The biblical story of three Jewish lads—Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah—and their friend, Daniel, begins with the four of them being taken captive from their homes in Jerusalem in 605 B.C. during a siege by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. All four were intelligent, good-looking young men at the time of their capture, and they were likely of the royal family or nobility of Judah (Daniel 1:3-4).
Unlike most victorious kings, who typically only allowed people of their own ethnicity to rule while enslaving all subjugated peoples, King Nebuchadnezzar determined to train for governmental service those with the best minds among the people within his kingdom, regardless of their race. On this basis, Daniel and his three friends were selected by Ashpenaz, the chief court official, for a three-year program in which they would be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians.
One of the first things that happened to these four young men was the changing of their names (verse 7). As Matthew Henry notes in his commentary, “Their Hebrew names, which they received at their circumcision, had something of God, or Jah, in them: Daniel—God is my Judge; Hananiah—The grace of the Lord; Mishael—He that is the strong God; Azariah—The Lord is a help. To make them forget the God of their fathers, the guide of their youth, they give them names that savour of the Chaldean idolatry. Belteshazzar signifies the keeper of the hidden treasures of Bel; Shadrach—The inspiration of the sun, which the Chaldeans worshipped; Meshach—Of the goddess Shach, under which name Venus was worshipped; Abed-nego, The servant of the shining fire, which they worshipped also” (comments on Daniel 1:1-7).
While there were others in this training program (verses 10, 19), Daniel and his three friends soon stood out because of the food and drink they wished to consume. Although Daniel was apparently the first to resist the king’s food and drink (verse 8), Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego are soon shown to have the same mind-set (verse 10).
While we aren’t told specifically why Daniel didn’t want to “defile” himself with the king’s provisions (verse 8), it was likely because the king’s food may have included the meat of animals that God said were not to be eaten (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14), or it could have included some animal fat, which God said was not to be eaten either (Leviticus 7:23). As to why Daniel and his friends would have refused wine, which was permitted by God to be consumed in moderation, it could have been because part of the wine may have been used as a drink offering to a heathen deity (Soncino Commentary).
Although the Babylonian overseer was reluctant to grant these four men’s request to not eat the king’s daily provision for them, he granted them a 10-day trial on the food and drink they proposed. Because they appeared healthy at the end of this test period, they were allowed to eat the diet of vegetables and water that they had requested (verses 12, 16).
There is an important lesson to be found in this first documented test of these young men’s faith. It would have been relatively easy for them to have reasoned that since they were now captives in a foreign land, they should just go along with the king’s program instead of trying to retain the standards of conduct they had followed while in Jerusalem. But they didn’t abandon their faith. Real faith means obeying God even under difficult circumstances. As we will soon see, this relatively small test of faith laid the foundation for more difficult ones that would soon follow.
At the end of the three-year program, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had their oral exams before King Nebuchadnezzar. Based upon these interviews, the king considered them the brightest and most capable among all his wise men, and they entered into the service of the king (verses 18-20).
There is an important lesson we find in this first documented test of the faith of these young people. It might have been relatively easy to reason that since they were now captives in a strange land, they should only submit to the king's program instead of trying to retain the standards of conduct they had followed while in Jerusalem. But they did not abandon their faith. Real faith means obeying God even in difficult circumstances. As we will soon see, this relatively small test of faith laid the foundations for the most difficult ones that would soon come.
At the end of the three-year program, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had their oral exams in front of King Nebuchadnezzar. According to these interviews, the king would consider them as the brightest and most capable among all his wise men, and they entered into his service (verses 18-20).
The second chapter of Daniel records a serious event in the midst of the Babylonian system of government, which endangered the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. The king had a dream that left him very disturbed and very anxious to know its meaning (Daniel 2: 1, 3). So he called his magicians, sages and counselors to interpret his dream (vv 2-3).
To make the situation even more dangerous, the king said he was not going to tell his dream to those he had called to be interpreted. He demanded that they tell him his dream and interpret it, with the threat of being destroyed if they did not do so (verses 4-9). Of course, the king's magicians and sages could not meet this requirement. As a result, the king commanded that they "kill all the wise men of Babylon," which included Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (v. 12).
Faced with this situation, Daniel asked the king to give him time to fulfill what he asked for. Daniel then "made known what was to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they should ask for mercy from the God of heaven on this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions would not perish with the other wise men of Babylon" (vv. 17-18).
God then revealed the secret to Daniel in a night vision (verse 19). The king's dream showed the four empires that would rule the world, followed by the "Kingdom of God," which is meant to replace all human governments. If you want an additional study of God's dreams, visions and messages, see the article "the interpretation of dreams".
After revealing the king's dream and its interpretation, Daniel was promoted within the empire. After receiving his reward, Daniel "requested of the king, and obtained that he put over the affairs of the province of Babylon to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; and Daniel was in the king's court "(verse 49).
The king angrily demanded that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego should kneel in front of his statue. If they did not do it, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. Those initial tests of faith, prepared Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego for the test that we would later know better.
In the third chapter of Daniel we find the third great test for Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. While the other two previous incidents included his friend Daniel, he is not included in it. The writing does not say why Daniel is not mentioned. The implication is that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego faced this test without Daniel's endorsement and advice.
This test had to do with the adoration of the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had built in the Dura plain. The king's order was that all his subjects should prostrate themselves before this statue. Anyone who did not do so would be thrown into the fiery furnace (vv 5-6).
As Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego would not break the Second Commandment in any way for worshiping this statue, Babylonian officials reported the lack of obedience of these men (verses 8-12). The king then peremptorily demanded that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego kneel before his idol. If they did not do it, they would be thrown into the furnace of fire.
Remaining them, the king said to them: "And what god is he that will deliver you from my hands?" (V. 15).
The three men responded to King Nebuchadnezzar: "It is not necessary that we answer you on this matter. Behold, our God whom we serve can free us from the burning fiery furnace; and from your hand, O king, will deliver us. And if not, you know, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the statue that you have set up "(verses 16-18).
Furious at his answer, the king caused the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and ordered some of his strongest men to tie these disobedient people and throw them into the flames (vv 19-20). But soon, strange things started to happen.
While the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego into the furnace were killed by the flames, the fire only consumed the bonds of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. The three men miraculously stood up and walked in the middle of the fire without suffering any damage.
King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished at what he saw. Not only were the three young Jews in the midst of the furnace walking and suffering no harm, but the king also saw a fourth person whose appearance was as "son of the gods," or a divine being, also walking in the fire (v. 25). This fourth person could have been the manifestation of the being who later became Jesus Christ.
Seeing the miraculous protection of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, the king called them out of the furnace and made a decree so that no one would say "Blasphemy against God" which had saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego (vv. 26, 29).
While Daniel 1:21 tells us that Daniel continued to serve in the Babylonian court until Cyrus, the first ruler of the Medo-Persian empire, came to power, the Bible doesn’t tell us what happened to Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego after they survived being thrown into King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. The biblical record covering these three men’s lives ends in Daniel 3.
However, Hebrews 11, which documents examples of many Old Testament people of faith, includes what appears to be a reference to these three. While their names are not specifically mentioned, verse 34 speaks of people who “quenched the violence of fire.” Whether this is who the author of the book of Hebrews had in mind or not, the three recorded tests of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego provide the following valuable lessons in faith for us today:
• To have faith to obey God in big trials, we need to prepare in advance by being obedient in lesser trials. Life’s challenges sometimes escalate in intensity and potential consequences. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego’s decision to not defile themselves with the king’s food and drink seems to have been a test of obedience that prepared them to be faithful when the stakes were much higher. It is important for us to be faithful now in preparation for trials that may come in the future.
• Tests of faith often focus on resisting the world’s influence. Even though Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego faced intense pressure to conform to Babylonian customs, they refused to disobey God. Christians today are likewise admonished to not be of the world (John 15:19; 17:15). God’s call to His people throughout the ages is to come out of the world (Acts 2:40; Revelation 18:4).
• Our tests of faith will ultimately determine whether we will receive eternal life. The physical lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were on the line in at least two of the three tests they faced. In the bigger picture, our spiritual lives are on the line. What we do with the knowledge God reveals to us will determine whether we will live forever with Christ and God the Father in the Kingdom of God or cease to exist.
As you can see this story, they are lessons that give examples of the infinite faith towards God, which allows you to do things that seem impossible but are real. With this I want to highlight, my esteemed companions of Steemit, that solidarity, union and faith gives us: security, confidence and success in what we do and undertake, nowadays all this is being lost, since, I have seen a lot of selfishness, greed, envy, distrust, disunity, among family members, friends, work colleagues, classmates, etc. , causing great desolation and emptiness in our society. What sadness gives me all this, because instead of getting closer to God they move away from him more, as they want to be happy, successful, appreciated and great if they have abandoned the root of their being and existence. Hence the image that starts my post, which, was designed with images that aims to show the tears that our Lord, sheds as a sign to the decline that every day breaks the bonds of brotherhood among all of us, and has his hands open , telling us that he is always there, to support us, give us love, protect us and unite those bonds of love and friendship that are being lost.
Let us appreciate and practice every day more: friendship, family union, solidarity, tolerance, humility, compassion, understanding, cooperation, sharing, love.
Thank you for your attention and I just hope you enjoyed the story of people who inspire admiration for their great faith and trust in God.
