BIBLE PEOPLE | HANANIAH (SHADRACH)

1. Bible People

a) The Bible is an historic record of real people and places. 

b) Here is a brief biography of such a person during Bible times.

2. Hananiah (named later as Shadrach)

a) Hananiah was one of the three friends of Daniel who was cast into the fiery furnace. 

b) He was taken to Babylon with Daniel, Mishael, and Azariah after the siege of Jerusalem (Daniel 1:3-7). His name was changed to Shadrach by the Chaldeans (Babylonians). He entered the king's service with his friends and became one of the wisest men in Babylon. 

c) Later, because he would not worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar, he was thrown into the furnace with his friends. But they survived by praying to God, and "the fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm" (Daniel 3). 

d) Hananiah means "the Lord is gracious."