Fiery Furnace

Today, let's look at Daniel 3:16 - 18
We find "some astrologers" coming to the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, to denounce the Jews.  In all likely-hood, because they were not able to get these teenagers to do as they were told.  After all, these Jews were servants in the king's house and were not complying to the rules.  They were refusing to worship the idol set up by the king.  These "tattletails" were crying to the king like a child who could not make a baby brother do what they told him.

I want to interject some interesting notes:  These were Jewish teenagers, from the tribe of Judah, being faithful to the God that brought their ancestors out of Egypt, the land of stressful slavery.  Their Hebrew names were Hananiah (meaning: God Has Been Gracious), renamed Shadrach, meaning Command of Aku (Babylonian god of the moon).   Mishael (meaning: Who Is Like Unto God), renamed Meshach, meaning Who Is What Aku Is.  And Azariah (meaning: Helped Of God) renamed Abednego, meaning Servant of Nebo (Babylonian god of wisdom).   Further, these young men were from royal families of nobility among the Jews noted to be highly educated with aptitude and intellect.  Beautiful Hebrew names changed to names of idols.  What a terrible change of names for them.  From their view point probably very demeaning.  I think I would be a bit angry over the name change.

Moving on, verse 16 gives us the reply of these three young men.  In front of the mighty king who held their lives in his hands, they refuse to defend themselves.  What beautiful pride in their faith.  They tell the king their god is mighty enough to save them from fire and this king and furthermore, if their God does not save them from certain death, they refuse to serve or worship false gods or the image the king set up.  WOW !!!  They lived in the palace, clothed in finery and had food available to them from the king's kitchen.  Young men ready to die for devotion to God.

Do you know a teenager today who would stand like this in front of  Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin or Hussein?  No wonder God chose to save them from the burning furnace.  They did not even smell of smoke.  The king praised God and gave a command to anyone who spoke against the God they worshiped.  He even promoted them.  What an amazing testimony from God.  What would you do in such a situation?

There is a message in verse 3:26 & 27 which talks about the king calling them out of the fire and noting their clothes were not even singed by the fire that had burned others who even approached it.  God calls us to come out of death; come out of your fire - your trial.  Come out of a world that is often times anti God.  Come out of a past of death unto life with Him.  Life more abundant today and life eternal tomorrow.  This is our God.
Amen

Manna

>  In the Hebrew language, the word "manna" translates "What is it?"  /  
The Pharises saw Jesus and said, "Who is He?"
>  Well, it came from heaven.  /  Jesus came from heaven. 
>  It was needed to survive in the dessert  /  We need Jesus to survive in the dessert of life.
>  It was described as "the bread of heaven"  /  Jesus is our bread of life. 
Jn 6:32
>  Eat of manna and die  /  eat of the bread of life (Jesus) and live forever
Jn 6:58
>  The Hebrew people complained about (rejected) the manna that God had provided.   /  The Jewish people rejected Jesus.

It is described in the Bible as being wafer thin, in flakes like snow and tasting like coriander with honey.

The Hebrews were told not to save it over night, it would rot.

Psalm 78:24-25: “[24] And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. [25] Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.” “Manna,” “the corn of heaven,” “angels’ food,”

What manna must have look like.

First mention of manna is in Ex 16:4 (4th verse).  The number 4 represents the earth.  What came from the earth?  Man was made from the earth.   This bread (what is it/who is he) was made for man.  Heaven's bread was made for man to survive the wilderness (stress/Egypt).


Ex 16: 25 shows manna being used to establish the Sabbath BEFORE the Ten Commandments were given.

It was one of three items, representing the rebellion of man, that was put into the Ark of the Covenant and - it did not rot, in the ark. 

The manna was used to test the Hebrews in the dessert.  Jesus was used to test the Jewish people to see if they would follow Him.   Deut. 8:16


Amen