NO OTHER GOD CAN SAVE

Passage: Daniel 3:19-30

Key verse: 25

NIV

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven(A) times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego(B) and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,(C) 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,(D) come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers(E) crowded around them.(F) They saw that the fire(G) had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel(H) and rescued(I) his servants! They trusted(J) in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.(K) 29 Therefore I decree(L) that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,(M) for no other god can save(N) in this way.”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.(O)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was (A)filled with fury, and the expression of his face (B)was changed against (C)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army (D)to bind (E)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were (F)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[a] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was (G)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up (H)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell (I)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was (J)astonished and rose up (K)in haste. He declared to his (L)counselors, “Did we not cast three men (M)bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, (N)walking in the midst of the fire, and they (O)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like (P)a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, (Q)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the (R)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then (S)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the (T)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and (U)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that (V)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their (W)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of (X)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who (Y)has sent his angel and (Z)delivered his servants, who (AA)trusted in him, and set aside[b] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than (AB)serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore (AC)I make a decree: Any (AD)people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of (AE)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (AF)shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted (AG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in (AH)the province of Babylon.

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Footnotes
  1. Daniel 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27
  2. Daniel 3:28 Aramaic and changed
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

King Nebuchadnezzar’s pride was greatly offended by their refusal to bow before his idol. He ordered the fire to be made 7 times hotter and had his strongest soldiers bind them and throw them into the furnace. Ironically, the soldiers were killed by the flames, but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unharmed. Rather, they were walking in the fire – and with them was a fourth man who looked like the Son of God. The king witnessed these things, as did all his officials, and they knew God had saved them. Nebuchadnezzar called to them to come out of the furnace, and they did! God completely saved them! Their story can be our story when we trust in God who loves us and is completely able to save us from every peril (Ps 50:15, 2 Cor 1:10).

In complete fear of God, the king commanded that no one speak a word against God, and the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When God’s servants refused to bow down to idols or serve other gods, they were saved and prospered. We learn how to live in an anti-Christian world which tries to force us to deny our faith in Christ and abandon godly values and principles.

Prayer: Father, thank you for quenching the fury of the flames (Heb 11:34). Thank you for saving me as no one else can. Help me to stand firm in my faith.

One Word: God alone saves me from the fire