Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
DANIEL 3
The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then 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. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore, 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.
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to 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? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 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. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
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.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that 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.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Application Notes
3:1 In Babylon's religious culture, statues were frequently worshiped as gods. Nebuchadnezzar hoped to use this huge image (90 feet high by 9 feet wide) as part of his strategy to centralize worship in order to unite the nation and solidify his power. This gold statue may have been inspired by his dream. Instead of having only a head of gold, however, it was gold from head to toe. Nebuchadnezzar wanted his kingdom to last forever. When he made the statue, Nebuchadnezzar showed that his devotion to Daniel's God was short-lived. He neither feared nor obeyed the God who was behind the dream.
3:6 This blazing furnace was not a small oven for cooking dinner or heating a house; it was a huge industrial furnace that could have been used for baking bricks, smelting metals, or forging Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. The temperatures would have been hot enough that no human being could have survived them. The roaring flames could be seen leaping from its large opening, and a fiery blast instantly killed the soldiers who approached it (3:22).
3:8 Who were these astrologers? These were the same ·magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers· mentioned earlier who could not explain or interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream (2:1-12). They were highly educated people who studied the skies. Daniel saved them from death when he interpreted the king's dream, but here they were maliciously trying to tear down Daniel's friends. Even though they were targets of these men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't cast blame or become angry with them. They firmly trusted in God, whatever the outcome—even if it meant sacrificing their very lives. Like these three men, remember whom you serve the next time someone challenges your loyalty.
3:12 We don't know if other Jews refused to fall down and worship the statue, but these three were singled out as public examples. The men could have bowed to the image, convincing themselves that God knew their hearts. But they had determined never to worship another god, and they courageously took their stand. As a result, they were condemned and led away to be executed. The men did not know whether they would be delivered from the fire; all they knew was that they would not fall down and worship a false god. Are you ready to stand for God no matter what? When you do, you will stand out. Doing this may be painful and may not always have a happy ending. Christians around the world are persecuted, and some have lost their lives for refusing to renounce our Lord. Are you prepared to say, “whether he rescues me or not, I will serve only God”?
3:13 Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage when anyone dared to disobey his commands. As the supreme ruler of Babylonia, he expected absolute obedience. But his pride had caused him to forget that there was an authority even higher than his own. With this deluded thinking, his demands became unjust and his reactions extreme. If you find yourself angered when people don't respond the way you expect, ask yourself, Why am I reacting this way? Your pride or desire for control may be fueling your outrage, not the actions of others.
3:15 The three men were given one more chance. Here are eight excuses they could have used to bow to the statue and save their lives: (1) We will bow but not actually worship the idol. (2) We won't become idol worshipers, but we will worship this image this one time and then ask God for forgiveness. (3) The king has absolute power, and we must obey him. God will understand. (4) The king appointed us-we owe this to him. (5) This is a foreign land, so God will excuse us for following the customs of the land. (6) Our ancestors set up idols in God's temple! This isn't half as bad! (7) We're not hurting anybody. (8) If we get ourselves killed and some pagans take our high positions, they won't help our people in exile!
Although all these excuses sound sensible at first, they are dangerous rationalizations. To bow before the image would violate God's command in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.” It would also erase the men's testimony for God forever. Never again could they talk about the power of their God above all other gods. What excuses do you use for not standing up for him?
3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ordered to deny God, but they chose to be faithful to him no matter what happened. They were confident that God could deliver them, but they were determined to be faithful regardless of the consequences, even if it threatened their personal safety. Today, many Christians believe that if we just have enough faith, God will protect us, rescue us, or answer our prayers in the way we desire. But Jesus taught that his followers would often find trouble while in this world for their faithfulness (John 16:33). Only in heaven, before God, will we finally have complete peace and healing. Remain faithful as these three men did, and cling to the hope that God will walk with you through the fire. Our eternal reward will be the confirmation that any suffering we had to endure in this earthly life was worth it.
3:25-30 God's deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was a great victory of faith for the Jews in captivity. God protected them from harm, comforted them in their trial, and showed that he alone is the true God over all. King Nebuchadnezzar was so completely amazed and overwhelmed that he turned from his anger, not only glorifying God, but also promoting the three men he had tried to burn alive!
3:25 It was obvious to those watching that this fourth person was supernatural. We cannot be certain who the fourth man was. It could have been an angel from God or a preincarnate appearance of Jesus. In either case, God sent a heavenly visitor to accompany these faithful men during their time of great trial.
3:27 These young men had been completely untouched by the fire and heat. Apparently, only the rope that bound them had been burned. Nothing can bind us if God wants us to be free. The power that delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and raised Christ from the dead is available to us, too (Ephesians 1:18-20). Trust God in every situation. There are eternal reasons for temporary trials, so be thankful that your future is in God's hands, not in human hands. And remember that miracles still occur today. Too often we dismiss God's work in our lives as coincidence or we give credit to the ingenuity of human minds. Look for ways that God protects his people supernaturally, and be amazed! Then let your amazement motivate you to follow God with even greater conviction and courage.
3:28-29 Nebuchadnezzar was not making a commitment here to serve the Hebrews' God alone. Instead, he was acknowledging God's power, and he commanded his people not to speak against God. Nebuchadnezzar didn't tell the people to throw away all the other gods but to add this one to the list of other gods the people worshiped.
3:30 Where was Daniel in this story? The Bible doesn't say, but there are several possibilities: (1) He may have been on official business in another part of the kingdom. (2) He may have been in the capital city handling the administration while Nebuchadnezzar was away. (3) He may have been considered exempt from bowing to the image because of his reputation for interpreting dreams through his God. Whether Daniel was there or not, we can be sure that he would not have worshiped the statue.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)