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Just Covering All Their Bases?

To “cover all your bases” means to prepare for every possible outcome and to deal with every aspect of a situation to make sure you succeed or avoid trouble.

On the surface, it appears that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were trying to cover all their bases!  Here’s what is says from Daniel 3:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  (3:16-18)

While they believed that God could deliver them (“our God whom we serve is able to deliver us”), it does look like they spoke in a way that might be construed as an effort to cover their bases (“but even if He does not”).  But, upon further study, I don’t think that the concept of covering their bases even crossed their minds!

First, we do need to clarify what were they facing that they needed deliverance from and it was not pretty!  If they didn’t fall down and worship the golden image, when there was a call to worship it, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. 

As they faced the king and the accusations that they didn’t fall down to worship the golden image, it should be noted that they didn’t deny that they had failed to do so (3:8-12).  Nor did they feel that they needed to defend themselves (“we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter”).  They didn’t even plead for the king to spare their lives.  They made it clear to the king that worshipping the golden image was not an option.  They would never practice it.  They would only worship their God.

And while in faith they believed that God was fully able to deliver them, they did not demand that God should deliver them.  In fact, they were willing to obey even if it meant death.   They were not covering their bases but were, in fact, submitting to His sovereign will for either outcome (deliverance or death).     

The Bible Hub website summarizes the verse this way: “Daniel 3:18 captures unwavering faith: confidence in God’s power, submission to His will, bold public witness, and unyielding allegiance to Him alone. Whether God intervenes miraculously or not, His people remain steadfast, proving that true worship is non-negotiable and that obedience is worth any cost.”

And after the Lord did deliver them from perishing in the fiery furnace (3:19-27), even Nebuchadnezzar figured out that they were not trying to cover all their bases. See what he says: 

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.  (Dan 3:28)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego ultimately believed that God would not necessarily give them what they wanted but that He would give them what was best.  That’s not “covering your bases” but it’s an unwavering faith in God!


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