THE FIERY FURNACE

Daniel 3

Outline

I. The Dedication Service (3:1-7)

A. The idol of Gold (3:1)

B. The Important people gathered (3:2,3)

C. The Imperative given (3:4-7)

ll. The Dedication Crisis (3:8-30)

A. Their Defiance Discovered (3:8-12)

B. Their Defense (3:13-18)

C. Their Deliverance (3:19-30)

Purpose: To illustrate how God protects His people in times of suffering. His divine Omnipotence is displayed.

The Dedication Service 3:1-7

The Idol of Gold

1) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

The dimensions of the idol are given in cubits. A cubit was an ancient measurement. It was equal to the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approximately 18 inches long. Using that calculation, this image was 90 feet tall and nine feet wide. Two and a half times the height of the Brigantine Lighthouse at the entrance of the city or the height of a nine-story building. It was to be “The Mother of All images.” As awesome as this was in size, its value is staggering. It was made of pure gold. Someone estimated that 4,400,000 pounds of gold would be needed to cast the image and would have a value of about 3 billion dollars.

The Golden Idol would be constructed in the plain of Dura. This was where political and criminal offenders of the empire were put to death. The fiery furnace was typical of Chaldean punishment, Jeremiah 29:22. In this passage, two false prophets rose up and predicted Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall. Upon hearing about them, the King arrested them and sentenced them to the Fiery Furnace.

Where did Nebuchadnezzar get the idea of a golden image? Probably from his nightmare (Daniel 2:36-38). There are some interesting contrasts between the image of Daniel 2 and this one in chapter 3.

1. In chapter 2, the image came from God; it had a divine origin. The image in chapter three was Nebuchadnezzar’s idea; it had a human origin.

2. ln chapter 2, the image represented the political perspective of the rise and fall of nations. The image of chapter three is religious in nature. It was an object to be worshipped.

3. In chapter 2, the image glorified God who sets up one king and pulls down another. God is Sovereign; He is in control of history, even the rise and fall of empires. It gives glory to God. In chapter three, the image deifies man. It gives glory to man.

4. The image in chapter two predicted the overthrow of Babylon and thus revealed God’s Plan. The image of chapter three shows Nebuchadnezzar’s plan. The whole image is made of gold. He wants to rewrite divine history. He set up this image hoping that his greatness, power, prestige, and the glory of the Chaldean empire would continue forever.

The image of Nebuchadnezzar is a sad reminder of the unsaved heart, as the Scripture says, “All we like sheep go astray, and we all turn to our own way,” Isaiah 53:6. They turn in every direction except toward God. The king squandered an opportunity to accept the Most High God as his own savior in chapter two, and we find him drifting farther away from the Lord with the construction of this image.

The encouraging thing about this story is that God does not give up on Nebuchadnezzar, in fact, not on anyone (2 Peter 3:9). He will pursue the king by grace, which of course, means that his rejection of the God of heaven in this chapter does not earn him what he deserves - God's rejection of him. l think all of us know that if the story we’re told about us, it would read, “l heard, and I closed my mind; l heard again and turned away. One day I finally stopped running and turned to Christ.” Never write the last chapter on anyone, no matter how hard of heart they have become. God can turn a stony heart into moldable clay.

Important People Gathered

2) And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

3) So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

This is the Babylonian NAS, “Nebuchadnezzar Admiration Society.” They would say things like, “My, my, isn’t that image wonderful.

The Imperative Given

4) Then a herald cried aloud: “To you, it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

5) “that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;

6) "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

7) So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

THE DEDICATION CRISIS

Defiance of the Decree Discovered

8) Therefore at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.

9) They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!

10) “You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;

11) “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12) “There are certain Jews (jealousy) whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up. “

Whenever a man supposes in his imagination that he should be worshipped as a god, we have Satan at work behind the scene. In the eternal past, he was the first to lift himself with pride seeking to be like God; that is, to be equal with God, Isaiah 14:12-14. Now Nebuchadnezzar builds an idol representing himself in which all will fall down and worship. In this decree, he declares himself to be God and acts just like his father, the devil. Sadly, another parallel exists just as Satan fell, so Nebuchadnezzar will fall into a state of madness in the next chapter.

As for the Chaldeans, members of the state department, motivated by a fit of hateful jealousy, turned in the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego as not obeying the law. The sin of jealousy is vicious and cruel; in fact, it is impossible to experience any happiness in your life if you are a jealous person (Proverbs 27:3,4 - note the term “heavy and weighty”). ln the law, there was a sacrifice designed solely for the sin of jealousy, Numbers 5:11-31. Jealousy motived Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery, Acts 7:9; it motivates revenge Proverbs 6:34,35; it split the nation of Israel, Isaiah 11:13; it rejects Bible teaching Acts 13:45; 17:5; it motivated the religious leaders to crucify Christ, Matthew 27:18, Mark 15:10; and lastly, it destroys true love, Song of Solomon 8:6. The lesson here is never to be jealous!

The Defense of Three Jewish Men

13) Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.

14) Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “ls it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which l have set up?

“ls it true,” asked the king. This was their way out. The king was ready to pardon them if it was a matter of ignorance. They were now being tested.

15) “Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which l have made, good But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"

Nebuchadnezzar considered himself above all gods, for he asked, what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? Again, this shows that he claimed absolute authority in both political and religious realms. He was challenging any god to circumvent his authority. The matter then became a conflict between Nebuchadnezzar and Jehovah, the God of Daniel’s companions.

16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Our actions are clear. We make no excuse. They were not reckless. It was that the Scripture settled the matter for them conclusively. lt would have been easy at this time to rationalize this by saying, “God doesn’t want us to die, so what if we bow down." They didn't compromise. They didn't panic or try to find a way around it. They didn’t try to remind the king how valuable they have been to him. They will walk by faith, that is, fix their eyes on the Lord. He is their rock of salvation.

17) “lf that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.

This was their witness. They were acknowledging God as savior. It is a matter totally up to God, not the king.

18) “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have setup."

These three men are rare, indeed. They were men of integrity. Obedience to God was not an option; it was a way of life. Too often, I find immature Christians linking obedience to blessing. They are obeying God to get a certain outcome. These men said our obedience does not depend on consequences or outcomes. We will obey God, regardless. If we are to die here today, so be it, but what we will not do today is a sin against our God.

Exodus 20:1-5

1) And God spoke all these words, saying:

2) “l am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3) “You shall have no other gods before Me.

4) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

5) you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For l, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.

Spiritual maturity is seen when we have a faith that allows God to determine whatever is best for us. They had arrived at a place in their lives where they recognized their life belongs to the Lord, and therefore, their problems are His problems. The principle is taught in 1 Peter 4:19.

19) Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

They were willing to leave the matter up to the Lord. This was because they knew the Lord:

God is Sovereign, and thus, He is the Person in charge.

God is Omnipresent; therefore, they are not alone; He is with them.

God is Omnipotent and, therefore, able to overrule this sentence.

God is omniscient and understands their needs, and knows what to do about their problem. God is not surprised, or caught off guard, or just does not know what to do.

God is Holy, righteous, and just. God is fair, not this world system.

God is truth. He will keep His promises.

God is immutable and, therefore, will not go back on His promises.

Their Deliverance

19) Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

20) And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21) Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22) Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who 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.

Because they had faith did not mean they would escape the furnace. God did not deliver them from it, but he went into it with them.

24) Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, “True, O king."

25) “Look!” he answered, “l see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

The believer who follows the Lord may enter times of suffering, but it is always designed for a blessing. What God permits you to face will be a blessing to you. This is the promise of Romans 8:28. What blessing came from being in the furnace? Well, they got to meet Jesus, personally. No doubt, in the years to come, they would talk about the experience of fellowshipping with their Savior in the fiery furnace.

26) Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.

27) And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

God permitted their suffering to continue, but He was with them in the furnace and provided whatever they needed. lf the Lord is in the furnace, there is never any harm or hurt from the fires of the furnace. Christ turned off the effects of the heat. The effects were real; others died. No scars, no singed hair, not even the smell of the furnace. The result of their experience was that nothing, absolutely nothing, indicated that they had been through a terrible ordeal.

Triumph of Grace

28) Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God.

29) “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

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

Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man's way pleases the Lord, He makes even his enemies be at peace with him.” Nebuchadnezzar saw the miracle and was awed by the power and the greatness of God but rejected the Gospel.

Acknowledgment

At my side, as I prepared this commentary on Daniel, are my notes taken at Practical Bible Training School listening to my professors Dr. Marion Lowe, my teacher in the Old Testament, and Dr. Floyd H. Barackman, friend and teacher of Theology. These men wrote no book on Daniel, but they are ever-present in my understanding of Daniel. For historical background, The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. 3 - 5 was beneficial. Dr. Leon J Wood’s books on (1) The Survey of Israel’s History, and his own Commentary on Daniel, significantly contributed to my understanding of the persons and events in the Book of Daniel. No commentary begins with a blank sheet of paper, and my debt to these works when not footnoted is always present.