198; Trust: Stand; Daniel 3

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. Then they stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

This thing is humungous:

90 feet tall about the size of the Statue of Liberty without her hand sticking up in the air.

This was a thing in the ancient world. Colossus at Rhodes was just a bit bigger.

Nebuchadnezzar brings all the uppity-ups to the dedication. This dedication is really about confirming Nebuchadnezzar’s authority. He wants everyone to know that he, and the the gods he worships, are the greatest and must be honored.

When the worship band starts playing, they were supposed to worship.

If you remember, he took the best of the best from each culture, brainwashed them, and made them officials. This is how we came to know of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Or as Nebuchadnezzar called them, Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

All this happens on the Plain of Dura. We don’t have any idea where that is. Daniel is probably back in Babylon. So we get to zoom in on Rack, Shack. and Benny.

Daniel 3:8–12 CSB

Some Chaldeans took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. You as king have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men have ignored you, the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Evidently, word has gotten around that Rack, Shack, and Benny are skipping worship service.

This is a direct violation of the 1st Commandment.

This couldn’t happen today, could it? Os Guinness story.

Took the occasion to maliciously accuse?

Took the occasion - taking advantage of the situation...

Maliciously accuse - chewed the pieces of

Mark Ziese

Have you ever been in a situation like that? People are looking for an occasion to talk trash about you.

You can almost hear it; why should these Jews get the good jobs. Wasn’t there a good Chaldean kid that could have had that job?

Daniel 3:13–15 CSB

Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”

ls it true? You can almost hear him saying, “After all I’ve done for you?”

Have you ever tried to the do the right thing and then people try to make you feel bad because of it?

Don’t try to romanticize it. These guys know they’re about to die. tells about Neb’s propensity to burn people. He is vicious and he is intimidating.

He says, “I’m bringing the worship band back out, and you’ve got one more chance...”

Worship the god I made!

Who is the god who can rescue you from me?

Daniel 3:16–18 CSB

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Personality difference from Daniel?

We don’t need to answer you. If YHWH exists, he can rescue us...

For Rack, Shack, and Benny, obedience was more important than deliverance.

We tend to look for deliverance and then promise obedience.

God has been working on my heart about this for about two years now...

Rack, Shack, and Benny trusted God enough to know that obedience is more important than deliverance. Ultimately they trusted God enough to know that his word was more important than the pressure of people.

The right thing to do is the right thing to do, regardless of the cost.

How is it that these guys do this?

Maybe it’s the influence of Daniel

Maybe they had the only God-fearing parents in Israel

Maybe they watched King Josiah when they were children.

We don’t know. But what I am absolutely confident of is this; you will never make great stand for you faith unless you make a thousand small ones.

You learn to trust God by making the small choices, then you’ll honor him in the big ones.

You learn to trust God by making his word the authority in the small choices:

At work, will you be honest and far? Primarily because God’s Word says, “the Lord demands fairness in every business deal” ()

In your finances, will you honor God primarily because his word says that we shouldn’t give under compulsion but that God loves a cheerful giver ().

In your entertainment choices, is God honored. Do we take it seriously when we hear God’s word say, “Whatever you do, do in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17)

In your choice to walk away when your Christian brother or sister is gossiping. Primarily because God’s word says, “Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth” (Eph 4:29)

When his word is so prominent and authoritative in our lives we’ll be ready. Even if he doesn’t...

Daniel 3:19–23 CSB

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, and he commanded some of the best soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. Since the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

He is so mad, the executioners aren’t even allowed to strip the prisoners.

Daniel 3:24–25 CSB

Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?” “Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king. He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

For some reason Nebuchadnezzar saw four guys, and one of them had a different look to him.

messenger of God? YHWH had promised to walk with them through difficulty. I’m confident the Fourth Man is Jesus himself.

Daniel 3:26 CSB

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God—come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.

It’s the kind of thing Jesus does. In Mark he walks out on the storm in the fourth watch of the night, after they are battling the storm all night.

He doesn’t typically prevent the storm. He doesn’t typically prevent the furnace. You would almost expect Jesus to dramatically put the fires out! But not if you know him well. He shows up in the furnace, to protect and be a companion.

Ultimately this is a token, not a blueprint. God makes no promise to dramatically rescue us every time we get in trouble. He does say, “I’ll never leave you, or forsake you.” This is more of a sample of the way Jesus protects and walks with those who trust him. He still does today.

We find companionship and protection that seems almost divine in

Hospital rooms

Funeral homes

Houses that were once full of laughter, but now are empty.

That’s where Jesus plants his church, that’s where the Holy Spirit ministers.

Close

Do you know this Jesus?

Do you trust this Jesus?

Is it seen in the small choices you make each day?

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