Have you ever been in a dream that feels so perfect and real? You are in the ideal place, with the right people and the perfect atmosphere, and you are feeling good, but then everything becomes blurred.
Then you realize it is a dream and feel sad because you must wake up. And the sadness stays with you as you drift away from your dream into reality. You open your eyes, and that sadness becomes nostalgia for something that didn’t exist but you would like to return to it.
This feeling, this deep longing for something better, is not unique to you or me. It is a universal human experience that has inspired countless songs, stories, and movies. Even amid our longing, we find solace and hope through these creative expressions. It is in our nature to hope for something better.
In the Bible, we find the story of two types of characters longing for something better and ready to go for it. First, we see a man with an awe-inspiring dream and longing to find himself back in the dream’s feelings. Second, we see three faithful men ready to die rather than give away the dream they long for.
Following his dream about a statue, King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue—a giant monolithic statue measuring 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. Even though the statue he dreamed of was constructed of many layers of different metals, he built this one of pure gold in defiance of his dream.
Daniel, who interpreted the dream, told him: “King Nebuchadnezzar, you are the greatest King of all. The God of heaven has given you authority and power. He has given you might and glory. He has put everyone under your control. He has also given you authority over the wild animals and the birds in the sky. It doesn’t matter where they live. He has made you ruler over all of them. You are that head of gold.” (Daniel 2:37,38 NIrV)
It’s a very flattering message. However, Nebuchadnezzar did not like what followed: “After you, another kingdom will take over” (Daniel 2:39 NIrV). No, that is not the promotional message the King wanted to have: “Soon to be replaced.” So Nebuchadnezzar’s dream became to be powerful forever, so he built the statue of pure gold.
Every leadership position in the large Babylon territory was ordered to gather together and show alliance with the King’s dream by worshiping the gold statue. The worship order was clear: “Listen, you people who come from every nation! Pay attention, you who speak other languages! Here is what the King commands you to do. You will soon hear the sound of horns and flutes. You will hear zithers, lyres, harps and pipes. In fact, you will hear all kinds of music. When you do, you must fall down and worship the gold statue. That is the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. If you don’t, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace right away.” (Daniel 2:39 NIrV)
As the music began and everybody started to fall in adoration, King Nebuchadnezzar’s longing for eternal power was fulfilled. He looked around; everybody was adoring him, and he was enjoying the moment. Suddenly, he was abruptly taken out of his dream moment when he saw three men distinctively standing among the rest, just like a slap in the face amid a nice dream. How could these three men dare to defy the King’s dream?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were called to face the angry King. After some scolding, the King personally explained to them what would happen, just in case they didn’t understand how generous he was in giving them an extra opportunity: “You will hear the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, pipes and other musical instruments. When you do, fall down and worship the statue I made. If you will, that’s very good. But if you won’t, you will be thrown at once into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to save you from my power?” (Daniel 3:15 NIrV)
Oh, Nebuchadnezzar was loving his dream. He firmly believed that no other power was there to challenge him. As he turned to the orchestra to give the starting sign, his dream was crushed again when he heard, “Nope, that is not going to happen.” The King, much angrier than before, turned back and shouted: “What did you just say?”
King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t understand that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego also had a longing dream for which they were ready to die if necessary. They longEd to be with God, the most incredible power in the universe and their Savior; all their lives were preparation for that glorious moment.
They explained, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to talk about this anymore. We might be thrown into the blazing furnace. But the God we serve is able to bring us out of it alive. He will save us from your power. But we want you to know this, Your Majesty. Even if we knew that our God wouldn’t save us, we still wouldn’t serve your gods. We wouldn’t worship the gold statue you set up.” (Daniel 3:16,17,18 NIrV)
Another slap in the face! “Even if we knew that our God wouldn’t save us, it would not happen.” The King shouted, “To the furnace! Throw these men into the furnace now! And make that furnace seven times hotter.”
People say that time slows down when a death experience happens. And this must have been what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego felt. The sound changed to a slow buzz, seeing in slow motion how they were tied up, the angry King shouting something they could not hear anymore, all the people around looking at them with eyes saying “we are finally getting rid of you”, being carried toward the blazing fire and thrown in. Then everything stops.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego hit the floor of the furnace. Their hands are free; they don’t feel the heat even though fire surrounds them. They can even breathe normally, and they look at each other, asking if this is what being dead feels like.
Suddenly, to their surprise, they feel a hand on their shoulders and a voice that asks them to stand up. They look up and can’t believe what they see: it is God! Their dreams have come true; they are now living their dream! But how come they are still in the fire? God explains that He is fire; His love is fire. They are happy to be with God; the suffering on earth has ended, and they are in the place they have longed to be all their lives. What a beautiful moment.
Then, a voice from outside disturbs the emotional conversation. “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out! You who serve the Most High God, come here!” (Daniel 3:26 NIrV)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego turn to God, saying, “Please, we don’t want to go back; this is where we belong; this is where we want to stay with you.” God looks at them and says: “I know, but you have a mission there. It makes me sad to let you go, too. Very soon, we will meet again, and that will be for eternity.”
Like a lovely dream that has to end, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego slowly walk out of the blazing furnace unscratched, with sad faces and perhaps crying. They already miss the friend they left behind in the fire. Now, they will go with the certainty of their dream but are eager to accomplish the mission they were commanded to do.
Nothing else has value now, not the hero welcome they receive after returning from the blazing furnace, not the public ovation and honor they receive, nor the higher positions entrusted to them. Now, they had a message to give everyone: That beautiful dream to be with God is not just a dream we long for; it is real! We have been there!
Are you also longing to be in heaven with God?
Italo Osorio – Copyright 2024
Photo by Tobias Tullius on Unsplash
