Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Even if He Does Not - Part 2

Even if He Does Not (Part 2)

Originally posted by Chip in December 2009
Wow. . . talk about a long cliff-hanger.  I truly did not mean to let so much time pass without completing this article.  But, some brief news before I continue this story -- I am hoping to do a serious remodel of Pure Femininity -- including the design.  I have also enlisted some help with the writing, as I do not feel that this website is one that should be done solo.

But, back to the fate of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. . .

We left off with our three heroes being thrown into the
firey furnace to a certain and miserable death.  They had been bound, hand and foot, fully clothed before being thrown into the furnace. No escape was possible.  King Nebuchadnezzer sat back in his throne. . . no man would dare disobey him after this.

But wait, what was this?  The king leapt to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, "Weren't there three men that we bound and threw into the fire?"   They replied, "Certainly, O King."  (Roughly translated into modern day English, this means 'Duh'.)

King Nebuchadnezzer said in reply, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

Talk about crazy. . . no one survives a firey furnace, but no one!

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, " Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire.





Take a moment to imagine the sheer shock, the amazement that the King and his advisors would have felt at this!

The king's satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire 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. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar said "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted 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. Therefore I decree 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 for no other god can save in this way."

No other god can save in this way.  I don't know about you, but those words excite me!

I want the kind of faith these men had -- the faith that would cause them to walk into fire, knowing that God could save them, but vowing to serve Him even if He did not.  To have such confidence in the Lord that you don't even think about denying Him -- no matter the consequences. That is a goal worthy of reaching for. 



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