“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.’” Daniel 3:16-18 NLT
In Daniel chapter 1, we read of Daniel’s resolve to not defile himself in partaking of the royal food and wine. In this chapter, we see the same resolve of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They knew and understood that the first law of all was obedience to God, and they were resolved to uphold it. In their reply to Nebuchadnezzar, there is no ground to suppose that they expected a miraculous deliverance, only a display of faithful obedience to the God of gods.
Lock Your Wings 
“But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.””
Daniel 3:18 NLT
But. Even. If.
Sometimes we Fido things or say things only for a specific outcome. These three were not bound by their expectation that God would save them but were content to serve Him EVEN IF there was no gain for themselves.
Also logistics…how does one make a statue 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide in this time? And why? I can see the king desiring people to bow to him but to a statue/image of him?? Seems like a poor substitute for the real thing.
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