the mighty king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Recorded in the book of Daniel Chapter 3, the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego provides believers today with strong and lasting lessons. What strong strength of body and mind these men had in their faith and belief in God!

For their refusal to obey the king’s decree and refusal to worship the golden statue the king himself had set up. The penalty for their actions was death. Their response to the king was profound. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve will save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Dan. 3:15-18).

Their unswerving conviction of the God of the Bible, their confidence in the God who is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do, and their faith as revealed by their reliance upon the only One who had the power to deliver them from evil. Their faith delivered them from the evil and brought the mighty king of Babylon to recognize his Lordship over heaven and earth. They were persuaded and pressurised, but they held firmly to the promise of God, and God protected them. Let us pray not to remove the fire, but to ask Jesus to give us the strength and to deliver us from the fires in life.

Their acknowledgment of God over the world’s most powerful king resulted in God’s supreme power being revealed to unbelievers. Their faith demonstrates that God is able to deliver us from our own problems and trials. However, we also know that God may allow trials and difficulties in our lives to build our character, strengthen our faith, or for other reasons unknown to us. We may not always understand the purpose of our trials, but God simply asks that we trust Him—even when it is not easy. Job, who endured incredible pain, almost insurmountable agony, and suffering, was still able to say, “Though He may slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13: 15).

God is able, as we see in the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, (Daniel 6).  Daniel, one of the beloved in all Scripture, a prophet of the True and Living God. King Darius, is forced to put Daniel into a den of lions where he would be torn to pieces, says to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you” (Dan. 6: 16). God does indeed rescue Daniel, sending His angel to shut the mouths of the lions, so they do not harm him. Daniel is removed from the lions’ den the next day, unscathed, “no wound was found on him, because he had trusted his God” (Dan. 6: 23). For only by faith in such a God could any man have “shut the mouths of lions” (Heb. 11: 33). God is sovereign and omnipotent, and His will permeates and supersedes every aspect of our life. It is God’s will that takes precedence over everything and everyone. Daniel’s faith, and the faithfulness in the power of God, an entire nation came to know and revere the Lord. “For He is the Living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end.” King Darius too, recognized the power of the God of Daniel, turned to Him in faith, and commanded the people of his kingdom to worship God (Dan. 6: 25–27).