The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego’s deliverance from the fiery furnace is well known. But often the episode is interpreted falsely, creating a demonic doctrine designed to impugn God’s faithfulness.
Daniel 3:14 (KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
The king asked two questions in Daniel 3:14. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered both these questions, the first answer is in Daniel 3:17, and the second in Daniel 3:18. Arranging the answers so that they come immediately after each question:
Question 1)
Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods?
Answer 1)
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. Daniel 3:17 (KJV)
Compare the answer to the Literal Standard Version:
Answer 1)
Behold, it is; our God whom we are serving, is able to deliver us from a burning fiery furnace; and from your hand, O king, He delivers.
Question 2)
Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you are not worshipping the golden image which I have set up?
Answer 2)
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:18 (KJV)
Compare the answer to the Literal Standard Version
Answer 2)
And behold—not! Be it known to you, O king, that we are not serving your gods, and we do not worship the golden image you have raised up.
Notice that in the KJV (and most other translations) the text adds the word ‘if’ at the beginning of each answer. This ‘if’ is not in the original Aramaic text. The addition of ‘if’, by the translators (though doubtless they were attempting to facilitate understanding), has been the cause of development of a misguided doctrine. The literal translation has therefore been included, for comparison.
A concise rendering of the questions and answers might look like this:
Question 1)
Is it true that you do not serve my gods?
Answer 1)
Behold, it is;
Question 2)
Is it true, that you are not worshipping the golden image …
Answer 2)
And behold—not!
Be it known to you, O king, that … we do not worship the golden image you have raised up.”
Adding the ‘if’ suggests the possibility that God will not deliver them. This leads to the doctrine of ‘sometimes God answers prayer, sometimes He doesn’t’, which is absolutely contrary to the truth in 1 John 5:14-15.
And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we might ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we might ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from Him.
“accurately handling the word of truth“ (2 Tim 2:15 BSB) precludes the interpretation “God will will deliver us, but even if He doesn’t, we still won’t worship your idols”. With such ambivalence they would not have been delivered, but God, by including them in the Great Faith Hall of Fame, gives them testimony that they acted in faith nothing wavering.
…quenched the violence of fire… (Heb 11:34)
Who else would this refer to other than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego?