Nougat 22

Ever heard a comeback and thought, ’I should have said that?’ Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king saying, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you concerning this matter.” ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭TLV‬‬

They said that to the king? As in The. King. of. Babylon? Oho those boys were sharp! And a lot brave eh.

Can you see yourself there: you’d just opted against bowing before the king’s prized image – under penalty of immediate execution – and someone snitched! Of course, you are immediately summoned by His Royal Highness, who naturally is absolutely infuriated by your visible sign of disrespect. To show how reasonable he is, he offers you an opportunity to redeem yourself. What would you have said?

Well those devout Jews not only stuck to their faith, they basically told the king, in front of all his subjects (!!!), that they did not (have to) answer to him! Isn’t that gross disrespect and automatic grounds for some serious punishment? Like the death penalty, which they should have been avoiding. (@Antonett Scarlett, this should have a moment in your book of poetry eh!) Can you believe their nerve?, and the depths of their conviction?

And could/would you have done that?!

I’m sure the people wondered to themselves how bad the new life must have been to the young men warrant their open defiance. And I suspect that one or two of them would have actively tried to change their minds. To no avail. And those whistle blowers were probably in two camps: one in shock that the boys’ argument didn’t shift; the other impatiently awaiting the judgement.

They must have counted the cost! Especially when summoned. It doesn’t require Maths or Philosophy or Prophetic Vision to know that to publicly offend a vain enemy on the highest point of their personal pride merited serious consequences. Yet they persisted. These three counted and spoke up! For the faith that most everyone had renounced (at least in the public sphere). For the God they’d never seen. For a commandment their fore parents had received in the Wilderness.

Their song muted (Psalm 137); their identities challenged by a name change (part of the assimilation process, and the new names were culturally and spiritually offensive to their faith) and yet, they remained faithful.

That is Great Faith

Would/Could you or I consider it in their shoes?

Lord by Your divine grace, strengthen our faith

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May all we seek be found in Christ