Immerse Chronicles Day 361 Year 2 Bible Reading

The Fiery Furnace: The Unwavering Faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

This episode of 'Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience' narrates the dramatic story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as described in the Book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar constructs an enormous golden statue and commands all people to worship it. The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to bow down to the idol leads to their punishment of being thrown into a blazing furnace. Miraculously, they remain unscathed, protected by divine intervention. An astonished Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the power of their God and decrees that no one should speak against Him. He then promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in Babylon.

00:00 Introduction and Context
00:04 The Golden Statue and the King's Decree
01:59 Defiance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
03:30 The Fiery Furnace
04:44 Divine Rescue and King's Proclamation
06:16 Conclusion and Promotion

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Volume 6 — Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel

Chronicles

Immerse: Chronicles is the sixth and final installment in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Chronicles contains the remaining First Testament Books: Chronicles–Ezra–Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel. These works were all written after the Jewish people fell under the control of foreign empires and were scattered among the nations. They remind God’s chastened people of their identity and calling to faithfully represent God to the nations and that there is still hope for the struggling dynasty of David.

4 Questions to get your conversations started:
1. What stood out to you this week?
2. Was there anything confusing or troubling?
3. Did anything make you think differently about God?
4. How might this change the way we live?

QUICK START GUIDE
3 ways to get the most out of your experience

1. Use Immerse: Beginnings instead of your regular chapter and verse Bible. This special reader’s edition restores the Bible to its natural simplicity and beauty by removing chapter and verse numbers and other historical additions. Letters look like letters, songs look like songs, and the original literary structures are visible in each book.
2. Commit to making this a community experience. Immerse is designed for groups to encounter large portions of the Bible together
   for 8 weeks–more like a book club, less like a Bible study. By meeting every week in small groups and discussing what you read in open,
   honest conversations, you and your community can come together to be transformed through an authentic experience with the Scriptures.
3. Aim to understand the big story. Read through “The Stories and the Story” (p. 483) to see how the books of the Bible work together to tell God’s story of his creation’s restoration. As you read through Immerse: Beginnings, rather than ask, “How do I fit God into my busy life?” begin asking, “How can I join in God’s great plan by living out my part in his story?”

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Take a breath, find your place, and read deeply. Discover the joy of reading God’s word with the Immerse New Living Translation (NLT) Bible.

This daily Bible podcast will take you through the Bible in a year following the Immerse Bible Reading Experience. So grab your family and small group and go through the Bible in a year together with Immerse. Each of the 6 volumes is available online or at your favorite Christian bookstore.

Emily: welcome to immerse: the
daily bible reading experience.

day 300 and 61.

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold
statue, 90 feet tall and nine feet

wide, and set it up on the plane
of Dura in the province of Babylon.

Then he sent messages to the high
officers, officials, governors, advisors,

treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all
the provincial officials to come to the

dedication of the statue he had set up.

So all these officials came
and stood before the statue

King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then a herald shouted out people of
all races and nations and languages

listened to the king's command.

When you hear the sound of the
horn, flute, zither, liar, harp

pipes and other musical instruments,
bow to the ground to worship.

King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue.

Anyone who refuses to obey
will immediately be thrown

into a blazing furnace.

So at the sound of the musical
instruments, all the people, whatever

their race or nation or language, bowed to
the ground and worshiped the gold statue

that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

But some of the astrologers went to
the king and informed on the Jews.

They said to King Nebuchadnezzar,
long live the king.

You issued a decree requiring
all the people to bow down

and worship the gold statue.

When they hear the sound of the horn,
flute, zither, liar, harp pipes, and

other musical instruments, that decree
also states that those who refuse to obey

must be thrown into a blazing furnace.

But there are some Jews, Shadrach,
Micha, and Abednego, whom you have put

in charge of the province of Babylon.

They pay no attention
to you, your majesty.

They refuse to serve your gods and do not
worship the gold statue you have set up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a
rage and ordered that Shadrach Meha

and Abednego be brought before him.

When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar
said to them, is it true Shadrach,

Meha, and Abednego, that you refuse
to serve my gods or to worship

the gold statue I have set up?

I will give you one more chance to bow
down and worship the statue I have made.

When you hear the sound of the musical
instruments, But if you refuse,

you'll be thrown immediately into
the blazing furnace and then what?

God will be able to
rescue you from my power.

Shadak, Meha and Abednego replied,
oh, Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need

to defend ourselves before you.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,
the God whom we serve is able to save us.

He will rescue us from
your power, your majesty.

But even if he doesn't, we want to
make it clear to you, your majesty,

that we will never serve your gods or
worship the gold statue you have set up.

Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with
Shadrach, Meha, and Abednego that

his face became distorted with rage.

He commanded that the furnace be
heated seven times hotter than usual.

Then he ordered some of the
strongest men of his army to bind

Shadrach, Meha, and Abednego and
throw them into the blazing furnace.

So they tied them up and threw them
into the furnace, fully dressed in their

pants, TURs robes, and other garments.

And because the king in his anger
had demanded such a hot fire in the

furnace, the flames killed the soldiers
as they threw the three men in.

So Shadrach, Micha, and Abbe securely
tied, fell into the roaring flames, but

suddenly Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in
amazement and exclaimed to his advisors.

Didn't we tie up three men and
throw them into the furnace?

Yes, you are a majesty.

We certainly did.

They replied, look,
Nebuchadnezzar shouted.

I see four men unbound walking
around in the fire unharmed,

and the fourth looks like a God.

Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close
as he could to the door of the

flaming furnace and shouted.

Shadrach, Meha and Abednego servants of
the most high God, come out, come here.

So Shadrach, Meha, and Abednego
stepped out of the fire.

Then the high officers, officials,
governors and advisors crowded

around them and saw that the
fire had not touched them.

Not a hair on their heads was singed,
and their clothing was not scorched.

They didn't even smell of smoke.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, praise to the
God of Shadrach, Meha, and Abednego.

He sent his angel to rescue his
servants who trusted in him.

They defied the king's command and were
willing to die rather than serve or

worship any God except their own God.

Therefore, I make this decree.

If any people, whatever their race
or nation or language speak a word

against the God of Shadrach, Micha,
and Abednego, they will be torn

limb from limb and their houses
will be turned into heaps of rubble.

There is no other God
who can rescue like this.

Then the king promoted Shadrach,
Michek, and Abednego to even higher

positions in the province of Babylon.