This post is Day 13 in a series of studies about “Surprises”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Surprises – Day 13

But the God of Heaven was faithful to those who were faithful to Him, and He protected His children. He still does that today. We read that the soldiers who threw the men into the furnace died because of the intense heat. But those thrown into the fire remained unharmed!

Daniel 3:25

Look I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.

The Thought

King Nebuchadnezzar was a very self-centred ruler who seems to have made decrees without really thinking of their consequences. In Daniel 3 we read of the “image of gold” he had set up and then declared that everyone must bow down to this statue. As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold … (Daniel 3:5).

Nebuchadnezzar was in for a few surprises from Almighty God, after he was told about people working in his own palace that wouldn’t obey his command! His anger was inflamed, and he condemned the culprits to be burned alive, but these faithful followers of Yahweh would not give in, even if death was their “reward”. That is a challenge for all of us!

But the God of Heaven was faithful to those who were faithful to Him, and He protected His children. He still does that today. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to watch people burn to death, but that is what happened! We read that the soldiers who threw the men into the furnace, died because of the intense heat. But the “culprits” remained unharmed (Daniel 3:22-23)!

Action

Read Daniel 3:1-23 today, we will continue our look at this story tomorrow!

Praise God for the protection he showed in amazingly difficult circumstances.

Feel the challenge of being told that you must worship a different God, one you know is a worthless idol. What would you do in those circumstances?

Ask yourself how strong your faith is. Pray for a strengthening to prepare for any difficult surprises that may lay ahead.

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