THE KING’S BUSINESS
840
an (the) hair of their head singed, neither were their coats (hosen) changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them." Neb uchadnezzar, though a great.man, was a weak man, governed by uncontrollable fury. The man who loses his temper always makes a fool of himself. Fury is a form of insanity, but an insanity for which the victim 'is himself responsible. That Neb uchadnezzar had great ■respect for the power of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- nego is evident from the fact that he com manded “the most mighty men that were in his army” to do the binding. The man who- knows he is in the wrong always fears the man whom he knows is in the right even though apparently he may have far greater power than the man he wrongs. There seemed to be no hope for Shad rach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, but Neb uchadnezzar had left one person out of his calculations—God.. So there was abundant hope for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; though there was no human hope. All the fire burned for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego was their bonds. The fires of persecution always set men free and do the man himself no real harm. Nebuchadnezzar’s rage proved utterly impotent, and the enemies of God, no matter how powerful they may seem, in the outcome always prove utterly impo tent. The three faithful servants were not merely protected, they were rewarded. They had the highest form of reward, i.e., the companionship of the Son of God. Whether we translate Nebuchadnezzar’s words with the Revisers, “A son of the gods,” or with the Authorized Version, “The Son of God,” it was doubtless “the Son of God” who was there, though it may be doubted whether this wicked king recognized him clearly as such. It is often in the furnace of persecution that we enter into the most intimate fellowship with the Son of God (cf. Isa. 43 :2). Blessed indeed are the flames when He walks with us in the midst of them. Neb uchadnezzar as he beheld the wonder, quickly changed his tone: he passes from
by the great king as many modern ser vants of God are terrified by “great scholars.” vs. 19-27. ‘‘Then was Nebuchadnezzar full t)f fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one (omit, one) seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most (certain) mighty men that were in his army, to bind Shad rach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these m en . were bound in their coats ( hosen), their hosen (tunics), and their hats (mantles), and their other garments, and were cast itito the midst of the burn ing fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those two men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound in the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Neb uchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste, and spake, ( : he spake) and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. And he answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form o f the fourth is like the Son of God (a son of the gods). Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, (: he spake) and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high (Most High) God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth ( add, out) of the midst of the fire. And the princes (satraps) governors (the depu ties), and captains (the governors), and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power (that the fire had no power upon their bodies) : nor was
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