The three friends

The story of the three friends in the fiery furnace in Babylon, also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is a powerful account of faith and faithfulness found in the book of Daniel, chapter 3. This narrative offers a profound lesson about trusting in God in the midst of adversity and persecution.

In the 6th century B.C., Babylon was a powerful empire that conquered Judah and took many Jews, including Daniel and his friends, into exile in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar, in an effort to unify his kingdom, built a golden statue 27 meters high and ordered that everyone in his empire bow down and worship the statue whenever music was played.

Among the exiled Jews, three men—Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael), and Abednego (Azariah)—refused to obey this command because it contradicted their faith in Yahweh, the God of Israel, who forbade the worship of idols.

Their refusal was reported to King Nebuchadnezzar, who, in anger, threatened to throw them into a blazing furnace. Despite the threat of death, the three men stood firm and declared that their God could deliver them from the fiery furnace, but even if He chose not to, they would not worship the king’s gods or the golden statue he had set up.

In his fury, the king ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be bound and thrown inside. The fire was so intense that the soldiers who took them there were killed by its heat.

Yet a miracle occurred. When the three men fell into the furnace, they were protected by a heavenly being. Nebuchadnezzar, astonished, saw not three but four men walking freely inside the fire, completely unharmed. The fourth man, according to Nebuchadnezzar, looked like “a son of the gods,” while believers understand him as an angel sent by Yahweh.

Nebuchadnezzar then called them out of the furnace, impressed by the power of their God. He declared that no one should speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and promoted the three men to positions of authority in Babylon, recognizing the supremacy of the God of Israel over all other gods.

This story of the friends in the fiery furnace in Babylon is a testimony of courage, unwavering faith, and divine protection in times of trial. For both Jews and Christians, it stands as a powerful reminder of the importance of remaining faithful to God and trusting in His providence, even in dangerous and adverse circumstances.

Clearly, this story underscores the importance of holding an unshakable faith in God, even in the face of danger. Daniel’s friends chose to obey God and trust His protection, even if it meant facing death.

Knowing all this, one might say that the Jewish people have often suffered misfortune for disobeying God, according to the Bible.