Competing Gods

Dreams of Grandeur

In ch2, Daniel interprets the king’s dream about a statue of which the king is the golden head.

Worships Daniel’s God

Gives Daniel a high position

Appoints Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego as administrators in Babylon

A National Religion

Drunk with power, he creates a 90 foot tall golden statue

Demands worship of the image

Fiery furnace for all who refuse

No exemptions

Civil Obedience

First 2 chapters:

Daniel and his friends obeyed the king and acted with humility

Sought the prosperity of the land they had been exiled to

as they were instructed by the prophet Jeremiah

Jeremiah 29:7 NIV

7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Civil Disobedience

However, they were still called to resist violating the Law of Moses so much as they were able.

They were not to worship other gods

So they disobeyed

Astrologers reported this to the king

Jews he set as administrators:

Ignore his laws

Don’t worship the statue

Righteous disobedience still has consequences

Daniel 3:13–18 NIV

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.”

What God will be able to rescue you?

Nebuchadnezzar set himself up as more powerful than the God of Israel

Daniel had already told him that he had power only because God gave it to him

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego knew that real power was with God

Not only is the God of Israel powerful enough to save them from the fire

They trusted God to determine their fate rather than attempting to save themselves

Delivered Through The Fire

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego weren’t rescued in the last minutes by a rebel army of Jews

They were thrown into the fire

4th man in the fire

The only thing burned in the fire was the cords that had them bound and imprisoned

They weren’t delivered FROM the flames

They were delivered THROUGH the flames

Daniel 3:26–30 NIV

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.

God Can Defend Himself

A ruler who makes an immoral law

A simple refusal to violate personal conviction even when faced with severe punishment

God does all the work

The ruler praises God in the end

Where is God showing himself to be greater than any human power?

Where is God calling you to have the faith of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego?

Do you trust that God will deliver you through the fire?