Daniel - Chapter 3
(3:1-7) Tyranny Over Freedom To Worship
As Nebuchadnezzar tightens his control over the religious life of all in the kingdom, he decided to erect a large image which all in his kingdom are commanded to worship. Here we have a symbol of the world and the flesh versus the Lord. Babylon and the new worship image represent the paganism and false worship while Daniel and his three men represent faith toward the Living God, invisible but all powerful.
The threat from the throne was that those who refuse to worship the image will go into the fiery furnace. We see now the reason that the faith chapter, Hebrews 11, teaches in verse 34 that through faith the violence of fire was quenched.
The king had clearly missed the wisdom of Daniel's interpretation of his dream. While Daniel had revealed to him that he was the golden portion of the dream image and the king fell to the feet of Daniel upon the explanation, he now shows that he was still insistent upon his own resources for what is to be worshiped, not bowing a knee to the God who had brought him the truth.
This image was approximately 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, covered in gold, a symbol of the sin of pride that this king held. Here he follows the original sinners of Babel in Genesis 11:4 who tried to build a tower to heaven to make a name for themselves. We should note carefully:
Nebuchadnezzar possessed immense power but misused it.
Nebuchadnezzar experienced religious conviction without conversion.
Unlike the Thessalonians later (1st Thess 1:9) he did not turn from idols and serve the true living God.
(3:8-18) Serving God Rather Than Men
Certain men tell the king that Daniel and his three have not paid proper respect or regard to the king. They refuse to bow to the king's massive image or to worship it. Now the king is in a rage and orders the three men, Shadrach, Mesach, & Abed-Nego, brought to him. He allows these three men of Jehovah one more chance, in his presence, to kneel to worship the statue or if not to go into the furnace. He then poses a sarcastic question to them if they refuse him in verse 15. “And who is the god will deliver you from my hand?”
In complete obedience to the Lord, the three answer that their God, even if He allows them to perish in the fire, or if He saves their lives, will indeed have delivered them. In absolute faith, they say that either way, death or life, they will refuse to worship the statue.
There is no episode in the entire Bible that better represents the teaching of Acts 5:29 which teaches us “... we ought to obey God rather than men...”. What can we say that these three faithful men did that remain examples to us today?
They had confidence in the power of God.
They were completely submissive to God's will.
Faith means a ready willingness to obey (often without full understanding) the Lord whatever His purpose may be in our lives. This moment was one more building block in the wall of faith these three were building in their hearts.
(3:19-25) Fiery Trials
The king commanded that the furnace be heated to seven times its normal temperature. He commanded the three to be bound fully clothed and cast into the furnace. The heat was so intense at the mouth of the furnace that those who took and bound the three were burned to death as they cast the three into the furnace.
God saved these three faithful men from the fire, and even though they were clearly seen within the furnace, no harm came upon them. The prophet Isaiah had written words that perfectly describe this moment:
“When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God” (Is 43)
Now the king sees the truth and in verse 25 says that there are four men loose in the furnace walking, unhurt, and one is like the Son of God. These three trusted God never to leave them or forsake them. Even if death came for them, they knew they would meet the Lord either way. These are reverent and loving sons, ready to die rather than offend the Lord. They feared no man exactly because they were in loving fear of God.
(3:26-30) The King Impressed Once More
The king was astonished again. These three were unharmed. They were unscorched. They did not smell of smoke. Their hair was not singed as they walked out of the furnace.
The king elevates the three even higher and commands no person in the kingdom to speak against the God of these three and says that there is no other God who can deliver like this. The strength and faithfulness of these three impressed him, but we note that this God, the true and living God, was still considered by the king to be the God of these three, not the God of Nebuchadnezzar.
Further lessons are coming his way.
