Daniel 3:26, commentary and pictures

Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and called Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego as servants of the most high God to come forth and come hither, and they came forth out of the midst of the fire before the assembled crowd. His summons followed his looking into the furnace and seeing the three alive and walking amid the flames with a fourth figure like the Son of God, the Savior walking with them. They came out alive and unharmed with bodies and clothing untouched, the fire having burned only their fetters so that not even the smell of fire was upon them. The deliverance became a public witness that wrought upon the king to believe, acknowledge the living God above every earthly power, turn wrath to praise, and decree that no other god can deliver after this sort. It stands as the pattern for the final crisis, when those who keep the commandments and the seventh-day Sabbath must stand firm though the furnace be heated seven times hotter and human law exalt a spurious sabbath, assured that the form of the Fourth walks with them and they shall come forth unharmed.

Call from the Furnace Mouth

Nebuchadnezzar himself came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke aloud, calling Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego by name as servants of the most high God and bidding them come forth and come hither, and they then came forth out of the midst of the fire before the assembled crowd, alive and unharmed. The summons came after he looked into the furnace and saw the three alive and walking amid the flames, loose and unhurt, with a fourth figure with them like the Son of God. That fourth was the Savior, Jesus, Christ, walking with them in the fire, an angelic presence whose companionship kept the flames from consuming them in the Lord's presence. Their coming out therefore completed a deliverance that displayed God's personal presence and power to protect the faithful even in the midst of fire.

The call followed their fixed refusal to worship the costly golden image he had set up in the plain of Dura. That image was made to represent Babylon and especially the king himself, to magnify Babylon and himself, after he perverted the light given through the interpretation of his dream. His advisers ensnared the Hebrews by leading him to decree that every knee should bow to the golden image, and he used force to punish disobedience by commanding the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual.

He first had the men who had informed against and accused the Hebrews cast into the furnace, then called to those inside to come out, and that command magnified God before him and his courtiers. In calling them he was overcome with terror and felt himself in the presence of the Infinite One. He spoke with remorse and shame, acknowledging that the living God is above every earthly power.

These events belong to the chapter that comes after he had acknowledged God's power but then returned to idol worship. They took place in the same year Daniel and his companions entered the service of the king of Babylon, as a severe test of the integrity of these youthful Hebrews. Their trial involved refusing to disregard the Sabbath and to observe heathen festivals.

Preservation in the Flames

God had not forsaken the three in the fire but was personally present with power to protect the faithful, and the Son of God, Jesus, Christ, the Savior was with them and walked with them, so the flames could not harm or consume them in the Lord's presence. Nebuchadnezzar called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego out only after seeing them alive and walking amid the flames with a fourth figure like the Son of God, and he recognized them as servants of the Most High God because they had remained faithful under threat of death and refused to worship his image. Their deliverance displayed that living faith in the crucified Redeemer carries people through affliction and trial, and the miracle moved the king to believe in God and recognize His superior power.

They came forth out of the midst of the fire alive and unharmed before the assembled crowd, with bodies and clothing untouched. The fire had burned only their fetters, leaving them without even the smell of fire upon their garments. With an angelic presence in the fire and the form of the Fourth seen walking with them, they were not forsaken after being cast in but were preserved in the blazing furnace, and they told the king how they had been delivered.

The deliverance was a wonderful miracle worked by God's wise providence, which is incessantly at work over human affairs to bring even idolatrous minds into close reasoning contact with Himself and give them light. He manifests Himself in this way to those who have and keep His commandments, as Christ Himself walking with His three faithful servants who would not bow the knee to the costly idolatrous golden image set up in the plain of Dura to represent Babylon and especially the king and to magnify Babylon and himself. It took place in the same year Daniel and his companions entered the service of the king of Babylon as a severe test of the integrity of these youthful Hebrews, and it proves before an idolatrous nation the power and faithfulness of the God of Israel, with Nebuchadnezzar's heart wrought upon so that he believed in God and in His superior power over every other kingdom.

The verse teaches important principles about the working out of the Lord's purpose for the children of obedience in contrast with the children of disobedience. It declares that God takes His stand with the oppressed and rebukes earthly powers that rebel against the authority of Heaven, and their coming forth unharmed declares their faith in the God they worship to the whole nation of Babylon, resting on reliance on God and honoring faith in the living Word in the sight of all. This fulfills the promise to be with His people when passing through waters and walking through fire without being burned or kindled upon, so that through the faithfulness of His children, with tidings carried to many countries by representatives of the different nations gathered for the dedication, God is glorified in all the earth. That same preserving power keeps fearless advocates of truth when powerful enemies seek their blood, for God keeps His faithful servants alive when they are cast into certain death for their faith and can protect them from death, yet faithfulness to God and the gospel matters more than whether one's life is spared.

Witness to King and Nations

The coming forth from the midst of the fire became a public witness to God's power before the assembled crowd, and because the three had honored God the king honored them. They came out without even the smell of fire upon their garments and told the king how they had been delivered.

The miracle produced a striking change in the minds of the people, so that the great golden image set up with such display was forgotten. Their deliverance from the attempt to force idolatry brought knowledge of the true God to Babylon's assembled princes and leading men. Through persecution God brought His servants face to face with kings and rulers so they and their people might receive the light. The tidings of the deliverance were carried to many countries by the representatives of the different nations gathered for the dedication, so that through the faithfulness of His children God was glorified in all the earth.

Seeing the form of the Fourth in the furnace convinced Nebuchadnezzar that their God was the living God. By this miracle his heart was wrought upon so that he believed in God and recognized His superior power over every other kingdom and over earthly kings. His wrath was turned to praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah, and the greatest monarch proclaimed the supremacy of the God whom His Hebrew captives worshiped. He then published a decree that anyone speaking against their God should be put to death, because no other god can deliver after this sort.

Although he acknowledged the wonderful miracle wrought for them, because he did not continue to walk in the light he lost the holy impression made upon his mind.

Their deliverance displayed God's power and rewarded their trust and refusal to worship any god but Him. God vindicated their loyal course despite the king's death sentence, and made known that God rules over earthly kings.

Pattern for Final Crisis

The coming forth from the furnace is the pattern for faithfulness through the continual sharp contests that last to the close of the controversy between good and evil, between the two great powers. Those who purpose to be true to principle come what may must stand firm in the time of trial and not turn aside from allegiance to the truth even when the fiery furnace is heated seven times hotter than usual, than it was wont to be heated. Those cast into the furnace for such faithfulness are not forsaken of God, for the form of the Fourth is seen walking with them in the flames, and called as servants of the most high God they come forth from the midst of the fire unharmed without even the smell of fire upon their garments.

Their experience on the plain of Dura provides a lesson for God's servants who will face humiliation and abuse for their faith. In particular, those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath will be targeted by a decree condemning them to death. The same decision for or against the commandments of God, as the three worthies made when they refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's image, will face believers in a future period in the Southern States.

The golden image prefigures the Sunday idol set up by union of church and state, where human laws demand worship of a spurious sabbath in the place where God's holy Sabbath of the fourth commandment should be. The same effort to turn God's people from allegiance will be made today. Those who make cruel enactments seeking to destroy God's people are themselves destroyed by the recoil of their actions.

Their deliverance shows that in the day of the Lord smoke and flame will be powerless to harm the righteous who are united with Him and prepared to meet their Saviour, because the Son of God was with them and they came out unharmed. God did not forget the three faithful men in the fiery furnace, for they came out alive despite their enemies' attempt to destroy them. Their deliverance illustrates that God remembers and protects His people in times of persecution and distress.

Faith and Presence in Trial

The three trusted God's Word and stood against royal power, and their coming forth unharmed shows that living faith in the crucified Redeemer carries people through affliction and trial. Their faith set against Nebuchadnezzar on his earthly throne demonstrates that God's Word sustains the helpless against the might of the world. It enables the apparently helpless to withstand human power used in support of evil and to overcome earthly power.

Their steadfast refusal to bow shows that loyalty to God can withstand even the threat of death in the fiery furnace. They obeyed God rather than deny truth to gain favor, honor, or position, and could not be intimidated. So God's people must remain loyal to His commandments when civil authority and religious pressure oppose them. Their preservation shows that God sustains those who face temptation without deliberately entering into it, while those who choose to walk into temptation cannot rely on divine aid to keep them from being overcome.

When God's people suffer for Christ, Jesus is with them in the trial, not with a promise of freedom from suffering but with His presence and strength. Jesus and angels watch over trusting people, so the fire cannot destroy them though it can consume the dross. God does not forsake those who remain faithful through deadly trials, and their coming out alive at the king's call gives reason to trust Him when facing violence or death. That same care gives courage when obedience brings persecution or unjust punishment.

The Most High God who preserved them still lives and reigns, and can preserve His servant when called before rulers over questions of truth even when health is impaired and violence is probable. Their survival parallels God's preservation of John when cast into boiling oil. It gave Luther reason to trust God amid threats of death, confident that as God had preserved them He could preserve Luther through danger as long as his work was not finished. Trust in Him means hearing a ruler's summons as God's call, placing the matter in the Lord's hands, going forward sick if necessary, refusing flight and recantation, counting life of little consequence if He will not save, and being willing to shed blood so the gospel is not exposed to scorn and triumph and so all may be saved.

They stand as examples of self-denial and sacrifice, showing that faithfulness to God must overcome hereditary and cultivated habits and every circumstance. The God-fearing man makes appetites and passions servants, not rulers, and is not enslaved by any hereditary or cultivated habit or tendency. He rules the animal passions instead of being held in bondage of habit, not serving circumstances but controlling circumstances by an inwrought principle learned from the greatest Teacher. That principle passes like a plowshare through hereditary and cultivated habits, through all circumstances and surroundings.