A raging furnace, stoked to a white hot flame, waiting to devour all that come near. The heat was increased to seven times beyond the usual temperature; so hot that even the soldiers that came near to throw the victims in were destroyed. (Read Daniel Chapter 3)
Expert killer and warrior giant, who single-handedly made thousands of trained soldiers quake in their boots. Well over 9-feet tall and renowned for his killing prowess, no man could stand before him and hope to live. His armor alone weighed as much as the young boy standing before him. (Read 1 Samuel Chapter 17)
The men who trusted God had their lives forever changed by an amazing display of God’s power and grace. We are called to live a new life “with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:11) These faithful men were called to live beyond what appeared to be certain death, and I’m sure the aftermath of these experiences raised their faith to an entirely new level.
Now let’s talk about our certain death, and the experience that should raise us to a new level of faith:
Religious zealots that claim to stand for truth, but don’t recognize Truth when He stands and speaks before them. They hand God in the flesh over to the very enemy they pray God will come and rescue them from, not realizing they are helping fulfill the very prophecies they teach their followers about.
The brutal Romans are expert torturers, and have perfected the art of the slow, painful kill. They beat, strip, and humiliate the Messiah before they drive spikes through His flesh and hang him to slowly die on the hot, arid hilltop known as the “place of the skull”.
As He hangs there, feeling His humanity slowly fade, He forgives the very ones who perpetrated this evil scheme, along with all those who were not there in person, but crucify Him in their thoughts and in how they live their lives. He breathes one last breath, and collapses… (Read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
But the One who shuts the mouths of ravenous lions; who walks amidst the flame and protects His own; who gives courage when the odds are overwhelmingly against success; this One left His life on the cross and defeated Death and the Grave. He returned to life as our Conquering King, and has snatched us from the jaws of death, to give us a new life.
We have been rescued by the same One who rescued Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and David. The One who has already won the victory for us – who has delivered us from certain death and given us an opportunity for new life – asks us to live our lives as one who has been snatched from the teeth of death; as one protected from the flames that consume; as one that has courage and faith when things appear hopeless.
We are the rescued – He is our Rescuer - it's time we start living like it!