Lesson 420 - Senior
Memory Verse
"We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 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. 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" (Daniel 3:16-18).
Cross References
I The Dedication of the King's Image of Gold
1. An image 90 feet by 9 feet is erected near Babylon, [DAN:3:1]; [DAN:2:31];[DAN:2:32]; [PS:115:4-8]; [ISA:2:20]; [REV:9:20].
2. The officials of the king's realm attend the dedication, [DAN:3:2-3].
3. All the people are commanded at the sound of music to worship the image, [DAN:3:4-7].
II Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego Cast into the Fiery Furnace
1. The three Hebrew children are accused of disregarding the king's command and his gods, [DAN:3:8-12].
2. They refuse to submit to the king's repeated command, [DAN:3:13-18]; [MAT:10:18-19], [MAT:10:28], [JOB:13:15].
3. The king, in a rage, sentences them to the fiery-furnace, [DAN:3:19-20]; [PS:76:10]; [PS:50:15].
4. The three Hebrews are cast into the furnace, and their executioners are slain, [DAN:3:21-23]; [PS:23:3-4]; [2TM:4:17-18] .
III The Miraculous Deliverance and the King's Astonishment
1. "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" [DAN:3:24].
2. "Lo, I see four . . . and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." [DAN:3:25].
3. They came forth before all without the smell of fire, [DAN:3:26-27]; [HEB:11:34]; [ISA:43:2]; [PS:34:7].
4. Nebuchadnezzar pays tribute to the God of Israel, [DAN:3:28-29].
5. God's faithful servants are promoted, [DAN:3:30].
Notes
Golden Image
It is possible that Nebuchadnezzar's inspiration to build a great image came from his dream some years before when he saw an image of a man erected upon a high pillar. This grand and costly monument, 90 feet high, was to be dedicated to his own honour. Daniel had said in his interpretation of the dream, `'Thou art this head of gold." Daniel had also reminded him that the God of Heaven had given him this kingdom of power. This high-minded king gave no thought to these words, or he might have hesitated to exalt himself. Thus Nebuchadnezzar, glorying in the power bestowed upon him, seems to have been a type of the antichrist who also will have an image erected to his honour [REV:13:14]). One of our more recent dictators of Europe erected an image to himself in Rome, 250 feet in height.
Forbidden
We read in [EXO:20:23]: `'Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, caused Israel to sin by his erecting two calves of gold, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. (See [1KG:12:29].)
Officials Gather
The assembled gathering of princes, governors, military officers, chief judges, financial experts, senators and heads of law enforcement were willing to pay homage to the king. We see much of political expediency rather than firm principle in our day. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had been appointed officials over the affairs of the province of Babylon [DAN:2:49]). They were in the same group on the plain of Dura. They heard the same instructions as all others present. When the Chaldean symphony started to play, God raised up a standard in their hearts as He had spoken through the mouth of Isaiah in chapter 59, verse 19, more than 100 years before: "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." Many are swept along with the gay and giddy throng by the modern music of our day. Great mobs of people carry many weaker souls on the crest of the wave of popular opinion; but God has a deeper work for the heart than just a mental assent. The "new birth" brings faith into the heart that believes "if God be for us, who can be against us?" [ROM:8:31]).
Notwithstanding the obligations they may have felt, nor fearing the power their king could exercise as an absolute monarch, the three Hebrews nobly and courageously refused to violate the purpose of their hearts in being true to their God. Jesus later very clearly defined our stand on these matters when He said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's" [MAT:22:21]). The things of state belong to the king, and things of worship belong to God.
No Other God
The king's edict violated the first of the Ten Commandments. No other nation but that of the Jews would feel this edict oppressive, for it did not prevent the heathen from worshipping their own gods besides. It was evidently aimed at the Jews by those who were jealous of their high position in the king's court. They therefore induced the king to pass an edict concerning all nonconformists, representing such a refusal of homage as an act of treason to Nebuchadnezzar, the civil and religious "head" of the empire. Their accusation, "They serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up," served to incite the king to greater anger.
Testimony for True God
The answer to the king's query given by the three young men is a classic example of fearless trust in God. They wanted the king to know that they would not parley with sin nor beg the issue over a matter that had plunged their nation into captivity, namely idolatry. God permitted them to be brought before the king that their testimonies might be heard and the witness for the true God be made known to the whole world.
King's Defiance
When Nebuchadnezzar asked the question, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" it caught the ear of God as did Sennacherib's taunt when Isaiah told the Assyrian messengers that God would deliver Israel out of the hands of the Assyrians. Sennacherib boasted: "Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?" [2KG:18:35]). Pharaoh made a similar boast: "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?" [EXO:5:2]). God has told us who He is: He said: "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" [ISA:42:8]). He has also said: ``God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another" [PS:75:7]); and "There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" [ROM:13:1]). So who is man that he should boast against the Almighty God?
Wrath Cruel
The king's anger knew no bounds when he was confronted with the Hebrews' fearless assurance of the omnipotence of the God of Israel. The furnace was heated seven times more than it was ever seen to be heated. Fully clothed, they were bound and cast into the furnace. The strongest men of the army, those to be most feared, were slain by the heat. The captives fell down bound into the midst of the fiery furnace. These young men could have questioned the advisability of such a firm stand that would exact such a price for loyalty when all that was required was a mere bowing of the knee to the image; but there was no compromise in them. They would not give any pretence of conforming to that command. God's Word tells us: Abstain from all appearance of evil" [1TS:5:22]).
When our faith is under severe test and trial it is well to remember the Apostle Paul: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" [ROM:8:28]). Murmuring or complaining about our lot only serves the enemy's purpose. It has been said that what happens to us is not so important as what we do with it. It may be used as a steppingstone to higher heights in God or become a stumbling block that could cause us to fall if we take our eyes from the Captain of our Salvation.
< p>God's Intervention
When the king looked into the furnace, rather than seeing the end of the dissenters, he saw not three but four men; and the form of the fourth was like the Son of God. Again God's mercy was revealing the power of the true God to this haughty monarch. The captives in the furnace found that the fire had only released them from their bonds, and they arose and walked. We have fiery trials, too, the purpose of which is explained in [1PE:1:7]: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." As we surrender to God in our trials, we find we are released from the cares and anxieties of this life, bringing greater freedom in Christ [LUK:21:34-36] ).
Awaiting God's Time
They did not try to escape, but awaited the kings command to come forth, just as Noah waited in the ark after the Flood until God brought him forth [GEN:8:12-18]). The king's acknowledgment that they were servants of the Most High God made all other gods inferior to theirs. He concluded by saying, "There is no other God that can deliver after this sort." God surely showed His power to deliver the righteous in that there was not even the smell of smoke on their garments, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed. Contrast this with the destruction of the most mighty men in the king's army. The law of the king was changed by the God of Heaven. It has been said that "man proposes, but God disposes. Faithfulness to God brought promotion from their earthly king and the smile of approval from the heavenly King.
Questions
1. How was Nebuchadnezzar affected by his dream?
2. Illustrate his progress in the knowledge of the true God.
3. What commandment did the Hebrews have in mind in refusing to bow to the image?
4. What promise in the Book of Isaiah covers this incident?
5. Who visited the Hebrew children in the furnace?
6. Explain what the fire did.
7. Did it pay the Hebrew children to be true to God? and why?
8. Why did not God deliver them from going into the furnace?
9. What effect did this miracle have on the world of that day?