Daily Devotion 8 May 2024 Daniel 3:1-30 Nebuchadnezzar’s Giant Idol

Good morning,

Daniel 3 deals with the worship of Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. He commands all his high ranking officials to bow down to it. What will the three Hebrew children do? Will they bow or stand? Remember every decision we make in life has consequences. This one was life or death.

Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s Giant Idol

Nebuchadnezzar’s Giant Idol (v.1-7)

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.² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.³ Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, 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.⁴ Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,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:⁶ And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.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 worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

King Nebuchadnezzar creates a giant golden statue and orders that all must bow down to it. The royal officials, including satraps, prefects, and governors, obey this command, demonstrating widespread idolatry.

Three Hebrew Children Refuse to Bow Down to the Idol (8-18)

⁸ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.⁹ They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.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:¹¹ And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.¹² There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?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?¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.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.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.

Some astrologers report Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s defiance of the King’s decree. The King confronts them, giving a chance to obey his command. However, they refuse, showing their unwavering faith in God, even when threatened with the fiery furnace.

The Faithful Jews are Safe in the Great Furnace (v19-25)

¹⁹ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.²⁰ And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.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. ²² Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.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.

Enraged, the King orders the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. He then commands Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be thrown into the furnace. The soldiers who carry out this order die from the intense heat.

Nebuchadnezzar Honors the True God (v 26-30)

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.²⁷ And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.²⁹ Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar witnesses a fourth figure in the fire and recognizes the divine protection over Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Upon their miraculous survival, the King praises their God and promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon.

What We Learned:

Daniel 3 presents a dramatic showdown between a defiant king and three men of unwavering faith. The chapter vividly recounts the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refuse to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, risking their lives in a blazing furnace, and in turn, showcasing the power of God.

In summary, Daniel 3 showcases the power of faith, God’s miraculous intervention, and the courage to stand firm in the face of adversity. It’s a powerful reminder that our God is able to save us, no matter the circumstances.

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com