Last time, we learned that King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a statue. Daniel had been given wisdom by God to make known to the king what the dream meant.
But, Nebuchadnezzar was inspired by the dream to do wrong.
Daniel 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.
Nebuchadnezzar made an idol like the image that he had dreamed about. He set it up in an open field and then he gathered his people together.
Daniel 3:3-6- 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. 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 musick, 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.
Nebuchadnezzar wanted everyone to worship this false idol. The ones who would not bow down to the idol would be killed by fire.
Daniel 3:8-9, 12- 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. 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.
There were some of the people of Babylon, the Chaldeans, who didn't like the Jews. They noticed when these men didn't bow down and worship the idol. And, they accused them to the king!
Daniel 3:13-14- Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
When King Nebuchadnezzar heard that these men wouldn't bow down, he got really mad! He had them brought before him so that he could threaten them.
But, where was Daniel? Perhaps Daniel wasn't in the province when all this happened. Or, perchance, Daniel had allowed the king to worship him and so he couldn't say anything about his friends not bowing down to the idol.
We don't know why Daniel wasn't there exactly. But, we do know that these men had decided they were going to obey God and do what was right- whether Daniel was by their side or not.
Daniel 3:14-15- 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? 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?
Nebuchadnezzar told the men that they had one more chance. He said if they didn't worship his image this time that they would surely die. And, then he questioned their faith.
He knew they wouldn't bow down because they served the Lord God Almighty. He asked who this God was that he didn't know. He questioned whether their God could deliver them from death.
Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego knew that their God could deliver them. They had seen their God answer their prayers about the king's dream. They had witnessed God's blessing on them while they were learning the language and customs of Babylon. And they remembered all the stories of how their God had helped the Israelites throughout history.
They knew that He could deliver them. But, they didn't know if He would deliver them.
Regardless of whether God would keep them from dying or not, they decided that they were going to obey His laws!
Daniel 3:16-18- 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.
When they Jews answered that they would rather die than worship Nebuchadnezzar's idol, he got so angry that even the look on his face changes drastically!
Daniel 3:19- 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.
Nebuchadnezzar had made the furnace hot, but in his anger he wanted it hotter than it had ever been before! If these Hebrew men thought that their God could stop their death, Nebuchadnezzar was going to make it as hard as possible for Him to do it!
Daniel 3:20-23- 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. 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. 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. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar had these men tied up and thrown into the furnace. They were fully dressed, even having their jackets and their hats on. The fire was so hot that it killed the men that got close enough to throw the Hebrew men in.
But, God was pleased that Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego would do right. He was glad that they would choose to serve Him even if it meant that they would be killed. And, He was going to take care of His people.
Daniel 3:24-25- 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. 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.
Nebuchadnezzar was amazed when he looked into the furnace, expecting to see charcoal briquettes, and instead he saw 4 men walking around!
He asked one of the men beside him how many men they threw into the furnace, and if they were tied up.
Of course!
Well, Nebuchadnezzar saw 4 men. And, there was something about that fourth man that reminded the king of the son of God.
Daniel 3:26-27- 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. 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.
The king called to the Hebrew men to come out of the furnace.
When Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego climbed out, all those standing around were amazed! They looked like they did before they went in- no burn marks on their skin or clothes, their hair hadn't singed up, and there wasn't even the smell of smoke on them!
Daniel 3:28-29- 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. 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.
Nebuchadnezzar could only worship the Lord God Almighty after that! He had never seen any nation's god be able to spare their lives in that manner. He sent out a proclamation that anyone who said anything against the Lord God Almighty would be killed and their houses destroyed!
Then, Nebuchadnezzar rewarded Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego for their unwavering faith!
Daniel 3:30- Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
Jesus said that we shouldn't fear the people who say they will kill us. We should fear the Lord God Almighty!
Matthew 10:28- And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Why shouldn't we fear those who threaten to kill us? Because, as a Christian, all they can do is send you to heaven. You should fear God who can not only kill you, but also send your soul to hell.
It's better to do right and have God fight for you- just ask Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego!
