THE FOURTH MAN (2)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE FOURTH MAN, (2)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Daniel 3:10-30

v10 *Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:*

v11 *And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.*

v12 *There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.*

v13 *Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.*

v14 *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?*

v15 *Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?*

v16 *Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.*

v17 *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.*

v18 *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.*

v19 *Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.*

v20 *And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.*

v21  *Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.*

v22 *Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.*

v23 *And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.*

v24 *Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.*

v25 *He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.*

v26 *Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.*

v27 *And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.*

v28 *Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.*

v29 *Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.*

v30 *Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Christ as the fourth Man can also take the form of a companion and a multitude.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

King Nebuchadnezzar observed the burning fiery furnace to ensure the punishment matches the gravity of the violation of His directives.

The punishment must be severe enough to warn others of the consequences of violating the King's decree. It must serve as a deterrence.

While he carefully observed the burning fiery furnace, he saw more than He bargained for.

The story of the three Hebrews teaches us while Jesus appeared as the fourth Man in the fire, He can take the form of any number to deliver us from our troubles.

First, He can be a companion.

Is 43:2 tells us that when you pass through waters and fire, He will be a companion to you.

Is 43:2 says *When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.*

He promises to be your companion when you walk through life's threatening situation.

Ps 23:4 *Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.*

Isaiah 46:4 says it can be just you and Him.

*And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.*

Isaiah 49:16 tells us the believer is constantly in His sight, and securely protected. God said *Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.*

He still manifests Himself as One with the believer.

1 John 4:4 *Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.*

Having Him alone will make us more than conquerors, Rom 8:37.

Second is, Jesus as the fourth Man in the fire can take the form of a host of multitude of innumerable angels that outweighs any physical reality (ref 2 Kgs 6:16, Heb 12 :22).

Jesus can be the host behind an army that empowers to express how spiritual reality can be more powerful than physical reality,

He appeared to Joshua as the *"...Captain of the Host of the LORD"..."* as the Lord and that God whonwas leading the fight against Jericho., Joshua 5:13-15

His presence at the same time can outnumber to provide divine protection to us when God is on their side. 

Isaiah 45:12, Psalm 33:6-9, and Job 38:33, highlights His control over the heavenly armies.

He controls with supreme authority over the "host of heaven" (angels, stars, and celestial bodies), commanding, creating, and governing them.

He is referred to as the fourth Man because He counts with the three men in the fire and His presence brought them freedom and safety to walk unbound and unharmed in the fire.

'Four' is often described in the Christian circle as earthly completeness, creation, and universality.

While the fourth Man could appear with the three Hebrews to make four, He is One as a majority. Romans 8:31 says *If God be for us, who can be against us?*

He can accompany, from one person to a multitude of people.

God can manifest Himself in innumerable ways. Not as other gods or mediums as some people think, but as a divine, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient indivisible God.

He is 'I Am", rooted in the idea that God is a single "I Am," not a composite or combination of multiple gods or substances. 

He could have taken the position of the fourth Man but unlike humans, God is not bound or contained to a physical body or location. 

He is the fourth Man in the fire and the fourth Man is our One and only holy Saviour, Jesus.

*Remorse corner.*

The fourth Man is the One and only true God, Jesus Christ.

John 17:3 *And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

The fourth Man could be a multitude. He could be the *".....they that be with us are more than they that be with them.* 2 Kgs 6:16

*The Christian clarion duty.*

The fourth Man in the fire *"......is a man of war: the Lord is his name.*, Exd 15:3

*Prayer.*

Lord, deliver me in Your innumerable manifestation in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.