Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hebrew names Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) are mentione d in the chapter 3 of the biblical Book of Daniel. In the narrative, the three Jewish men are thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image. The three are preserved from harm and the king sees four men walking in the flames, "the fourth ... like a son of God". They are first mentioned in Daniel 1, where alongside Daniel they are brought to Babylon to study Assyrian language and literature with a view to serving at the King's court, and their Hebrew names are replaced with Assyrian names.
Quotes
[edit]- Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,
- as though it were with burnt-offerings of rams and bulls,
- or with tens of thousands of fat lambs;
- such may our sacrifice be in your sight today,
- and may we unreservedly follow you,
- for no shame will come to those who trust in you.
- Daniel 3,39-40 (NRSV).
- Deliver us in accordance with your marvellous works,
- and bring glory to your name, O Lord.
- Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame;
- let them be disgraced and deprived of all power,
- and let their strength be broken.
- Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,
- glorious over the whole world.
- Daniel 3,43-45 (NRSV).
Quotes about
[edit]- Now all the week long we've gone through that period of preparation, gettin' ourselves ready, askin' God to get us ready, askin' Him to purge us with His discipline and burn us with his fire and cleanse us and make us holy and ready to stand. For when you go down to downtown, you are goin' down there amidst mean and cruel people. Your'e goin' down there 'midst the police force and you've got to have God on your side. So you need to get ready. Ask Him to prepare you as He did Shadrach, Meshach and ABednego. You know, when they went to the fiery furnance, they said to the king, "We will not bow" But God was on their side... Just like God went in the fiery furnace with the three Hebrew boys, God will go with us on whatever operation we decide on. Now, you can't win the battle at home.
- Ralph Abernathy, in a sermon he gave on 15 December 1961, during the Albany Movement; as quoted in Watters, Pat. 2012. Down to Now: Reflections on the Southern Civil Rights Movement. University of Georgia Press. pp. 202-203.
