They “Quenched the Force of Fire”

WHEN they faced a sudden test, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah may have wished that they had Daniel with them. He was a great friend and a giant of faith. But he was evidently not present when his friends​—whom the Babylonians called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—​came under threat.

It all started when Nebuchadnezzar had an enormous image set up. It was as tall as a nine-story building and nearly three meters (8.8 ft) thick. The king organized a great celebration to inaugurate the image, and he required all of his government officials to be present. The three Hebrews had to obey this royal command and attend the ceremony.

A hush fell over the crowd as a herald proclaimed the king’s commands. First, music would play, likely intended to stir the emotions of those assembled. Then, all in attendance were to “fall down and worship the image.” What would the three young men do? They well knew Jehovah’s command against idolatry.​—Ex. 20:4, 5.

The music began. On cue, the crowd dropped to the ground to worship the image. But three men remained standing; all eyes were surely upon them. A group of Chaldeans seized the opportunity to accuse, or slander, these young Jews. They told Nebuchadnezzar: “These men have paid no regard to you, O king. They are not serving your gods, and they refuse to worship the image of gold that you have set up.” The king had the three brought before him and furiously asked them if the accusations were true. Before they could answer, he threatened them. He said that he would give them one more opportunity to obey, and if they did not, they would “immediately be thrown into the burning fiery furnace.” He assured them that no god could rescue them.

Neither Hananiah nor Mishael nor Azariah hesitated. They told the king that “if it must be,” then their God could save them from such a terrible death. They added: “But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold that you have set up.” Nebuchadnezzar was beside himself with rage. He said the furnace should be heated up far more than usual and that the three men were to be bound and thrown into the flames. The furnace was so hot that the flames killed the men who threw the Hebrews into the fire!

But then, Nebuchadnezzar saw something that terrified him. There, within the flames, he beheld, not three men, but four. They were walking about in the fire but were somehow untouched by it! Regarding the fourth figure, the king cried out that he looked “like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar came as near as he could to the furnace and called to the men to come out of the fire.

Imagine the gasps of awe and surprise as the three men emerged, unharmed​—no hint of damage to their clothing or bodies, not even the smell of smoke. Only their bonds were gone. Mighty Nebuchadnezzar was awestruck. He praised the three devout Hebrews for obeying their God. “They trusted in him,” he said, “and went against the command of the king and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

That proud monarch declared that anyone in his empire who spoke against Jehovah was to be put to death. And he promoted the three young men. But Jehovah did far more​—he remembered them. For example, many centuries later, the apostle Paul was inspired to refer to those who “quenched the force of fire” because of their outstanding faith. He surely had in mind the courageous Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Read the Bible account:

• Daniel 3:1-30

• Hebrews 11:33, 34

For discussion:

In what ways did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah show courage?

Dig Deeper

1. 1. How do archaeological discoveries support the historical record found in Daniel chapter 3? (w23.07 31) A

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   © The Trustees of the British Museum. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Source. Modifications: Box added

2. 2. What may the Babylonian names given to the three Hebrews mean? (dp 36 ¶14)

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3. 3. What indicates that Nebuchadnezzar was very religious? (dp 69 ¶3) B

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4. 4. Why would men from different “peoples, nations, and language groups”​—who likely worshipped their own gods—​be willing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image? (Dan. 3:7; dp 73 ¶10)

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Reflect on the Lessons

• The three Hebrews stood firm when tested regarding food. Later, they stood firm when their life was in danger. What does this teach us about being faithful in seemingly small things? (Luke 16:10) C

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• When we are persecuted, how can we imitate the following qualities of the three Hebrews? (Dan. 3:16-18)

  • Humility

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  • Mildness

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  • Loyalty

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• How might you imitate the courage of these three men?

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Meditate on the Bigger Picture

• What does this account teach me about Jehovah?

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• How does the account tie in with Jehovah’s purposes?

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• In the resurrection, what would I like to ask Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah?

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Learn More

How can a Christian be respectful yet neutral during a nationalistic ceremony?

Maintain Neutrality at Public Events (4:25)

Bring this account to life and explore further lessons about it.

“Rescued From a Fiery Furnace!” (Web series “Bible Study Activities”)