How does the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego relate to salvation?

The account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace serves as a powerful allegory for salvation through Christ. Just as these men were preserved in the flames with the appearance of a fourth man—believed to be a pre-incarnate Christ—believers find their ultimate safety and redemption in Jesus. Their faithfulness did not save them; it was the presence and power of the fourth man that delivered them unharmed. Similarly, Christ bears the ultimate burden of our sin, entering into the furnace of God's wrath so that those who believe in Him can emerge free from condemnation, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged unscathed.