At the end of March, the youth group at our old church held an awards night. They went all out with the paparazzi (photographers from the creative team), the red carpet, and a talent show. Both of our kiddos participated and had so much fun, but they only walked in prepared for the stage because they took the time to practice ahead of time.
Our daughter had already experienced being in a youth talent show and seemed to have zero issue with getting up there in front of her peers to sing a bit of “The Sound of Silence” in the voice of Gollum (I know – creepy… but she nails it every time). Our son, however, had only been permitted to join the youth group a couple months before and had never been actively around so many peers and older teenagers. He’s eleven and decided to do a stand-up “roast” for the youth leader.
He compiled his list of jokes and whittled them down to fit into the time limit. Then came the evenings practicing. In one hand was his print-out with all the jokes and in the other he held a pencil that he used as his “microphone”. The awards night came, and he absolutely nailed it. Our son who is on the smaller side, took the stage in front of about 50 people and seemed to be as cool as a cucumber. He was engaging, animated, and everything just seemed to flow.
A lot of things in life takes preparation and planning. If you fail to prepare, you’re preparing to fail. Not sure who originally said that, but there’s so much truth in it. I recently shared another nugget of truth with our eight-year-old: you’re training today for who you’ll be tomorrow. Some might say that these are a bit heavy for a child but let stick what will stick. And if it doesn’t stick on the first throw, keep throwing – they catch more than we realize.
There’s a pretty well-known story in the book of Daniel about preparing and training. My husband likes to refer to this story as the real Three Amigos, but you probably know it as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. You can find their main story in Daniel 3.
I’ve grown up with this story – the Sunday School version is pretty mild considering what was actually happening. The ruler mandating that everyone does exactly what he says or else – kind of sounds familiar. I can imagine there was fear running rampant for all of the Jews that were living there in captivity. Bow down or else. I bet there were some who consoled themselves with thoughts of it doesn’t really mean anything if I bow… or I may be bowing, but my true devotion is to the one true God of Israel.
But then you have the three amigos. They must have done some extensive training and preparing. Well, no one can really train in surviving a stroll in a fiery furnace. There’s no amount of preparing your skin and hair for that kind of heat, is there? I know there are styling products to protect from heat damage, but they aren’t that strong. No, they prepared in a different way.
I don’t know what their daily routine consisted of, but I’m pretty sure they put a lot of focus on their intimacy with God. If you haven’t read my post, This Must Come First, I mention the three amigos while expounding on the call of all Christians. We’re not called to ministry; we’re called to intimacy. And from that intimacy, ministry will flow. The three amigos would never have been able to walk around in the flames without having an intimacy with the One who walked inside the furnace with them.
But there’s something about this story that bugs me. Something that just seems off in light of what Jesus modeled and taught.
We can read in multiple places in the New Testament that we’re to have faith, to believe, and to not fear or doubt in order to see God’s power do what would be considered impossible (Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 5:36, and Mark 11:22-24). Mountains would be moved, and the dead would be raised… just have faith, do not be afraid, and do not doubt.
That’s kind of a tall order, isn’t it? In my post, A Little Red Car, I shared that I recognized my faith was probably not in the raising-the-dead strength category, but I could pray for safeguards and protections without issue. But the three amigos… why would they stand up to the heathen king, claiming that God would honor their loyalty and faith by rescuing them, but then say that He might not?
When you come across something like this in scripture, I encourage you to dig. And keep digging. The Holy Spirit, if you allow, will lead you to peace in your understanding. God wants us to know Him. God wants to reveal Himself to us. But He also has everything perfectly timed.
In most of the English translations of Daniel 3, we read about the three amigos standing up for what they know is right and honoring God. They refuse to bow down to worship other gods (there is only One). They state that if the king requires it and throws them into the fiery furnace, that God would rescue them. Then they state that if they aren’t rescued, they still won’t bow down.
Um, if God doesn’t rescue them from the furnace, I don’t think they’re going to be alive. How does this passage make sense? So, I looked at translation after translation… after translation. It wasn’t sitting right in my spirit, and it didn’t make sense. After looking at the English translations on the Bible Gateway website, I discovered that 20 of them say something a bit different (those translations are listed at the end of this post).
Let’s set the stage: Daniel 3:15 has King Nebuchadnezzar telling the three amigos that they’re getting a second chance to do what he requires of them (bow down and worship other gods). He tells them that if they don’t, he’ll throw them into the fiery furnace – and who could possibly save them? Daniel 3:16 is the first vocal defiance. The three amigos decide to answer the rhetorical question by stating that they’re not careful (not afraid) to answer him in this matter. They don’t need time to think it over – they’re resolved in how they’re going to proceed. Daniel 3:17 states that if the king throws them into the furnace, God will rescue them. And here’s the kicker: Daniel 3:18 states that if not – if the king does not throw them into the furnace – they will stand firm and not worship any other gods. Regardless of what the king decides to do, they will only worship their God.
This makes sense! The three amigos were never saying that God would rescue them, but there was a chance that He wouldn’t. That’s not faith. That’s not the faith that Jesus was teaching us to have. They were telling the king that if he did throw them in the furnace, God would rescue them and if the king didn’t throw them in the furnace, they still wouldn’t worship the other gods. There was no even if God doesn’t when it came to their faith in God’s power moving on their behalf.
I’m going to say something here, and I hope that there’s kindness in the comments. Is this God can, but even if God doesn’t mindset being used as an excuse for our lack of fortitude in our faith? We know God loves us – Jesus died for us after all – but we don’t know for sure that He loves us enough for this thing we’re struggling with. Do we excuse ourselves and use the mystery of even if God doesn’t as a cop-out?
God can restore my marriage, but I don’t know if He will. God is absolutely for marriage – He established it in the beginning. God can heal my loved one, but God might not. Jesus healed all who came to Him and stated that He could only do what the Father willed (John 5:19-30). God could break these chains of addiction, but He might not. Jesus died to set us free from every bondage of the enemy (Galatians 5:1).
Instead of the God can, but even if He doesn’t mentality, I want the kind of faith that stands strong in God can and His Word says that He will. This kind of faith requires an intimacy with God that goes beyond church on Sunday morning. It’s a relationship that is invested into each and every single day. I may not have the raise-the-dead strength in my faith yet, but I’m not satisfied with staying where I am. As I focus on my intimacy with God, my faith will grow stronger and stronger. I want to be like the three amigos. They stood strong in the face of death – as cool as cucumbers – and knew full well that God could – and would – save them.
If you’re facing the furnace today, get into God’s Word. Don’t focus on the furnace, rather focus your mind, heart, and strength on deepening your relationship with God. Look up the promises He’s made and seek out all the instances that God saved His people. And savor the love He proclaims for you in His Word. I guarantee that your faith with grow.
Bible Translations for proof-text: 21st Century King James Version, American Standard Version, Amplified Bible Classic Edition, BRG Bible, Darby Translation, English Standard Version, English Standard Version Anglicised, 1599 Geneva Bible, Jubilee Bible 2000, King James Version, Authorized King James Version, Legacy Standard Bible, Lexham English Bible, New King James, Orthodox Jewish Bible, Revised Geneva Translation, Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, World English Bible. Young’s Literal Translation.