Day 7: Unbound and unharmed
[King Nebuchadnezzar] said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25).
...These holy champions were helpless when thrown into the furnace. They were cast in bound; and many of us have been cast in bound, too, so that we could not lift hand or foot to help ourselves...
Look at the text, and it will be clear to you that they lost something. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego lost something in the of fire, — not their turbans, nor their coats... nor one hair of their heads or beards — no; what then? Why, they lost their bonds there. Do observe “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire.”
The fire did not hurt them, but it snapped their bonds. Blessed loss this! A true Christian’s losses are gains in another shape. Now, beloved, observe this carefully, that many of God's servants never know the fulness of spiritual liberty till they are cast into the midst of the furnace. Many of them are bound and fettered till they get into the flame, and the flame consumes the bonds in which they had been willing to be held captives...
Shall I show you some of the bonds which God looses for his people when they are in the fire of human hatred? Sometimes he bursts the cords of fear of man, and desire to please man...When man has done his worst, as Nebuchadnezzar did in this case, why then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, could say, “What more could he do? He has thrown us into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter; he has done his worst and now what have we to fear?”
...Have not you, dear friends, frequently experienced that trouble cuts the cords which bind us to earth?...Thus... saints lose something in the furnace which they are glad to lose: they are cast in bound, but amid the glowing coals they are set at liberty.
~ C.H. Spurgeon ~ November 26, 1865
Oh, who would cast away the gold
We’ve gathered in the furnace flame!
And who would wish again the dross
Here purged in our Redeemer’s name?
~ Daniel S. Warner ~ 1883
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