DANIEL 3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image

DANIEL 3

“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. ” Dan. 3: 1 Why did Nebuchadnezzar build such an image? When destroying Egypt he had observed many such structures that Egyptian kings had built for themselves. This building of this image may have been inspired by the image he had seen in his dream in Chapter 2. It was an act inspired by Satan to attempt to make all the people worship Nebuchadnezzar. 1. His image was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. 2. The number 6 is the number of natural man. 3. The number of the Antichrist will be 666.

“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. ” Dan. 3: 1 I wonder if the King was not encouraged to build this image by the other wise men of his kingdom. They wanted it built to help them get rid of those Jews that had come as slaves but were elevated over them in Babylon.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ” Dan. 3: 2 Everyone in power was called to make sure that this image received the proper recognition. The titles of these people will be repeated in the next verse to confirm the desire of the king that all come to the dedication.

“Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, 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. ” Dan. 3: 3 All of his leaders were afraid not to obey the King’s command.

“Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ” Dan. 3: 4 -6 All were to obey the voice of the herald – all people, nations, and languages. At the sound of any music, they were to stop whatever they were doing and fall upon their knees. They were to worship the image built by the King. They would probably have to face it and bow before it. A severe penalty for all who disobeyed the command. It was not enough just to fall down – they must worship!

“Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. ” Dan. 3: 7 At that time – the people immediately obeyed as they were commanded. The people were worshipping the image but it was not the image they really worshipped. They were worshipping the work of their great King! They were honoring him!

“Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 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 music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ” Dan. 3: 8 -11 At the first sounding, the Chaldeans had reason to accuse the Jews! If the Chaldeans were bowing in worship, how did they know what the Jews were doing? They tried to please the King with their approach as they honored him. The King was reminded of the order he had given and the penalty on any who failed to keep it.

“There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. ” Dan. 3: 12 The Chaldeans make their charges against the Jews: 1. They have not regarded the King. 2. They have refused to serve the King’s gods. 3. They have refused to worship the golden image the King had set up.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ” Dan. 3: 13 -14 The response of the King is led by his rage and fury. The three special men of God are brought before the King to face the charges against them. 1. Will you not serve his gods? 2. Will you not worship the golden image that he had set up?

“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 music, 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? ” Dan. 3: 15 The King gives the three a second chance to prove themselves. When the music plays again, they must fall down and worship the image. If they will do that, their past mistakes will be forgotten. There will be no other chances: If they fail, they will be cast into a burning fiery furnace. The King asks a probing question: Who is the God that shall deliver you from me?

So many expect our God to be like the gods they serve Sennacherib had destroyed many nations who had trusted in their gods when he approached Judah to destroy them as well. He reminded King Hezekiah of Judah that all the other gods had failed to help their people. “Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? ” 2 Kings 19: 10 -12

So many expect our God to be like the gods they serve Hezekiah acknowledged that the other gods had failed to help them. But, he knew that his God was different. “LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only. ? ” 2 Kings 19: 16 -19

So many expect our God to be like the gods they serve Sennacherib discovered how great the God of Judah was! “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword. ” 2 Kings 19: 35 -37 Sennacherib knew Who the Lord was! Nebuchadnezzar would soon find out!

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 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. 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. ” Dan. 3: 16 -18 The three were proud to answer the King: 1. They said, “We are not careful”. They were not afraid of offending him. 2. They said their God was able to deliver them if He wanted to and if it was His will He would deliver them. 3. But, if it is not His will to deliver them they will gladly die for Him. 4. Under no circumstances would they worship his gods or bow before the image he had built and worship it.

How could the three be so confident? Do you suppose they knew what Isaiah had written earlier? “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. ” Isaiah 43: 2 The nation of Israel had passed through the waters of the Red Sea in the Exodus! The nation of Israel had passed through the flooded Jordan river as they entered the Promised Land! Now, they could be the ones who walked through the fire without being burned and the flames could not hurt them! They could trust the promises of God because they knew His Word will always be true!

“Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. ” Dan. 3: 19 The fury felt by the King before was nothing compared to what he felt now! His entire appearance changed as he looked upon the three. They would receive no other chances! He gave command to heat the furnace 7 times hotter than it was supposed to be heated. He thought this would make his judgment greater. But – it only gave God the chance to reveal His power!

“And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ” Dan. 3: 20 Why did the King command his best soldiers to arrest the three? 1. Did he expect resistance? 2. Was he only trying to reveal his power? 3. Did he believe it would require his best to approach the fiery furnace?

“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. ” Dan. 3: 21 The men were taken as they were: 1. They were bound while wearing their full garments. 2. They were cast alive into the fire in the furnace.

“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 Abednego. ” Dan. 3: 22 The command of the King had to be carried out immediately. The soldiers did not have time to adequately protect themselves. The heat coming from the furnace was so hot it killed the mighty soldiers who had been chosen to cast the three men in. The King was so full of fury that he may have considered it worth losing his best soldiers to get these Jewish boys killed who had disrespected and disobeyed him!

“And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. ” Dan. 3: 23 The three ‘fell into the furnace’ but also likely ‘fell down’ when hitting the bottom due to being bound. They probably were on the floor of the furnace for a little while expecting to be immediately burned.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. ” Dan. 3: 24 The three were surprised to suddenly realize they could not even feel the heat from the fire. Then they were even more surprised as the ropes binding them were burnt away. Their surprise was nothing compared to what the King felt! He called his counselors to make sure they had only thrown 3 into the fire. The counselors confirmed only three had gone in. None of the soldiers had also fallen in.

“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. ” Dan. 3: 25 The King told his counselors why he was so worried: 1. There were 4 men - not 3 - in the fire. 2. They were loose from being bound and walking around. 3. It was obvious they were not hurt or injured at all. 4. The fourth one looked like the Son of God (or one who is sent from the gods).

“Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. ” Dan. 3: 26 How long were they in the fire? The heat had gone down enough for the King to approach the mouth of the furnace without being hurt. He knew the three would be able to hear his voice. He identified them as ‘servants of the most high God’. How his attitude had changed as he requested them to ‘come forth and come hither’!

“And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, 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. ” Dan. 3: 27 The leaders of Babylon under the King were witnesses of what God had done: 1. The fire had no power over their body. 2. Not even a hair was singed on their heads 3. The clothes they were wearing were not affected by the flames. 4. The smell of the fire was not even on them. 5. Only the ropes that had bound them were burned!

“Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. ” Dan. 3: 28 The King recognizes the greatness of the God of the three Hebrew children. Their God sent His angel and delivered them because they trusted in Him. The King’s word had no power before their God. The three had yielded their body to: 1. Not serve or worship any other god. 2. They would only serve and worship their own God!

“Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. ” Dan. 3: 29 In verse 4, the King offered a decree to “O people, nations, and languages” to fall down and worship his image. Now he says to “every people, nation, and language” to never speak anything amiss against the God of the Hebrews. Any who go against his decree will be “cut in pieces and their houses made a dunghill”. The same judgment he pronounced against the wise men in the previous chapter. No God can do what the God of the Hebrews could do!

“Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. ” Dan. 3: 30 Hananiah , Azariah and Mishael were promoted back to the position they originally held.

King Nebuchadnezzar recognized the greatness of Daniel’s God in the previous chapter. “The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret” Daniel 2: 47 He now recognizes the greatness of the God of the 3 Hebrew children. “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” Daniel 3: 28 WILL NEBUCHADNEZZAR EVER KNOW THIS GOD FOR HIMSELF?