4.1 THREE HEBREW CHILDREN

In 598 B.C, when Nebuchadnezzar over- ran Judah and took the people to exile in Babylon, among the young men taken to Babylon were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego whose faith and confidence in God were second to none. These men were Jews who were brought into captivity in Babylon. While in captivity, they still dedicated themselves to the worship of their God and strict observance to the ordinances and statutes of the God of Israel. Due to the outstanding qualities in these men, they were appointed officials in the Babylonian kingdom.

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THE TEST OF THEIR FAITH

A situation came when Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image and invited all the officials in the provinces of Babylon to come for the dedication of the image. He ordered that when they heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the officials from various provinces should fall down and worship the golden image which he had made. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the image and this made certain Chaldeans accuse and report them to the king.

Nebuchadnezzar quickly summoned them and queried why they refused to worship the god he made.  The reply the men gave him made him furious. He ordered that the furnace be heated seven times more than its normal heat. These men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were cast into the fiery burning furnace. The king was astonished when he discovered that the men were not hurt and although they had been bound but were loose. Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth person with them in the furnace; he acknowledged Him to be the Son of God.

The expression of boldness, courage and faith by these Jews gave king Nebuchadnezzar the true picture of God and his authority as the God of Israel. The king therefore decreed that any person that would ever speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, should together with his household be put to death. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were promoted in the provinces. This was the profit of great faith, courage and confidence in God.

4.2 FAITH AND COURAGE

Faith and trust are inter- changeable. Both imply confidence in God’s ability to solve any problem one encounters, abandoning self- interest, self- reliance, arrogance, pride and self- trust. Faith implies firmness in one’s confidence in God in the midst of unfavorable situations.

4.3 FAITH AND POWER DANIEL 6:1- 28

King Darius of Persia divided his kingdom into a hundred and twenty (120) satraps (governors) with only three presidents appointed to oversee all. Daniel, by divine act, was one of the presidents. Besides, he was the most favored of the three presidents.  As a result, his colleagues were full of jealousy and plotted to destroy him. Finding nothing on which to pin Daniel down, they moved to the king and compelled him to make a law that no one, for thirty days, should request anything from God or man, except from the king. The penalty was casting the culprit into the Lions’ den.

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King Darius obliged them and made the decree, not knowing their plot was to rope someone in and report to the king. The King looked for a way to release Daniel when he realized what he did, but the enemies reminded him that right from time immemorial, the laws of Medes and Persia were unchangeable.

Against his wish therefore the King cast Daniel into the den of lions, but prayed for Daniel for God to deliver him. The King could not sleep all night. Early the following morning, the king rose and came to the den to see if Daniel was dead or alive. Daniel was alive and told him that his God had sent his angels and shut the mouth of the lions and they could not harm him. The King was happy. He ordered that Daniel be brought out and those men who accused Daniel together with their families were cast into the den of lions. He also decreed that throughout his kingdom, everyone should worship the God of Daniel.