The God who Delivers (Daniel 3)

Daniel 3:1-30

The God who Delivers

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

Introduction

In 1536, William Tyndale was burned at the stake because of his work of translating the Bible from Greek to English. While this does not sound like a big deal to translate the Bible into English, it was a big no no under the Roman Catholic Church, especially in the days of Tyndale.

For in 1408, Thomas Arundell, the archbishop of Canterbury created the Constitutions of Oxford, which reads:

It is a dangerous thing, as witnesses blessed St. Jerome, to translate the text of the Holy Scripture out of one tongue into another, for in the translation the same sense is not always easily kept…We therefore decree and ordain, that no man, hereafter, by his own authority translate any text of the Scripture into English or any other tongue … and that no man can read any such book … in part or in whole. [1]

And yet, Tyndale understood the importance of God’s people being able to study God’s word for themselves. Tyndale knew that for the church to thrive, God’s people must study the word and hold to sound doctrine. And so, he continued to attempt to gain official authorization for his English translation of the New Testament. 

But, the Roman Catholic Church opposed this. They made spiritual statements arguing that to translate the Bible would endanger it to poor translation and wrong doctrine. The reality however was that the Roman Catholic Church feared being exposed for its own unsound doctrine if the people were to have their own Bibles and read them. 

And it was this desire for Sound Doctrine that drove Tyndale to pursue an English Translation of the Bible. He desired for the church to be pure in her doctrine so that holy living could rightly follow. Therefore, Tyndale sought official approval for this translation despite the Constitutions of Oxford. However he was denied and eventually forced to flee England as a fugitive in 1524 before his being burned as a heretic 12 years later in 1536.

Tyndale believed God and his word. He treasured it and so was willing to die for the sake of holding to this God and his right teaching. Tyndale though was not alone. 

Many more like Tyndale have arisen throughout church history. They have thought it better to die by affirming Christ and the Scriptures rather than deny them. But what enabled these throughout church history to make such a bold stand? To stand firm despite the flames that were ahead of them? 

Like those in our passage this morning in Daniel 3, those who have joyfully laid down their lives for the sake of the Scriptures and more importantly, the God of the Scriptures, do so because of who their God is. For our view of persecution and embracing it flow from our view of who God is. 

If we have a low, insufficient view of who God is, we will struggle with persecution, even the thought of it. But, if we understand that God is the Sovereign Lord who is over all things, and that he truly is worthy of suffering for, then we will joyfully embrace this suffering. Not as those eager to simply die in a martyrdom mentality. But we will be eager to count it all joy to suffer just as our King suffered on the cross. It is this concept that Daniel 3 teaches us so well. 

Please then turn to Daniel 3 in your copy of the Bible. Or, if you want to grab one of those Red Bibles in your seats, you can find Daniel 3 on page #878.

In Daniel 1, we saw that there is a God who sovereignly has handed his people over to the nation of Babylon and exile. Yet, even though God has sentenced them to exile, he continues to care for them and give them favor before their captors. 

In Daniel 2, we further saw the Sovereignty of God as it is he who removes and establishes kingdoms. And how they will come and go, but it will be his kingdom that is established and will alone endure forever. 

Daniel 2 also revealed this truth not only to the Hebrews of Daniel and his companions, but also to King Nebuchadnezzar. For this revelation had come to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. A dream that showed him what was to come. A dream that had revealed that while his kingdom was strong and made of gold, other kingdoms, though inferior to his, would arise after him. This revelation that came and was made plain to Nebuchadnezzar by Daniel lead the king to acknowledge that truly there is a God who reveals. A God who makes his mysteries known. A God who is above all gods. 

That was as chapter 2 closed. And yet here we are with chapter 3. Let us now hear the word of the Lord from Daniel 3 as this great God continues to make himself known. Daniel 3:1-30… 

Main Idea: There is a God in heaven who is able to deliver us as he walks through the flames with us. Therefore, he alone is worthy of our trust and worship.

The Faithfulness of the Few

The Fourth Man in the Flames

Point #1: The Faithfulness of the Few

The vision of Daniel 2 concluded with the telling of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the interpretation of it. A dream that featured a large statue with a gold head, silver chest and arms, bronze middle and thighs, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and clay. An image that represented what was to come of various kingdoms with various strengths with only one kingdom to endure forever. The kingdom that the God of heaven set up for his forever people. 

Nebuchadnezzar had turned and praised Daniel’s God for revealing such a vision and making it known. However, as chapter 3 opens, it is plain for all to see that King Nebuchadnezzar rejects this dream and arrogantly boasts in himself and his kingdom with his golden image. 

For this image is not small, nor is just its head gold. It is a fully gold image. And it stands roughly 90 feet tall and nine feet wide. This image that King Nebuchadnezzar has made is meant to show his glory and might. 

And to do that, he summons anyone who is anyone to come before him. For notice how in verses 2 and 3 this list is repeated: 

Daniel 3:2–3 ESV

2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

These groups who have been summoned to come and indeed come as they are instructed, all stand before this massive golden image. An image that is presumed to be in the likeness of King Nebuchadnezzar himself. An image that he now calls the music to be played and the people to bow down before (Dan. 3:4-5).  

The song goes out like the sound of the mythic siren. For it is the sound of music and song that is lure the people to fall down before this golden image in declaring their ultimate allegiance to the image and the one the image represents.  

And failure to respond to this siren call is a call to be cast into the burning fiery furnace as punishment (Dan. 3:6). So of course how do the peoples, nations, and languages gathered around this image respond when they hear the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and ever kind of music played? They fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up (Dan. 3:7). 

And yet, all the peoples, nations, and languages that fell down and worshipped the golden image are not to be seen as the whole. They are simply meant to be seen as the majority. 

But Daniel’s companions stand in direct contrast to the majority. To those made up of all the peoples, nations, and languages. For while they bowed to the golden image upon hearing the siren call to idol worship, these three quietly rejected King Nebuchadnezzar’s command. 

Look again with me at Daniel 3:8-12…

The very Chaldeans who had failed to interpret and make known Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, they now come with malicious hearts to accuse Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for failing to keep the kings commands. 

The king is enraged by this, but gives the three an opportunity before him to deny these malicious allegations against them. Possibly even understanding himself of the Chaldeans jealousy over these three where they were previously elevated to higher positions than the Chaldeans. And so he asks if the accusations are true that they do not serve his gods or bow and worship his golden image (Dan. 3:14).Look closely with me then at verse 15….

A challenge is issued from King Nebuchadnezzar. While he had previously decreed that there was a God above gods who could reveal mysteries, he now asks Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who is the god who can deliver them from his hands? 

Once more God and his people are put to the test here in the early part of the Babylonian exile. They are put to test against the gods of the Babylonians. The showdown is set. A showdown greater than Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier. Or Bears vs Packers. Or ???

Nebuchadnezzar, nor any of these who bow, think that there is a god who can deliver them. And so all the peoples, nations, and languages are quick to bow to the golden image, because they fear Nebuchadnezzar and know of no one who could deliver them from his decree. 

But these three Hebrews, who have been given the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego know who their God is and they trust him. For verses 16-18 are central in making this plain. We read there in Dan. 3:16-18….

The three commit to continue serving their God alone! And they know that their God is able to deliver them from the burning fiery furnace. That He and He alone can deliver them out of Nebuchadnezzar’s hand.

But there is a but here after such a strong statement of faith. Is this a sign of doubt? A tad bit of weakness of their faith? Not at all! 

The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego might be weak in parts. They may be trembling within, but the but here has nothing to do with the strength of their faith. God is the object of their faith. And they trust in him completely. The but here comes because they do not presume as to what God’s purposes are in delivering them. They know they will be delivered. But they know not whether they will be delivered from death or through death. 

YHWH, the God of the Hebrews is more than capable of delivering these three from the fiery furnace of plucking them out of the fire itself. Yet, he is also able to deliver his servants through death itself by removing them from this present world and delivering them as he takes them from this world into gloryland with him, forever. 

This is the hope that the three have and what leads them to make clear to King Nebuchadnezzar that they will not serve his gods or worship his image. They are servants of YHWH alone, and therefore, they will only bow in worship to Him!

In reading and studying a passage like this, we are tempted to think we would be like these three and resist the command to bow to this image. Or to those struggling, we are tempted to say, be a Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and have their faith. 

But that is not what we need. To set our eyes on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is too low of an aim that will not help us in being faithful in the midst of persecution. If we are to be faithful we need to set our eyes on one much higher. The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. A God who is able to stand and resist every enemy and every other god. 

One who resisted even as he entered the word by taking on human flesh in the second person of the Godhead as the Son of God, Jesus! Jesus in coming endured all things that we endured. For like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, he was presented with the call to bow and worship. 

We read of this earlier in our service during our Scripture Reading from Matthew 4:8-10. Satan was willing to not just let Jesus live, but to give him all the kingdoms of the world if he would just bow to him and worship. Jesus resisted. He resisted by choosing the road of the cross. 

Jesus would in the end be given all the kingdoms of the world. He would rule over them. But it would come through the laying down of his own life on the cross. Jesus resisted the temptation to bow and worship another besides his Father in heaven who alone was worthy of worship. 

And because he resisted, we have hope. We have hope that despite the weakness of our faith. Despite our stumbling over the idols of our own day, we can have deliverance. Deliverance from the curse of sin and death because of the greater one who resisted to the point of death, even death on a cross. [2]

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do you desire to be faithful? Faithful even in the midst of persecution? Set your eyes not on man, but on our Triune God who has come and defeated the tempter himself. Put your hope in this Jesus for your deliverance! For he and he alone is the path to faithfulness. 

For when our eyes are set on Jesus and not ourselves, we need not fear what lay ahead. We can have confidence that our God will deliver us. That he will deliver us from death or through death.  A faithfulness had by the three young Hebrews of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they looked to God and prepared to embrace the flames of the fiery furnace.

Because of the refusal of the three to serve Nebuchadnezzar’s gods and bow to his golden image, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than normal. And he ordered some men to bind the three and cast them into the fiery furnace. The flames were so hot that it killed those ordered to cast in the three young Hebrews. And the three went into the flames. 

The three were faithful with their lives, even as it meant they were cast into the fiery flames. They knew their God and they trusted in him. But why did they trust him, even as they were cast into the fiery furnace? Because they knew that their God would not abandon them and be with them.

Point #2: The Fourth Man in the Flames

The three have been cast into the fiery furnace that has been heated seven times hotter than normal. The heat has killed the mighty men of the army ordered to cast the three Hebrews into the furnace. But something strange happens. Verses 24-25….

A fourth man appears in the furnace with the three as they all four now walk freely about in the fiery furnace. And Nebuchadnezzar describes the fourth man as one like a son of the gods. 

Much speculation happens on precisely who this fourth man is. One common speculation is that this fourth man was that of a pre-incarnate Christ. And while this is possible, it is only speculative and we would be better off not doing that. 

Instead, we need to see that God is our deliverer and savior. In Isaiah we read:

Isaiah 43:2–5 ESV

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.

The fourth man, whether a pre-incarnate Christ or an angel of the LORD is showing that God does not abandon his people, even in the midst of the flames. He will in fact walk with them in the midst of the flames. 

This is not isolated to Isaiah alone. We read of this in the Psalms as well:

Psalm 66:11–12 ESV

11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

YHWH is the God who delivers his people. How so? Well with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, though they were tossed into the fiery furnace, not a hair on them was singed. For as Nebuchadnezzar notes there in verse 27, the fire had no power over them. 

And once more YHWH proves to the nations that he alone is God! Dan. 3:28-29….

Nebuchadnezzar again must recognize that there is a God in heaven who can deliver his servants, even from his own hands. He is forced to answer his own question from verse 15. The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego can deliver them. He will see his people through! 

And though Nebuchadnezzar came to the point of acknowledging this truth, it did not change him. He did nor forsake his gods and come and serve and worship YHWH alone. Yet, this is the great application for us here in Daniel 3. We are to not only see that this God sees his people through until the end, we are to come and serve this very God and worship him alone! 

This applies to the Christian and the non-Christian. For the non-Christian, this means you need to see that God and God alone is capable of delivering his people. That he will walk with his people even through the flames that seek to destroy them. 

Friend, see this good God and come and serve him! Come and serve the only one who will never abandon you. Come and serve the only one able to deliver you from the greatest of enemies, the accusations of the accuser on your guilt and unworthiness. See that there has come one to deliver you from this in Jesus! Jesus has made a way for you to come and serve and worship God and be accepted. Come today!

Likewise, for the one who already believes. You who have already come and trusted in Jesus. The application for you is to keep then coming and beholding this God and to keep trusting in him until the very end! Knowing that he will neither leave nor forsake you. That he will walk with you through the flames to see you through until your faith is turned to sight! 

Conclusion

Daniel 3 opened with a golden image and a declaration of false worship, a decree to be burned in the furnace if one failed to bow to this image. The climax of Daniel 3 was who is the god who can deliver you being asked in verse 15, followed by the declaration that the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could deliver them. Which results in Nebuchadnezzar again coming to make a decree concerning this God. Though he still has failed to turn his heart to this God.

Yet, we have that very opportunity this morning. We have the opportunity to trust this God of the Bible and worship him and serve him alone! 

Let’s pray…

Endnotes

[1]  Moyahan, God’s Bestseller, xxii.

[2]  Philippians 2:8 paraphrase

Scripture Reading & Prayer

Matthew 4:8–10 ESV

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”