The King Tries to Pressure the Hebrews

The king commanded that the men be brought before him. Pointing to the fiery furnace, he reminded them of the punishment awaiting them if they should persist in their refusal to obey his will. But firmly the Hebrews testified to their allegiance to the God of heaven and their faith in His power to deliver.SS 263.2

As the three Hebrews stood before the king, he was convinced that they possessed something the other wise men did not have. He would give them another trial. If only they would unite with the multitude in worshiping the image, all would be well. “But if ye worship not,” he added, “ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” Then with his hand stretched upward in defiance, he demanded, “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”SS 263.3

In vain were the king's threats. Calmly facing the furnace, the three Hebrews said, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so [if this is your decision], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” Their faith strengthened as they declared that God would be glorified by delivering them, and with assurance born of implicit trust in God, they added, “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”SS 263.4

The king's wrath knew no bounds. “Full of fury,” “the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,” representatives of a despised, captive race. Directing that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual, he commanded the mighty men of his army to bind the worshipers of Israel's God.SS 263.5

“Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” Verse 21, NKJV. And “the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.”SS 264.1