“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 of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (v. 25)
In Daniel three, we have one of the more interesting Bible stories in the entire Bible. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they had a unique experience; they had the privilege of walking with Jesus! Had they not went through the fire, they never would have had the experience of meeting Christ face to face. What a wonderful Truth for us to consider. I have found that, until I entered the fire, I too did not really get to know Christ and to meet with him face to face. We need these fiery afflictions in our lives; they give us strength; they afford us victory; they grant us privilege. These three went into the fire as three Jewish servants, and came out as true men of renown, mighty in the faith. They too had gained the respect of the king. That’s the difference the fire made. It turns the mediocre into the outstanding, and the normal into the spectacular.
Another interesting fact that we must not overlook is that, though there were four men, loose and walking around, only three came back out! Christ is still there, in the fire, ready to meet us when we enter into its midst. Are you going through a fiery trail in your life? If so, prepare to meet the Lord there! He’s there, waiting for you, but first you need to enter in, or you will not see Him, as these three didn’t until they entered the fire. Yes, there is fear involved, that is expected, because we are flesh, but oh the joy of knowing that Christ is there with us, and we shall walk together, unharmed. How hardly we enter into the kingdom of God without suffering some sort of affliction or persecution, and how weak and beggarly we are without it. Let us face the trials as these men did, and perhaps, by the grace of God, we too will attain to their level, and become one of God’s mighty men. These men came out unscathed by the fire, and untainted by the smoke, and had gotten the victory because they had trusted in the same God that Daniel trusted in.
Lastly, notice that Nebuchadnezzar recognized the “fourth man” as the Son of God! How could he have known? Only be revelation; only God can make Himself known unto man. It doesn’t matter if it is a king, a pauper, or a slave, God can reveal Himself to anyone. He reveals Himself today to His church, but in a different way. We see Him today in the Bible, and He is revealed as the pages turn and our hearts are awakened to His presence there. Some of the boldest and most acclaimed professions of faith are made in the third chapter of Daniel.
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