¹⁹ “Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ²² Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

3:19

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

Nebuchadnezzar, enraged by what he deemed insolence, heated the fiery furnace seven times more than usual.  He was going to make an example out of the trio of renegades.  Everyone would see the price of rebellion against the authority of the king.  They could see it in his face.  He was incredulous.

3:20

And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar called some of his best troops to bring the three Hebrew young men to justice. 

3:21

Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

The point of mentioning clothing is to show that the trio was well dressed and thus part of the aristocracy. 

3:22

Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

The flames killed some of Nebuchadnezzar’s best men. 

3:23

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

What stark terror these young men faced!

Is 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.”

PRINCIPLE: 

All believers inexorably and inevitably enter trial by fire. 

APPLICATION: 

God allows a trial to enter our lives because he wants to separate the genuine from the phony.  It separates the chaff from the wheat.  A trial always breaks those ties that bind us to our sufficiency.  When this happens, we live in the power and strength of God.