CHAPTER 3

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

In the previous chapter, after Daniel had recounted and interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the king worshipped DANIEL. He aligned his kingdom with Daniel's wisdom, and perhaps some thought he aligned himself with God.

But here we see that Nebuchadnezzar is quite "flitty" in his understanding of true spirituality. He built a statue 9 feet wide and 90 feet tall. Did the design of the statue come from his pride? Was he trying to make himself the WHOLE statue that he had seen in his dream?

In our own times, we have seen a vile dictator from the same country (who committed mass murder of his own people) build statues of himself in order to elicit "worship" from his people.

Nebuchadnezzar demanded that whenever special music was presented the people bow down to the image. So it is with vain men! They who need deliverance BY God attempt to compete with God for man's worship!
Be it known that the ole devil will USE man's vanity and pride. If true worship can be perverted and compromised, then true worship will soon be forsaken.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Daniel had become governor, and his three friends had become officials under him. These appointments by the king were quite embarrassing to the Chaldean leaders. The very Jews whom they had conquered were now set up to be their leaders!

It was petty jealousy that caused them to accuse Shadrack, Meshach, and Abed-nego when they would not worship the king's statue.

When men stand stalwartly in worship of ONLY God and GOD only, then evil men will seek occasion to destroy that influence.

By a dream, God revealed that Nebuchadnezzar had been given special privilege to be a great leader. Now Nebuchadnezzar attempts to make himself GREATER than God Who GAVE him that privilege. In verse 15, his question reveals that possession of power has inflated his ego! Indeed, he felt that NO god could keep him from doing what he wanted!

Nebuchadnezzar threatened Daniel's three friends with DEATH in a "fiery furnace."

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

This is a TEST OF FAITH!

A Christian avows allegiance to Christ ONLY as King of kings and Lord of lords. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego had given their ALL to God. Would they ABIDE by their decision when faced with death?

Henry Blackaby once said (in his book: EXPERIENCING GOD) that when a person makes a decision for God he is usually faced with a "crisis of faith." These men were certainly faced with a crisis of faith!

Worship belongs to God and ONLY God. ((See Jesus' answer to the devil in Matthew 4:10))

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were of the same mind in their answer to Nebuchadnezzar because they were of the same spirit in worship of God ONLY!

They said, "IF you throw us in the furnace, God is ABLE to deliver us!"

AND they said, "But even if God DOESN'T deliver us, we will NOT worship your idol!"

Friend, it's hard to threaten a Christian with death! How can you threaten someone with Heaven?

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Now because these men were friends of Daniel, AND because they claimed allegiance to the "One and ONLY GOD" whom Daniel claimed, the king had given them some respect and had not commanded they die immediately. But now they have refused his leniency, and he becomes incensed with rage!

Nebuchadnezzar commanded that the furnace be heated SEVEN times hotter than normal! AND he commanded that they be bound and thrown into that furnace.

The furnace was so hot, that the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego into it were burned up at the entrance!

But now we see God is indeed ABLE!

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

Ole Nebuchadnezzar couldn't believe what he saw! The three Hebrew men weren't burned! And besides that, there was a FOURTH Man in the fire! And besides THAT, the men were FREE from bondage and walking loose in the fire!

WHO was this FOURTH Man? There is no doubt in my mind that this was a preincarnate visit of Christ Himself! Many times in the Old Testament God revealed Himself as a man. The revelation of God as a man is usually referred to as "the Son of God." Sometimes the Bible will refer to "the Angel of God," or "His messenger." We will not take the time to list ALL of these references, but here are some:

1. God came down to "walk" with Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:8). This is a revelation of God as a Man.
   
2. God walked with and talked to Abraham (Genesis 18).
   
3. God came in the form of a Man to reveal Himself to Joshua as the "Captain" of all God's army (Joshua 5:13-15)
   
4. In Judges 6:11-24, God appeared to Gideon. In that appearance He is called "the Angel of the Lord," and "the LORD."
   

But, to me, the understanding is the same. It is a revelation of the Christ, THE One and ONLY Son of God. He is the visible "image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). He is the One by Whom God CREATED all things (Hebrews 1:1-3). He is the "fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9)

God takes any action against His people as actions against Himself! And God takes those actions SERIOUSLY! Isaiah 63:9 says, "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old."

Even Nebuchadnezzar recognized the "fourth" Man in the fire as "...like the Son of God" (Verse 25).

There they were, accompanied by Christ, walking free in the fire! Then, Nebuchadnezzar came close to the furnace mouth and called the three men to come out.

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Nebuchadnezzar saw these men DELIVERED. Everyone else saw these men DELIVERED. They had PROPHESIED that God is ABLE to deliver them, and God had DONE it! Not a hair on their head was singed from the fire, and there was no SMELL of fire on them!

STILL Nebuchadnezzar does not claim God as HIS God! He acknowledges that God is "the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego," but doesn't acknowledge HIS allegiance to God! Nebuchadnezzar truly has a HARD HEART!

Nebuchadnezzar also acknowledged that God, through these three men, had "changed the king's word." Friends, it doesn't matter what "decrees" a man makes, God is ABLE to change things!

Nebuchadnezzar made another decree that no one ever say anything against God, the God of these men. And he decreed that these men would be free to worship ONLY their God!

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

After this, Nebuchadnezzar was quite forward in his advancement of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He caused them to prosper in the kingdom.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.