Power Struggle: Daniel 3:19-23
Improper application of power leads to harsh reaction instead of a thoughtful response. Power isn’t often concerned with the greater good; it wants the best for itself. Power doesn’t care about fair; it wants might to make right.
Upon hearing the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Nebuchadnezzar orders the fire stoked to an intense level. Nebuchadnezzar is blind with rage. He is not used to being disobeyed. He is not accustomed to being unable to impose fear. He is backed into a corner by the faithfulness of the Hebrew leaders and has no choice but to act. Nebuchadnezzar expects to be obeyed and worshipped.
Power can be a good tool in the right hands. Moses had power to lead the Hebrew people and he used it mostly as a tool for good against Pharaoh in Egypt and against the rebellion of the Hebrew people in the desert. King David led powerful men into battle and usually used them to do the bidding of the Lord. Jesus had divine power and he used it to heal many and ultimately conquer death as He saved us from the consequences of our sin. Power is a wonderful tool in the right hands.
In Nebuchadnezzar, though, we see the dark side of power. When people grow accustomed to wielding power, they can employ it in the wrong circumstances. When people grow to like power, they can use it to gain the wrong outcomes. When powerful people are challenged, they can wield their power directly against others to force confrontation.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego explained their position to Nebuchadnezzar, they told Nebuchadnezzar they believed God could save them. Even if God chose not to save them, they would not worship the gods of the Chaldeans. This situation becomes more than Hebrew men versus a Chaldean king. The real challenge is between God and Nebuchadnezzar.
This is why the furnace is heated to an incredible degree. If it was a matter of killing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego a normal level of heat would suffice. Nebuchadnezzar’s true opponent is God and he knows it. Nebuchadnezzar needs to display all the power he can muster.
In the end, Nebuchadnezzar quit listening. The fury of his anger mixed with the assault on his power closed his ears and forced confrontation. He left himself no room to maneuver and found himself in a duel against God. As the realization of the challenge dawns upon Nebuchadnezzar, he cannot help but realize his opponent is the same God who tormented his sleep and revealed his dream and its interpretation to Daniel. He already has evidence the God of the Hebrew people is more powerful than the gods of the Chaldeans. Nebuchadnezzar only has one play left. As the fires destroy his own men while they deliver these powerful Hebrew leaders to the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar learns a harsh reality. Improper application of power leads to harsh reaction instead of a thoughtful response.
