Daniel 3:1-30
Key verse 3:17-18
God
installed King Nebuchadnezzar as the king of the kings, the head of all
kingdoms with a specific purpose (2:37-38). To install him as the king of the
kings, God had to give him a battery of knowledge about Himself. The revelation
in Ch 2 is about the history of the world as a whole, in which the LORD had the
control until His kingdom is established. Ch 3 is also a part of God’s
revelation to King Nebuchadnezzar. It is about God’s authority over human
lives. Is it the LORD, the God of Israel or the kings that have the control of
human lives? Or does the king have an absolute authority on the life of all
human beings under him? Or did God allow the king the authority over all human
lives? How can God impart this knowledge or the truth to King Nebuchadnezzar as
He installed him as the head of all kings?
The second theme is about the role of three friends in regard to this revelation.
Their relationship with God of heaven must enlighten the King’s understanding
of God’s authority over human lives but also must serve as the example of the
kings’ relationship with God.
1.
[1-7] What did Nebuchadnezzar make and where? (1) Whom did he summon and for what? (2-3) What
command did the herald proclaim? (4-5) What penalty would they face if they did
not follow the command? (6) What did they do at the command? (7)
God gave the dream to King Nebuchadnezzar in his
second year of reign. The Septuagint (3:1)
adds that this event occurred in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year (587). This was one
year before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in it. It is
not impossible that there might be a link between the destruction of the temple
and the erection of the big statue that symbolizes his authority. Since God
installed him as the king of kings, or since he was the head of all human
kingdoms, he alone must be the object of worship.
Since he received the dream (on the second year of
his reign) about 16 years passed. It was a very tall statue sizing up to about
8 story (90ft) building today. It was made of gold and tall. It might be that
not long after he received the dream, he began to build this image. It is
almost certain that he made this image after the statue that he saw in his
dream [this is likely so because the word ‘image (v2) is the same word statue
(v2:31)].
This statue had two distinctiveness; one is it was
made of gold, from top to bottom. This was more glorious looking because the
entire body was covered with gold unlike the statue that he saw in his dream. As
the head of the statue in the dream represented the supreme glory of all kingdoms,
so this statue of gold represented the glory and honor that was above all other
kings and kingdoms. Second, it was extraordinarily tall looking because the ratio
between height and width is 10/1, instead of normal human body (6/1) ratio. In this way, he was tall and greater than all
other kings of the world. In these two ways, he changed the statue that God
showed to the image that he wanted to project who he was, the greatest among
all kings of the world. Also, he was truly great and this was proved in two
ways; first he had a revelation from God through his dream, the head of gold, that
is to say that God made him to be the head of all kings, and second, in his
real life, he won all the wars against all the surrounding countries, including
the largest one, Egypt. This could
surely embolden him to raise him far above all. He set it up in the plain of
Dura in the province of Babylon so that it could be seen easily from every
direction. A tall and glorious image at the center of a vast plain spoke itself
of greatness.
He summoned the satraps, prefects, governors,
advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial
officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. All of his
subjects must show up to celebrate the dedication of the image. The herald
proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are
commanded to do.”
The king perceived that he was the king of all
nations and peoples. This understanding was deduced from the dream. In this
regard, he was the king of all kings of the world in respect to God’s salvific
purpose or biblical perspective of all kings of the world. In other words, he
was the representation of all kings of the entire world, even if all the
peoples of the world were not in this gathering or not under his domain. Then
what did it mean for him that he was the greatest among all men or all kings of
the world?
They were commanded by the king that at the sound of
music, they were to bow down on this image and worship it. If anyone would not,
then he would be thrown into the blazing furnace. This was a demand for full
submission as the king and the lord. If anyone was not willing to do so, then
he would be thrown into the blazing furnace. In the blazing furnace, no one has a chance to survive. Here he claimed to be the holder of the life of all men. He has
the authority to bind or to free men in accordance with his will and desire.
Further, all men’s life was his and he had the authority to take or to manipulate
the lives of men at his will. This was a direct violation of God’s will who
gave him such authority. Paul wrote what the proper role of the ruler is: For
the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's
servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Rom 13:4
NIV)
As we discussed in Ch 2, God established King Nebuchadnezzar
as the king of kings to take the role of caring people of the world according
to His will, as he did to Adam: God blessed them and said to them, "Be
fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the
fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that
moves on the ground." (Gen 1:28 NIV). Here the key theme is the will
of God the creator. Did he know the will of God of all creation? If he knew, then
did he have a will to abide by His will? By demanding all people of their worship
to him, he usurped the authority of God who gave him authority and power as
the head of all kings. What is the limit of his authority? King Nebuchadnezzar did
not see any limit to his authority as God established him as the king of kings.
So he enforced all to obey.
Rev 13:15 The second beast was given
power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could
speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
At the sound of music, all must fall down and worship
the image of gold. So, as soon as they
heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music,
all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped
the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
There was no choice for anyone if he wanted to
survive under the king. By life, all were to show their submission in honor to
the King. We may say that King Nebuchadnezzar was claiming political and
religious authority. Regardless, this king was demanding of ‘entire humanity’
to be under his authority whether body or spirit, whether political or
religious aspects of human life.
Such demand came from his understanding or
interpretation of 2:37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God
of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your
hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in
the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are
that head of gold.
What does this mean? The role of King Nebuchadnezzar and the people of the world is more defined in
Jer 27: 6 Now
I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All
nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his
land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him. 8 “ ‘ “If,
however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword,
famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand.
Here the keyword is ‘serve’. All the people of the world were to serve him and
King Nebuchadnezzar was to rule over
them.
2.
[8-15] Whom did some astrologers denounce to the
king? (8-9) Why? (10-12) What was the king’s reaction? (13) How did he give
Daniel’s friends another chance? (14-15a) How would the king punish them if
they did not worship the image of gold again? (15b)
But such understanding was totally wrong and erroneous
understanding of God’s word or His purpose. It was King Nebuchadnezzar’s
self-oriented understanding for his glory and his power. He elevated himself to the position of
absolute authority over all human lives. If anyone would not bow down and
worship the statue, then he would be thrown into a fire. In this way, he took
the authority as the giver and sustainer of life of all men. Did he or anyone
in this kingdom know that he usurped the authority of God? No one! Then, who
else might know that it was wrong? Only those who knew well of the LORD, the
God of heaven, would understand that it was wrong and what King Nebuchadnezzar
was doing was totally antithetical to what God purported in giving power, honor , and glory to him.
They were three friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach , and Abednego. They did not bow down to the image and did not worship the image.
Then, some astrologers (Chaldeans) came
forward and denounced some Jews saying that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did
not pay attention to the king and did not serve the king’s gods nor worship the
image of gold he had set up.” The Chaldeans
were the true believers and defenders of the King and his causes. According to the command, they must be put
into the blazing furnace.
When King Jebu heard this, he became furious
with rage. He summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and asked them, “Is
it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that you do not serve my gods or
worship the image of gold I have set up?” Then he offered them another
chance to show their loyalty to the king so that they might escape death. But
if they persisted in disrespect to the King and his image, then they would
surely face the punishment by death in the furnace. In offering the second
opportunity for them, he raised a serious question to them, “Then what god
will be able to rescue you from my hand?”(15b) The King gave them the
ultimatum: they had to make choice, to rest their lives on God or King Nebuchadnezzar;
who is the holder of their lives?
3.
[16-18] What was their reply? (16) What did they
believe about their God? (17) What was their firm determination? (18) What made
them do so? What was the king’s response and what did he command? (19-20) What
did the soldiers do and what happened to them? (21-22)
To the king’s ultimatum, Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego replied, “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this
matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able
to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand”
(16b-17). They were saying that the God of heaven had power above King Nebuchadnezzar
and His power is much greater than the king’s. This God would rescue them from
the furnace and from the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar. Simply, they were saying
that they were loved by the God of heaven who had the authority over the king.
But then were they sure that the God of heaven would
rescue or could rescue them from the blazing furnace? They were sure that He
could and He would save them from the furnace and from the king. But what if He
could not or would not? This hypothetical question was not just hypothetical
for the blazing furnace was hot and if any chance, God would not save them,
then no one could survive from the fire. Here we can see in them the faith that
God can save us now. If not, he can raise us anyhow in coming times and the
King’s threat has no bearing on our decision on this matter. In them, the faith
that resurrection is now and then forever, regardless of what we face, was
firmly expressed. This was the genuine faith in God of life and resurrection.
On hearing this, he became furious with Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He
ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. Manpower shows his
grace as long as his subjects honor his authority. Any move in defiance
against his authority would not be tolerated. Out of his fury, he commanded some of the
strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and
throw them into the blazing furnace. In no time, they were bound and thrown
into the blazing furnace even with wearing their robes, trousers, turbans, and
other clothes. The king’s command was so
urgent that as the soldier followed his command in a hurry, they were killed by
the fire.
4.
[24-27] Why was the king so amazed? (24-25) What did
he do then? (26a) What did the people find out about Daniel’s three
friends? (26b-27)
As the three were thrown into the blazing furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar was eager to see what happened to them. So he looked
through the side opening of the furnace. They saw something strange and
remarkable. There were four men walking around in the fire, unbound and
unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. In amazement, he asked his
advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” Surely only three Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire. But how could there be four? Also, the
fourth one was like a son of gods. Since ‘son of gods’ was the language of King
Nebuchadnezzar, we are to understand what he meant when the fourth one was a
son of gods. Without any doubt, he meant a son of one of the deities. Simply he
meant that the fourth one was a deific figure, though he looked like a man.
Actually, it was what he saw. What he saw was God’s revelation. When God
reveals something to someone, he reveals things in the terms and context of the
person. That is to say that in the way of King Nebuchadnezzar’s thinking, God
revealed. In other words, God meant to convey the king that He was sending a
deific figure to be with these three men—a very powerful statement that He
Himself was with these three. If it was an angel, then God was demonstrating
that He had the power to deliver the three by his angels. In this regard, the fourth
man was different from the angelic figure that Daniel noted (6:22 My God sent
his angel..; Both 3:25 and 6:22 were written in the language of Babylon) Did
King Nebuchadnezzar did not know the word ‘angel’ that he expressed ‘a son of
gods’? yes, he knew it (v28). Though both are within the semantic range of
‘heavenly figures’ yet if God wanted us to discern the difference between these
two, then we are to do. In addition, fire is the mean of God’s final judgment.
No living being could be rescued from the fire. But for an animal (Dan 6), God
would take care of it by his angels (Cf. 1 Kings 13:28). Certainly, we cannot be dogmatic about either
way. But I believe that the passage gives us enough evidence that the fourth
man was the pre-incarnate Jesus.
What does this tell us or the King Nebuchadnezzar?
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the God of heaven, was with them and for
them. He personally had an undivided interest in the lives of these three and sent
one of his sons to protect and to nullify even the wrath of fire from them. It
was a strong and unmistakable message to the king that it was not him but God is
the authority over their lives and if he rejects the God of these three or put
the life of these three in harm’s way, then He personally would exert his power
over King Nebuchadnezzar’s life.
See the amazing scene, he shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”(26) Just
minutes before, he was furious because his authority was compromised. Now
seeing with his own eyes the power of the almighty, His presence in power and
authority was compelling in the midst of this showdown between him and these
three Jews or between him and all of the dignitaries of the kingdom, and Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego. Now he had to accept the power behind these three and
must honor them and the one behind them. He called out loudly, the servants of
the Most High God come out and come here!
God’s power is invisible and unknowable to the eyes
of the unbelieving and ordinary. But through those who dare to trust Him and
obey His command, that invisible power becomes revealed and could be seen by the
ordinary. As they came out, what did
King Neb see?
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came
out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal
advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their
bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched,
and there was no smell of fire on them.
They all, the king and all of his subjects, saw that
the blazing fire in the furnace, the fire killed those who put these three in
the fire did not even touch Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The fury of King
Neb did not affect Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego at all. This speaks of the truthfulness
of these words:
Exodus 3:12 And God
said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that
it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt,
you will worship God on this mountain." (Exo 3:12 NIV)
Ps 23: 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear
no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. –Jesus was
the sign of Immanuel God as the fourth man, one like a son of gods was a sign
of God’s immanuel.
Isa 43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you,
Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I
have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I
will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep
over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames
will not set you ablaze. (Isa 43:1
NIV)
What does this tell us? If the cross was the ultimate
form of condemnation of a man for what he represents, the fire was the ultimate
form of condemnation of the man as a whole. Fire burns down the body to ashes.
The threat from the world is to bring us down to ashes. God’s final judgment
will come to all men in fire. His judgment in a fire would cause all men of ungodliness
to suffer in the burning sulfur (And the devil, who deceived them, was
thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet
had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Rev 20:10 NIV). So in this event, God showed us His will and power to
protect us from the ultimate judgment in fire that would come on all the
unbelieving.
5.
[28-30] What did the king praise God and Daniel's
friends for? (28) And what did he decree? (29a) Why? (29b) What was the implication
of his praise and decree? What did he do for them? (30)
God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was the Most
High God (26). Out of the depth of his heart King Nebuchadnezzar praised the
Most High God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his
angel and rescued his servants. So he
issued a decree. “the people of any nation or language who say anything
against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and
their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this
way.”(29)
The implication of this decree is important. First, it
was to the people of any nation or language. Since God installed Nebuchadnezzar
as the king of kings of all the kingdoms of the world, what he said through the
experience in the revelation from God of heaven should apply to all the people
and kingdoms of the world. Second, the purpose and role of these three were
important in revealing the true God. They were the Jews who listened to God’s
word in repentance of their sins and came to Babylon as an exile. Here they
showed their commitment to the God of heaven. Throughout the period of the
kingdoms of the world or through the period of Gentiles, which is now, King Nebuchadnezzar’s
word is applicable. Any kings or the people of these kingdoms go against this
decree, then they would and should face such punishment. In this way, God was
delivering His message through the mouth of King Nebuchadnezzar what would be
done.
Simply God was giving a message to the world that anyone who says against the God of heaven, or the God who rescued these three, then
they would be thoroughly annihilated. All must believe that God of heaven had a
will to save and power to save those who trust the God of heaven. Any daring challenge
to His authority will surely be destroyed.
In and through King Nebuchadnezzar, the dividing line
between the destruction of life and the saving of life was put in a very simple
term and made it obvious to all the peoples of the world, or any kingdoms
in history. No one dares to speak against the God of heaven or his
followers, if anyone does, then he will surely be destroyed! This sets
a clear environment whereby the message of the Gospel can be preached without
hindrance. In other words, anyone who says against God and His son Jesus whom
we preach will suffer eternal judgment of God. In
this regard, the fourth man, theophany of the Son of God, is so meaningful.
Does this bear any prophetic significance?
Lastly, in the honor of God of Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of
Babylon. They were the source of the truthful understanding and a vehicle to
come acquainted with the God of heaven.
This event seems to have prophetic relevance. In
the coming Tribulation, a Gentile ruler will demand himself the worship
that belongs to God as King Nebuchadnezzar did.
Rev. 13: 7 It was given the power to wage war against God’s
holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every
tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the
earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in
the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.
2 Thess. 2:4; 4 He will oppose
and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is
worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to
be God.
As it opposes the Lord, it will be destroyed just
before the coming of Jesus:
Revelation 18:21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the
size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such
violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found
again.
6.
Overall, what did Nebuchadnezzar try to do? (cf.
1,14-15,19) What did God teach him through Daniel’s friends? (cf. 25,28-29)
What does all this teach us today?
King Nebuchadnezzar set up an
image of gold, high and tall standing out above all the structures in the plain
of Dura. It was to uphold his authority as the sole and absolute one on the
earth. He enforced his authority to all the people under his kingdom. But this
was severely tested and proven wrong by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego because
their firm belief in the God of heaven who is able to save them even from fire.
God proved their belief and showed His will by sending a fourth, as the
theophany of the living Son of God. King Nebuchadnezzar recognized this God as
the Most High God. As the head of all kings and kingdoms of the world, he
issued a decree that if anyone speaks against this God, he would be destroyed.
This was an answer to the question raised by many gentiles, “How can the God of
Israel be my God?”
God made this possible through Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego’s faith. They displayed that the God whom they believed was the God of
life, and in Him, there is no death for He can rescue His people from all the
power of death. By faith in the God of all authority, we not only experience
the power of resurrection but also be used to reveal the power and presence of
God. God of Daniel’s three friends is the only one authority over all human
lives, not any kings, even Nebuchadnezzar.
How did the King try to demonstrate his absolute
authority? It was his power to kill a man by fire. We all know that our body
can surely be consumed by fire to ashes. Our being will be totally obliterated.
But God says otherwise. In Him or faith His power that supersedes all the powers
of this world, we Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will not die or can be rescued
even through fires.
Even after the revelation of God’s power, the King Nebuchadnezzar
would continue to usurp the authority of God of creation and eventually will surely
be destroyed by Jesus, the Stone. How will they do in the coming years? This story gave us a substantial portion of
the answer to this question for the believers as we watch out for the sign of the
end of the kingdoms of the world.
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