DANIEL LESSON 4
We will begin this lesson in 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."
This image of gold is 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. This image is
the size of a fairly large tree. If it was made of pure gold, it was
extremely heavy. The gold could have been a covering over some other
metal or material. "Dura" means circle, or dwelling. This just means
that it was within the boundary of Babylon. Gold is symbolic of God,
so he made a false god.
Daniel 3:2 "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."
Nebuchadnezzar had recognized the God of Daniel, as being the
greatest of all gods in the last chapter. He built this to a false god
in the verses above. He still believes in the false gods of Babylon,
even though he recognized the One True God. Now that this golden image
is erected, he sends for all the dignitaries in the country to come to
the dedication of the false god. He even called for those of the
provinces around, as well. I would like to mention again, here, that
anything you can see with your physical eyes is not God. If you can
see it with physical eyes, it is a false god.
Daniel 3:3 "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."
It seems all the surrounding world has come to worship this false
god. Man, throughout all ages, seems to be eager to worship some false
god that he can see. These people are no different. Look, with me, at
what Paul had to say about this very thing. Romans 1:21 "Because that,
when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened." Romans 1:22 "Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools," Romans 1:23 " And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to
birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."
Daniel 3:4 "Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O
people, nations, and languages,"
This leaves no one out. It includes all people who are near
enough to hear the herald. Notice, also, this is not a request, but a
command.
Daniel 3:5 "[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:"
The children of Israel worshipped the golden calf on the way to
the promised land. They danced, and sang and the Bible speaks of
revelry going on. The music seems to accompany worship of false gods,
as well as the True God. Music prepares the heart to receive a
message. We are told over and over to worship God with songs of
praise. There is nothing wrong with music. There could be something
wrong with the type of music we listen to. To fall down and worship a
false god, is the height of abomination.
Daniel 3:6 "And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the
same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
We see a very similar Scripture in the following. Revelation
13:15 "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that
the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as
would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." The forced
worship of this image, here, or even the forced religion of any kind
is no good at all. Christianity is not really a religion, but a
relationship with Jesus. God wants men's hearts, not their formality
of worship. Many will fall down before this image to save their lives,
not to worship.
Daniel 3:7 "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."
Fear of death caused them to worship this false god. It bothers
me, even today, for a person to worship, even the One True God to
avoid hell. True worship consists of loving God with everything that
is within you, and Him loving you. Anything else is far from the
truth.
Daniel 3:8 "Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near,
and accused the Jews."
Perhaps, there was some jealousy, because Daniel and his 3
friends had been raised to such a high position in the kingdom. These
Chaldeans were carefully watching, to find anything they might accuse
them of.
Daniel 3:9 "They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O
king, live for ever."
This is a statement very similar to "long live the king". They
must pay honor to Nebuchadnezzar, before they went on with their real
purpose for coming.
Daniel 3:10 "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 music, shall fall down and
worship the golden image:"
The king really did not need them to remind him of his decree.
This, possibly, is mentioned to him, to tell him there is no way out
of punishing these Jews.
Daniel 3:11 "And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, [that]
he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
The punishment had been set from the beginning for those who
would not worship this false god.
Daniel 3:12 "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."
These accusers were trying to say that Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego were not honoring Nebuchadnezzar, or his image. They were
pretending to be for Babylon and the king, and they were not loyal to
him. Someone in so high a position should be leading others to carry
out the wishes of the king, not rebelling against his commands. Their
jealousy of these Jews is showing. First, they called them Jews, even
though they used their Babylonian names. This is slight indication
they wanted the king to believe they were faithful to Jerusalem, and
not to him. They, also, point out that the king had put them in their
high positions. It is as if they are saying, he should not have placed
them above Babylonians. There, also, is a progression of accusations.
First, they did not regard Nebuchadnezzar. Second, they did not
worship his gods. Third, they did not bow down to the image.
Daniel 3:13 "Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury
commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought
these men before the king."
The anger of Nebuchadnezzar was so great, it was spoken of as
rage and fury. It is interesting to me, they did not accuse Daniel.
They were afraid Daniel had already proven himself, and the king might
punish them instead. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are brought to
the king.
Daniel 3:14 "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?"
The king was fair in asking them personally, if they were guilty
of breaking his commandment.
Daniel 3:15 "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 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?"
Nebuchadnezzar is giving them one more chance, here, to conform
to his command. He reminds them once more, that to disobey his command
meant they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. He almost mocks God
with his statement; "Who is the God that shall deliver you out of my
hands. He is saying, no god is more powerful than he is.
Daniel 3:16 "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said
to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in
this matter."
This is simply saying, they do not need time to think about this,
they have already made up their mind. They can give him their answer
immediately.
Daniel 3:17 "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."
They are not afraid of the fiery furnace, or of Nebuchadnezzar.
They know God is their very present help in trouble. They are not
speaking in an arrogant manner to the king. They are speaking their
confidence in their God. If that is the way it is, they are more
willing to face the furnace than to bow to a false god. This type of
faith is what we need, as well. The world beckons. It is our choice.
Will we follow our God, even into the fire? Will we become afraid, and
follow false gods of the world?
Daniel 3:18 "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 another way of saying, "We will serve God and no other".
They will not worship things made with human hands. They have made
their decision to follow the One True God and no other. Joshua 24:15
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day
whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that
[were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in
whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD." Each person must make this decision. We cannot serve God and
the world. We, too, must choose.
Daniel 3:19 "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."
"Visage" means face. This just means that he was so full of fury,
that his whole face changed. The normal amount of fire would have
burned anyone up who was thrown into it, but his anger caused him to
say, "make it seven times hotter than usual". He did not want anything
left of these he thought had betrayed him. Seven speaks of perfection,
so that might have been the idea of the seven times, as well.
Daniel 3:20 "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."
The mightiest men in his army bound them, and put them into the
fire. Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps, thought they might escape, if he used
lesser men for the task. It would, also, take a very brave man to get
this close to the fire.
Daniel 3:21 "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."
This is just saying they were fully clad, even to having on their
hats. They were not naked.
Daniel 3:22 "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."
The men who put them into the fire were slain by the fire. The
flame which burned in the furnace lapped out and caught the mighty men
of Nebuchadnezzar on fire, and killed them. They did what they were
commanded to do, but it killed them.
Daniel 3:23 "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace."
A fire this hot would ordinarily have burned them beyond
recognition in a matter of seconds. Notice, they were in the middle of
the fire. I would remind you here, God saved Noah in the flood, and
not from the flood. God saved Joseph in Egypt, not from Egypt. God
saved Joseph in the famine, not from the famine. God saved Elijah and
the widow in the famine, not from the famine. Read about this in 1
Kings chapter 17. God does not always spare us from our problems He
helps us with those problems.
Daniel 3:24 "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."
Something of great magnitude has caught the eye of
Nebuchadnezzar. Some early versions of this Scripture say, that they
were singing praises in the middle of the fire. "Astonied" means he
was astonished. He ran to see, if he was remembering correctly, that
there were three men in the fire. His attendants agreed with him.
Daniel 3:25 "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."
God is ever present with those who trust Him. This fourth person
in the fire is the Son of God. Look, with me, at the beautiful promise
that was fulfilled, here, for these 3 men who pleased God. Isaiah 43:2
"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." God is a consuming fire, so fire is nothing to
Him. They put their faith in the Lord, and He did not fail them. He
was in the fire with them, protecting them from its flames. This
divine presence will be with us in all of our troubles, if we will
continue to trust in the Lord. God promises us supernatural protection
in time of trouble, if we trust in Him. Psalms 91:7 "A thousand shall
fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall
not come nigh thee." There were several things to be gained from this.
More faith for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. There was, also, a
world looking on, seeing how they would handle this problem. This was
a witness to them. The king's heart will be changed.
Daniel 3:26 "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."
The king recognizes their God. He, also, recognizes they are in
good standing with that God. Nebuchadnezzar will have great respect
for them standing up to him in this. They are men of great faith. It
is Nebuchadnezzar, himself, who calls them from the fire.
Daniel 3:27 "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."
This was an eye opener for all of these people. They see the
might of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. This was a great
witness to all of them. They might have been in the fire, but God had
been with them and protected them. No false god could do this. There
must have been conversions that day to the One True God. They had been
protected so well, there was no smell of smoke upon them. It was as if
God had them in a fire-proof capsule. He did, in a sense. They were
covered with His robe. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ covers us,
and protects us from the devil.
Daniel 3:28 "[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."
Again, Nebuchadnezzar recognizes God as being their help. You
remember, he had mocked God at the beginning, saying their God could
not protect them from his judgement. Now, he realizes their God can
protect them. There is no other god that can save like their God.
Nebuchadnezzar blesses the One True God. He was right the first time.
It was the Son of God that saved them.
Daniel 3:29 "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."
The sad thing in all of this, is the fact that Nebuchadnezzar
does not say this is the Only God. He does say, no other has the power
of God. He does recognize Him as the most powerful God. He, also,
allows the worship of God by anyone who desires, without persecution
for that worship. The punishment will be great for those who speak
against God.
Daniel 3:30 "Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego, in the province of Babylon."
We see that they were greatly blessed by standing up for what is
right. The message we can get from this is; we may be going through a
tunnel of problems, but God is with us. The sun is shining at the end
of that tunnel of problems. Stay faithful, and God will reward you in
the end.
Daniel 4 Questions
1. What was the size of the image Nebuchadnezzar made?
2. What was it made of?
3. Dura means ________, or ______.
4. Where was this image located?
5. Who did the king call to help dedicate this image?
6. Anything you can see with your physical eyes is not _____.
7. Quote Romans chapter 1 verses 21 through 23.
8. Who cried aloud, the command of Nebuchadnezzar, concerning this
image?
9. What would happen, just before they were to bow down?
10. Music prepares the heart to receive a _________.
11. Quote Revelation chapter 13 verse 15.
12. Christianity is not really a religion, but a __________ with
Jesus.
13. Fear of ________ caused them to worship the false god.
14. Who accused the Jews?
15. What would happen to those, who did not fall down and worship the
false god?
16. Who were the accused by name?
17. Why had these accusers done this?
18. How did Nebuchadnezzar feel about this?
19. How do we know the king tried to be fair to the three men of God?
20. What does he do in verse 15?
21. How does he almost mock God?
22. How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answer the king?
23. Why are they not afraid of the king, or the fire?
24. Quote Joshua chapter 24 verse 15.
25. What does "visage" mean?
26. How much hotter than normal did they make the fire?
27. Who bound them, and threw them in the fire?
28. What happened to them?
29. What happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego?
30. What must we remember about Noah, Joseph, and Elijah?
31. What does "astonied" mean?
32. Who did Nebuchadnezzar see in the fire?
33. Who was the fourth man?
34. Quote Isaiah chapter 43 verse 2.
35. Quote Psalms chapter 91 verse 7.
36. Who is helped, besides Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego?
37. What effect did this have on Nebuchadnezzar?
38. What decree did he make?
39. What is sad about this?
40. What happened to the three men, who had been in the fire?
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