3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream did not humble him. It did not cause him to turn to the one true God. Instead, it caused so much pride to swell up in him, that he possibly built a giant statue of himself. Archaeologists have uncovered a large square made of bricks some six miles southeast of Babylon. This large square may have been the base for this image.

3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he had erected.

Nebuchadnezzar was beginning to solidify his empire. He possessed many tribute nations from all over the world. He sent an invitation to all of the political and religious leaders of all of his different provinces.

3:3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

Every leader from every province was at this ceremony, except for Daniel. As chief advisor to the king, he may have been away on state business.

3:4 Then the herald made a loud proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:

The herald was the messenger of the king. He was to give a message to all of the provincial leaders in attendance.

3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected.

The purpose of this celebration was for all of the provinces to witness the deification of Nebuchadnezzar. He was to be crowned as the god-king of the Babylonian Empire. The exiled Jews were beginning to see what it was like to live in a pagan nation.

This list includes several Greek instruments. These instruments are identified in their original Greek names. Liberals argue that these Greek instruments must have been written by another author at a later date. However, the Greek culture was already well developed in Nebuchadnezzar’s time. Commerce between Greece and Babylon was very well established. These musical instruments were exchanged among the two nations. It is bias for liberals to claim that this book was written at a later date just because the Babylonians exchanged musical instruments with the Greeks! Is this the best argument that the liberals can produce?

It is important to note that although this is a very weak argument, it will deceive those who are not grounded in the entire counsel of the Word of God. When a man is totally depraved and evil, or if he is a carnal Christian who does not study the entire counsel of the Word of God, then both of these groups of people will believe a liberal who claims that “Daniel must have been written much later, because Greek vocabulary is used.”

3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!”

Those who refused to worship the idol were to be thrown into the fire. The Jews were getting more of a grasp of the idolatry of the pagan nations.

Some ancient kilns have been found in Babylon. They have been shaped like a vertical tunnel open only at the top, with a dome supported by columns. Charcoal normally served as fuel.

3:7 Therefore when they all heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

When the music played, the people were forced to worship the idol. True worship is an expression of the heart. The heart is the intellect. True worship cannot be forced. These people were not worshiping inwardly, but outwardly.

The purpose of music is to glorify God. Whenever music or ritual appeals to the flesh, then it degrades man rather than elevates him.  Much of this carnal and degradation type of music has snuck into modern churches. it is not an aid to true worship, because it cancels worship out. However, music which glorifies God can lift a worship service.

Many times, church soloists will sing songs which glorify their musical skills rather than Christ. This type of music deadens the service. Satan wants long and haughty music concerts in modern churches, because it takes away teaching time from the Word of God. Satan does not mind if talented Christian artists sing a concert of songs which glorify Christ. He wants as little of the Word of God to be taught as possible.

3:8 Now at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against the Jews.

The Babylonians may have been jealous that these Jewish teenagers were being promoted so quickly. Captives were supposed to be servants, not leaders.

Satan wants to destroy all of the Jews so that there will be none left to call out for their Messiah. Many times, he will use antisemitism to destroy the Jewish population. What happened here in Babylon will be repeated over and over in history.

3:9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!

The Babylonians flattered their king. All kings will live forever, but the difference is their location.

3:10 You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music.

Whenever the leaders of the satanic world system cannot defeat a believer intellectually, they resort to physical persecution.

 

3:11 And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

These leaders of the satanic world system were threatening Jewish messianic believers with fire.

3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and these men have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

It was written in the Mosaic Law, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 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: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:3–6). These three Jewish teenagers did show respect to the king, but they honored God above the king.

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them before the king.

King Nebuchadnezzar was insane. These boys ruined his coronation in front of the eyes of the whole world.

3:14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected?

Notice that Nebuchadnezzar said “my gods.” He was not a believer in Jehovah. Jehovah was just one of many gods to him.

3:15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”

The king gave the three Hebrew boys one more chance to bow down and worship him. This had to be an embarrassing event for the king. Every provincial leader from every nation was watching this rebellion.

3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this.

These three boys would not back down, because they possessed strong Bible doctrine. Mature believers are willing to die for the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer needs to pray that God will give them the courage to die for the Lord Jesus Christ if they are called from above to do so.

3:17 If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well.

These three teenagers made it clear to Nebuchadnezzar’s provincial court that Jehovah was in control of this situation.

3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

The nation of Israel bowed down to idols, causing the Babylonian Captivity. These three teenagers were different than their paganistic Jewish leaders. They refused to bow down to idols. There are many modern Christian leaders who will not take a stand against the evolutionary gods today, because they fear the loss of their academic standing.

3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated.

Nebuchadnezzar was attacking three Jewish Messianic teenagers. This was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant.

3:20 He ordered strong soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

Nebuchadnezzar was going to teach these young, rebellious teenagers a lesson.

3:21 So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire.

Normally, the clothes were removed during execution. The soldiers threw the three teenagers into the fire, clothes and all.

3:22 But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the leaping flames.

The soldiers who violated the Abrahamic Covenant were burned instead.

3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace of blazing fire while still securely bound.

The text plainly records that all three men fell into the furnace. They should have been burned to a crisp.

3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, “Wasn’t it three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied to the king, “For sure, O king.”

Nebuchadnezzar was observing a miracle in front of his provincial court. There were spectators present from all of the nations of the world. There were global witnesses at this demonstration.

3:25 He answered, “But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!”

Nebuchadnezzar possibly saw the pre-incarnate Christ protecting the three Jewish teenagers from being burned.

3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire.

Nebuchadnezzar understood that these three teenagers served Jehovah. They could not be killed until their service was complete. The modern believer cannot be killed until his service to God has been completed. Every believer should pray that God will help him complete his assigned service to God.

3:27 Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically unharmed by the fire. The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!

This miracle was performed in front of all of the provincial leaders of the Babylonian world. This miracle would be reported across the Babylonian Empire.

3:8 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!

Notice that Nebuchadnezzar praised the God of the three Jewish teenagers. He did not praise Jehovah as his god.

3:29 I hereby decree that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.”

The entire Babylonian world was given a governmental edict which glorified Jehovah. The king was convinced of the power of Jehovah. He was ready to add Jehovah to his pantheon of deities.

3:30 Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Satan tried twice to execute these Jewish boys, but Nebuchadnezzar ended up promoting them into high governmental positions that had a large influence in the pagan world.  The Jews were captive in Babylon, but they had leaders to protect them in high places.