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尼布甲尼撒王造了一座金像，他命令所有人都要俯伏敬拜这像。（参但 3:1-6）然而，沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼哥却拒绝这样做，因为他们不敬拜偶像或其他的神，他们决心单单敬拜那位真神。于是，王的术士前来告发这三个人，说他们应该被扔在烈火的窑中。

让我们来看看沙得拉、米煞和亚伯尼哥怎样回答：“即便如此，我们所侍奉的神，能将我们从烈火的窑中救出来。王啊，他也必救我们脱离你的手；即或不然，王啊，你当知道我们决不侍奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像！”（但 3:17-18）

他们表示不会为任何原因去敬拜这座金像的，即或神不拯救他们，他们也不会这样做。他们定意要顺服神，即或烈火杀害了他们的身体，将他们烧成灰烬，他们相信神必定会保守他们的灵魂。很多人都会期望自己所做的事能带来“合理的回报”，然而，沙得拉、米煞和亚伯尼哥宣告，不论结果如何，他们都选择顺服神。

这样的信心是何等令人难以置信！当他们拒绝在信心上作出妥协时，神便保护他们丝毫不被烈火伤害。

King Nebuchadnezzar had made an image of gold and had ordered people to bow down and worship it. (Daniel 3:1-6) But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to do that, because they did not worship idols or other gods. They worshiped only the true God. So the king's astrologers spoke against these men and said they should be thrown into a blazing furnace.

Let's look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's reply: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

They said they would not worship the image of gold for any reason, even if God did not deliver them. They were determined to obey God, and they trusted in God to protect their souls even if the fire killed them and burned them up. Many people expect "realistic compensation" for their actions, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego declared that they would obey God, no matter what happened.

What incredible faith! And God protected them from the fire when they refused to compromise their faith.