Reply To: WEEK 3 – Daniel

[Richard Vara]

I love the story of the blazing furnace where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were being persecuted for their belief and not bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue (3:19-30). This story displays what true faith can do in times of trouble or faced with a situation where it may cause you to sin. They said they will not bow down gold statue, but also explained their faith to King Nebuchadnezzar, the faith of being rescued from the sin that was trying to be forced upon them.

2 Kings 17:35 (NLT) For the LORD had made a covenant with the descendants of Jacob and commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them.

The story goes on to explain that a fourth person was in the fire, visualized by the crowd and more importantly, walking with the three thrown into the fire. The NLT version says the fourth looks like a god, KJV and NKJV says that he looked like the Son of God. To relate this to today, I can count on my God to be with me, walk with me, when faced with challenges especially when I’m being tempted to sin. I need to bring it back to Jesus and the cross. I need to understand that Jesus was tempted, not by God, but by Satan. I need to renounce Satan the same way Jesus did for He set the blueprint for me to follow,

Matthew 4:10 (NLT) “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’”