February 12, 2019

NO SHAME

Daniel 3:40

So let this be our sacrifice before You today,
And may it be accomplished for those who follow You;
For there is no shame for those who trust in You.

Encouraging Words

Daniel is another one of those books in the Old Testament that is different in the Septuagint versus the version used in the Western church. Inserted between the accounting of the three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, entering into the fiery furnace and their coming out, is the prayer of Azariah. Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were three young Israeli men that were taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar, along with Daniel and other young men. Nebuchadnezzar gave them new Babylonian names as part of his indoctrinating them into his kingdom. Hananiah was renamed Shadrach. Azariah was renamed Meshach. Mishael was renamed Abednego. In verses 26 through 45, we have this prayer of Azariah (Meshach). This verse pops out to me as a reminder that everything that we do in our lives should be a sacrifice for our God. We do these sacrificial offerings to our God out of our love for Him and our appreciation for all that He has done for us, and we know that there is no shame before Him and His great love and mercy. Glory be to God!