Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that [is] [the case,] our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver [us] from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 (NKJV)
These three Hebrew boys were some of the captives from the land of Judah that the king of Babylon had taken to his country and tried to integrate into Babylonian culture and religion and civilization. But they refused to worship the foreign idol gods of that land remaining true to their faith in the only one true God who made heaven and earth, the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
This got them into trouble because after refusing to bow down to a certain golden image which the king had set up and ordered that everyone in the kingdom was to bow down and worship, they were thrown into a burning furnace which was the punishment for disobeying the king’s orders.
They were not afraid to be thrown into the furnace because they knew their God whom they served was able to deliver them and that He would do it.
They were not disappointed because God did deliver them from the fiery burning furnace. Daniel 3:19-27.
These three young men pleased and brought glory to God because they dared to believe Him in what was a matter of life and death. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to see God, to see His power, and deliverance. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego could believe in an invisible God because they had heard about this God who is able to deliver and who delivers since they were children.
They had grown up hearing their parents telling them from Moses’s writings how God delivered their Israelite ancestors from slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh’s oppressive hand with mighty signs and wonders.
Deuteronomy 6:20-24 (NLT)”In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’ “Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand. The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our ancestors. And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day.
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The faithful words these Hebrew children heard built the irresistible faith that they effortlessly exercised even in captivity in a foreign hostile country.
The only way we can be determined to please God regardless of the circumstances is when that great faith is built in us as we continually hear His Word of Faith.
Take time to read and hear the Scriptures, the written accounts of God’s love, faithfulness, mercy, deliverance and provision to His people, to everyone who calls on Him.
See God fully, perfectly and clearly evidently revealed in Jesus Christ who went about doing good healing those who were oppressed by the devil-see Acts 10:17.
As you continue to hear the Word of Christ, the result is believing God and it is this believing in Him that pleases and glorifies Him.