Daniel 3:26-30. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are in the fiery furnace into which Nebuchadnezzar has thrown them for refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol. God has sent an angel to protect them in the furnace, so they are completely unharmed, walking around in the furnace singing hymns of praise to God. Nebuchadnezzar is astounded when he sees four figures walking around in the furnace. He goes near to the door of the furnace and calls out "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come forth and come here!" The three men leave the furnace and stand before the king. Everyone is amazed to see them completely unharmed and Nebuchadnezzar declares "Blessed be the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him." Nebuchadnezzar declares further that "any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."

This chapter in Daniel started out with Nebuchadnezzar making a golden idol that he calls all of Babylon to worship, but by the end of the story he is proclaiming the God of Israel as the Most High God! All because these three Jewish exiles, who had risen far in the king's court, refused to bow down and worship a false god. Nebuchadnezzar became so angry at their disobedience, he had them thrown into the furnace in order to protect his false idol and his pride. But throughout the whole ordeal, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained incredibly calm. They just told Nebuchadnezzar that whether their God protected them or not, they would not bow down to the idol because they knew it is not a god - there is only one God, the God they worship. And God did protect them!

Shadrach, Mesach, and Andnego's reliance on God and trust in His will is exactly what God needed from them to convince Nebuchadnezzar that God is the one true God. If Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had acted any differently, even giving the slightest sign of doubt in their God, then Nebuchadnezzar would not have been as convinced. Because they trusted, God protected them, and through them all of his people. By the end of this story, Nebuchadnezzar is convinced that God is "Blessed " and that "there is no other God that can protect in this way", and he issues a declaration that protects all of God's people in exile in Babylon.

Look at what God can accomplish through us when we trust Him and have confidence in His will, willing to take any punishment rather than deny Him!