Bible Studies

---

THE FIERY FURNACE…POEM


By: James P. Gram

Nebuchadnezzar king, long gone,
In Dura, that’s in Babylon,
Set up a golden god whose height
Most people thought was out of sight

Its height was three score cubits high
It towered nearly to the sky;
In breadth it stood six cubits wide
Breadth means, you know, from side to side

The king now gave an indication
He’d organize a dedication;
He wanted every V.I.P
To come and worship and to see

He called up all his chiefs and minions
Judges who gave out opinions;
Counselors and sheriffs too
All the big shots, old and new

When they gathered all together
At the idol, in good weather,
The king declared “I want this clear
I’ve got a band you’re going to hear”

Now when you hear the music wheeze
All of you get on your knees;
When brass will sound both loud and bold
Pay tribute to my image gold”

“But those of you who fail to bow
Will not live long; I’ll tell you how
I’ve got a fiery furnace red
I’ll throw you in and you’ll be dead”

Now get this straight, again I say:
When’re you hear that music play
Fall on your face just as I said;
Or you will certainly be dead

Then some Chaldeans, just a few
Had it in for every Jew;
Some governors, they told the king
Have gone ahead and done their thing

They have not listened, King, to you
We wonder what you’re going to do?
They worship not your image gold
But other gods, so we’ve been told

Nebuchadnezzar, mad is he
That some ignored his last decree.
“Who are these men? Oh yes, I know
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego”

Soon afterward they brought the three
That had ignored the king’s decree;
The king now said “You listen here,
Respect my idol or you’ll sear”

But all three stood and said aloud,
“We cannot join your pagan crowd;
We have a God, and He’s our man
We worship Him as best we can”

The king was mad, to vent his ire
He said to stoke the furnace fire
To more than seven times its heat;
To guarantee the deaths were neat.

They kept their clothes, their hands were tied
The king was sure they would be fried;
The three then said, without a quiver,
“Our God will from this fire deliver”

The king urged everyone to haste
“Throw them in, no time to waste”
But in their hurry to obey
Ten servants fried, or so they say

You see that overheated mound
Killed even those who stood around;
But standing in that furnace glow
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego


They walked around for all to see
Within that flaming hellish sea;
Their hands came free, their heads unbowed,
They waved to all the gathering crowd

“Look again, let all beware
There is a fourth man standing there;
First three, now four, what have I done?
Something strange is going on”

The king, perplexed, then scratched his head
“All these people should be dead;
The fourth must be God’s holy son
He’s saved these three from what I’ve done”

The king then spoke into the flame
“Come on out in God’s own name;
Your God is mighty, and it’s true
You have no harm, he rescued you”

“Now I decree, and this out loud
No word against your God’s allowed;
And listen well, for those who dare
I’ll hack to pieces I declare”

But what transpired with heroes three?
The king bore them no enmity;
Promoted them to make amends
And that is how this story ends.


Moral:

When we are placed in danger dire
Like flood, or violence or fire;
The God of Love will help us out
We only have to give a shout

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE