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http://dailytext2.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/so-these-men-were-thrown-into-the-burning-fiery-furnace/
Alternative Daily Text for Wednesday, May 7, 2014
“So these men … were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.” (Daniel 3:21)
The pagan king Nebuchadnezzar threw three men “into the burning fiery furnace” because they refused to worship his gods. (Daniel 3:14, 21) This is not the only Bible account that puts furnaces in a negative context. The prophet Hosea condemned the apostate Israelites: “All of them are adulterers, like a furnace.” (Hosea 7:4, NWT 1984) So furnaces were as bad as adulterers – and back then, adultery was one of the worst crimes imaginable. Adulterers had to “be put to death without fail.” – Leviticus 20:10.
The Bible further mentions a “metalsmith” making idols “over the coals,” that is, by the help of a furnace. (Isaiah 44:12) On another occasion, apostate king Jehoiakim “was sitting … with a fire burning in the brazier before him,” and he used this kind of oven to burn the scroll of the prophet Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 36:22, 23) “The slaves and the officers” of the High Priest also “were standing around a charcoal fire they had made” during Jesus’ conviction. (John 18:18) Is it not interesting that the Bible mentions fires and furnaces so often in regard to Gods enemies? This shows without doubt that God does not approve the use of furnaces and heatings. This is probably also the reason why “faithful Abraham … went out from the Chaldean city of Ur,” since Ur was the birthplace of central heating. – Insight on the Scriptures, volume I, page 974; Bringing God’s Word to the Nations.
Does this mean that Christians should not heat at all? Yes, since God himself declared that “the earth will never cease to have … cold and heat.” (Genesis 8:22) The winter cold is an order from God, that is why the apostle Paul served him “in cold and lacking clothing.” (2 Corinthians 11:27) Therefor let us imitate the faithful worshippers of old by living with “no covering for the cold.” (Job 24:7) If we live in a house with heating, we should follow Abraham’s example and move out immediately. Only then we might have a chance to survive “the day … that is burning like the furnace.” – Malachi 4:1, NWT 1984