Dan 3:24-27 | KingComments | STEP | As soon as the men have fallen into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, Nebuchadnezzar sees something that frightens him enormously. He gets to see something a man normally does not get to see: he sees a fourth man who has “the appearance … like a son of [the] gods”. This is the Son of God Who is in the furnace with friends (cf. ). The result of Nebuchadnezzar’s actions is that he brings the three friends into the company of the Son of God. Before he comes to his exclamation, we read that he stands up in haste. That is, he comes down from his throne. As an application it can be said that if someone comes face to face with the Lord Jesus, he must come down from his throne. Man, without God sits on the throne himself. He will come down from it as soon as the Lord Jesus shows Himself to him. It can still happen voluntarily now that someone comes from his own throne, so that the Lord Jesus can take His place on the throne of his life. When He sits on the throne, it means He has authority. Do we give him that, even if we already know him? The men are cast bound into the midst of the fire of the furnace. The description “in the midst of fire” makes us extra aware of the enormous test for these men. They are in the center of the fire. Nebuchadnezzar is bewildered at what he sees and asks in his despair whether it has happened, as he ordered. After the affirmative answer he tells what he sees. He sees the men who were thrown into the furnace bound, now walking around loose. He wanted to kill them by the fire, but God made a change to the fire. What was meant by Nebuchadnezzar for evil is used by God for good. The only effect of the fire is that the men’s bonds are consumed and that they now walk around loose. He also notes that there is no injury to them. Finally, he tells us that he sees a fourth Person and what this One looks like. As already said, it is an apparition of the Lord Jesus. In this scene we see something encouraging for everyone in a trial. Those who are in difficult circumstances can know that God does not watch the suffering of His own from on high, but comes to them in their suffering. He is not indifferent, but is with them in the trial ( ). The Lord Jesus is with the disciples in the ship when it is in the storm ( ). We also see this in the scene of the burning bush, where the LORD appears to Moses “in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush” ( ). God is with His people in the bush, He dwells there; He is not only there to visit. The bush is a picture of Israel that is unfaithful to Him and therefore burns. The fire is so to speak necessary to remove the thorns. At the same time, the bush is not consumed, for God is always with His people when they suffer, even when they suffer because of their own sins. The fire of the trial serves to purify the faith ( ). God allows it or even sends it. It is to take away what is not His honor. The fire cleans. With Daniel’s friends it is not about cleansing away anything, but about showing the faith to the outside world. Faith is brought to light through this trial. It makes clear what God can do in His own people for consecration and decision. Usually God does not take away the fire of the trial in the life of a believer. He does not take away the suffering, but adds something to it and that is His own presence. In the Spirit, God the Son comes to us. The Spirit of the Son is with us and supports us as we are in the trial. The result of the fire of the trial is to walk in freedom. Nebuchadnezzar literally notices this with the three friends. The picture of fire with regard to God’s earthly people is also seen in Zechariah 13: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones. “It will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off [and] perish; But the third will be left in it. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God’” ( ). First, we read about the cross ( ), where God strikes His Messiah with the sword of His righteousness. Then it is about the remnant, “the little ones” who are scattered as a result of the rejection of the Messiah, but to whom He turns. Then a jump is made to the future ( ). In the end time, “two parts [= two thirds] of it will be cut off”. The remnant, “the third”, is refined in the fire. Of them God says: “They are My people,” and from them He builds His people in the kingdom of peace.

‏ Daniel 3:24-27

The Fourth Man in the Fire

As soon as the men have fallen into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, Nebuchadnezzar sees something that frightens him enormously. He gets to see something a man normally does not get to see: he sees a fourth man who has “the appearance … like a son of [the] gods”. This is the Son of God Who is in the furnace with friends (cf. Isa 63:9). The result of Nebuchadnezzar’s actions is that he brings the three friends into the company of the Son of God.

Before he comes to his exclamation, we read that he stands up in haste. That is, he comes down from his throne. As an application it can be said that if someone comes face to face with the Lord Jesus, he must come down from his throne. Man, without God sits on the throne himself. He will come down from it as soon as the Lord Jesus shows Himself to him.

It can still happen voluntarily now that someone comes from his own throne, so that the Lord Jesus can take His place on the throne of his life. When He sits on the throne, it means He has authority. Do we give him that, even if we already know him?

The men are cast bound into the midst of the fire of the furnace. The description “in the midst of fire” makes us extra aware of the enormous test for these men. They are in the center of the fire. Nebuchadnezzar is bewildered at what he sees and asks in his despair whether it has happened, as he ordered. After the affirmative answer he tells what he sees. He sees the men who were thrown into the furnace bound, now walking around loose.

He wanted to kill them by the fire, but God made a change to the fire. What was meant by Nebuchadnezzar for evil is used by God for good. The only effect of the fire is that the men’s bonds are consumed and that they now walk around loose. He also notes that there is no injury to them. Finally, he tells us that he sees a fourth Person and what this One looks like. As already said, it is an apparition of the Lord Jesus.

In this scene we see something encouraging for everyone in a trial. Those who are in difficult circumstances can know that God does not watch the suffering of His own from on high, but comes to them in their suffering. He is not indifferent, but is with them in the trial (Isa 43:2 ; 5a). The Lord Jesus is with the disciples in the ship when it is in the storm (Mk 4:35-41).

We also see this in the scene of the burning bush, where the LORD appears to Moses “in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush” (Exo 3:2). God is with His people in the bush, He dwells there; He is not only there to visit. The bush is a picture of Israel that is unfaithful to Him and therefore burns. The fire is so to speak necessary to remove the thorns. At the same time, the bush is not consumed, for God is always with His people when they suffer, even when they suffer because of their own sins.

The fire of the trial serves to purify the faith (1Pet 1:7 ; 1Pet 4:12). God allows it or even sends it. It is to take away what is not His honor. The fire cleans. With Daniel’s friends it is not about cleansing away anything, but about showing the faith to the outside world. Faith is brought to light through this trial. It makes clear what God can do in His own people for consecration and decision.

Usually God does not take away the fire of the trial in the life of a believer. He does not take away the suffering, but adds something to it and that is His own presence. In the Spirit, God the Son comes to us. The Spirit of the Son is with us and supports us as we are in the trial. The result of the fire of the trial is to walk in freedom. Nebuchadnezzar literally notices this with the three friends.

The picture of fire with regard to God’s earthly people is also seen in Zechariah 13:

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

And against the man, My Associate,”

Declares the LORD of hosts.

“Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;

And I will turn My hand against the little ones.

“It will come about in all the land,”

Declares the LORD,

“That two parts in it will be cut off [and] perish;

But the third will be left in it.

“And I will bring the third part through the fire,

Refine them as silver is refined,

And test them as gold is tested.

They will call on My name,

And I will answer them;

I will say, ‘They are My people,’

And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God’” (Zec 13:7-9).

First, we read about the cross (Zec 13:7), where God strikes His Messiah with the sword of His righteousness. Then it is about the remnant, “the little ones” who are scattered as a result of the rejection of the Messiah, but to whom He turns. Then a jump is made to the future (Zec 13:8-9). In the end time, “two parts [= two thirds] of it will be cut off”. The remnant, “the third”, is refined in the fire. Of them God says: “They are My people,” and from them He builds His people in the kingdom of peace.

Out of the Fire

Nebuchadnezzar has already risen from his throne, but is now moving on. He goes as close as possible to the door of the furnace of blazing fire to speak to the young men. He starts by naming their names. It is striking how often the names of the friends are mentioned in this history. The Spirit of God finds His joy of always mentioning the names of people who have made God great. He honors those who honor Him.

Nebuchadnezzar then addresses them as “servants of the Most High God”. This is an open testimony of the faithfulness of the friends. All those who in the course of the centuries until the end of time have ever persecuted the faithful will be forced to give this testimony (cf. Rev 3:9). Persecuted believers who have remained faithful to their confession of the living God are given this testimony.

Nebuchadnezzar commands them to come out. They would have been able to leave through the door before and to place themselves triumphantly in front of the king. However, they only leave the furnace on the king’s orders. Additionally, the company of the Son of God will have filled them with so much joy and peace that they would have gladly stayed with Him in the midst of the fire.

But by order of the king they come out of the furnace and stand in front of him. There they stand before Nebuchadnezzar, as faithful to him after they have been in the furnace of blazing fire as before. The fire has not changed their appearance, nor their behavior.

Then all those who charged them before Nebuchadnezzar come to the king. They do not come up with a new charge. That is not possible, because the verdict has been executed. What they observe is that the fire has had no effect on the young men, yes, that there is not even a smell of fire on them.

Here is also an important application to make. Believers who have been in a severe trial because of their faithfulness to the Lord will not make a fuss of their salvation from it. They will not boast about it and will not spread great stories about it. There will be no self-glorification. If they say anything about it, it will only be to make the Lord great, but upon themselves there will be “no smell of fire”. Their faithfulness to the Lord after the trial will be as great as before.