IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Praise Be to the God!

Date: Apr. 10, 2019

Passage

Daniel 3:19-30 (ESV)

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against 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 to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men 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, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: 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 rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 3:28

Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.

1. The three into the blazing furnace (19-23)

Nebuchadnezzar became so furious by their uncompromising faith that he ordered the furnace heated 7 times hotter than usual. As he commanded, the strongest soldiers tied and threw them into the blazing furnace while they were wearing their robes, trousers, and turbans. Even the soldiers who took them up were killed by the hot flames. The king looked great like a god, while the three looked like pathetic victims.

2. The four in the fire (24-30)

But the king leaped to his feet in amazement. For he saw four, walking around in the fire. The fourth was the Son of God. He did not prevent his people from being thrown into the fire. He rather walked with them in the fire, as Jesus prayed "not to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one."(Jn 17:15) The king saw them unharmed; not a hair was singed; no smell of fire was on their clothes. He praised the Lord who protected his servants who trusted in him at the risk of their lives.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with us in the blazing fire. Help me to commit myself fully to you in the midst of the blazing fire.

One Word: God is mighty to save us

Daily Bread

Hezekiah’s Foolishness

2 Kings 20:12-21

Key Verse: 20:17

Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.

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