The Fiery Furnace

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon built a massive golden statue and commanded everyone in the kingdom to bow down and worship it. Three young Jewish men — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — refused. They stood tall while everyone else bowed.

They were brought before the furious king. He gave them one more chance, threatening to throw them into a furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. They answered calmly: "King Nebuchadnezzar, the God we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace. But even if He does not, we want you to know that we will never worship your gods or bow to your statue." Even if He does not — these words show their extraordinary faith.

The king had them thrown in. But then he leaped to his feet in amazement. He said, "Didn't we throw three men in? I see four men — walking around unharmed — and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!" He called them out, and they came out without even the smell of smoke on them. Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of Israel. The Coptic Church sees the fourth figure in the fire as the pre-incarnate Christ — Jesus was with them in the fire. He is with us in our fires too.