Part 4: Shadrach. Meshach and Abednego (Dn 2:48 - 3:30) published 13/10/1999

We turn our thoughts from Daniel who set an example in behaviour and purpose for all of the other selected Jews to follow, to three of these companions. Already Hananiah (meaning 'God is gracious'), Mishael (meaning 'Who is like God?') and Azariah (meaning 'God keeps him') had been given new names as part of the culture shock of captivity (Dn 1:7). They were to be known by Babylonian rather than Hebrew names: Shadrach (meaning 'Command of the Moon-God'), Meshach (meaning 'Who is like the Moon-God?') and Abednego (meaning 'Servant of Nego').

Q What's in a name? Does it matter at all what we are called? Can occult or Satanic words have any real impact on us? Discuss this briefly.

Q This was an attempt to undermine the God-fearing heritage of these young people. Isn't the world today doing the same things as it secularises and compromises whatever it can find that has inherent reminders of the Christian faith (eg Millenium celebrations)? What other examples can members of the group think of, and do these things matter?

Living under pressure Read the passage

1. Living under the pressure of New Responsibilities
Daniel took an early opportunity to give major responsibility in government to these three (Dn 2:49). They wouldn't have felt they had the skills for this, and their position was envied by the astrologers whose influential positions they had now taken up.

Q Do new responsibilities and/or the envy of others put us under pressure? How do we deal with it?

2. Living under the pressure of National Fervour
There are times in every nation when it is difficult to stand up and stand out as a Christian, and the demand to pay homage to Nebuchadnezzar's image (Dn 3:6) marked this period in Babylon as just such a time. The furnace stoked up for dissenters was probably the one used to cast this enormous edifice in the first place.

Q What things are Christians sometimes expected to go along with that are a contradiction to their faith (even if we don't face this sort of challenge in our day)? How do we deal with these things?

3. Living under the pressure of Personal Accusation
The problem with an accusing spirit is that it usually only focuses on one thing. Is all of the faithful service of the three to count for nothing (Dn 3:12)? Did they really 'pay no attention to' the King?

Q Do we get criticised for the slightest error or misjudgement (not that these three had anything to reproach themselves about)? How well do we handle this type of thing?