Sermon Tone Analysis

3. The three Hebrew men insist they will never worship the image (16–18)

a.

We have no need to answer you: They had no need to defend themselves.

Their guilt in the matter was clear—they clearly would not bow down to this image.

b.

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us: In this, the Jewish men showed a good understanding and appreciation of God’s great power.

In fact, they knew that God was able to save them from both the burning fiery furnace and from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar himself.

c.

But if not: In this, the Jewish men show they had a good understanding and appreciation of submission to God.

They knew God’s power, but they also knew that they must do what was right even if God did not do what they expect or hope Him to do.

i.

We often complain about our rights and what is fair.

Often it is better to make a stand and endure our difficulty, leaving our fate in God’s hands.

ii.

They did not doubt God’s ability, but neither did they presume to know God’s will.

In this they agreed with Job: Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15).

They recognized that God’s plan might be different than their desires.

I have my own desires and dreams and I pray that God fulfills them.

But if He doesn’t, I can’t turn my back on Him.

iii.

These were men who did not love too much.

There are popular self-help books that hope to help people who seem to love too much, yet many Christians are hindered because they love too much.

Remember that early Christians were not thrown to the lions because they worshipped Jesus, but because they would not worship the emperor.

iv.

In our day, many do love Jesus and think highly of Him—yet they are far from God because they also love and worship the world, sin, and self.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15).

d.

Let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up: It took great faith to say this.

God brought them to this place of great faith by preparing them with tests in less dramatic areas.

i.

These men stood firm when challenged to eat impure foods and they saw God bless their obedience.

That gave them the courage to obey now, when the stakes were much higher.

ii.

Many fail in their obedience because they wait for something “big” to test their faith before they really start to obey God.

Some fill their life with many small compromises; yet tell themselves that they will stand firm when it really matters.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego show us that obedience to God in small things really matters.

e.

Let it be known to you, O king: The statement of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego is also remarkable for what it does not have—any hint of an excuse.

In a time of testing like this it is easy to think of a thousand excuses that seem to justify compromise.

i.

They might have said, “There is nothing to gain by resisting; wouldn’t we do more good by living?”

It is easy to say, “We must live,” but in reality, we all must die—so why not die making a stand for God?

ii.

They might have said, “We are in a different place; in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Yet they knew that God has unlimited jurisdiction.

We must do more than “perform” acts of religious obedience when we have an audience.

iii.

They might have said, “We will lose our jobs and our standard of living.”

Often when God blesses us, we make the blessing an idol and compromise God to keep what we have.

iv.

They might have said, “After all, we are not being called to renounce our God.”

They did not have a super-elastic conscience that said, “We are not bowing down to the idol, but only bowing down in respect for the king, or in honor of the music.”

Excuses like this are common but prove the principle that anything will serve as an excuse, when the heart is bent on compromise.

v.

They might have said, “Everybody else is doing it.”

Instead they cultivated brave personalities, willing to stand alone with God.

vi.

They might have said, “It is only for once, and not for very long.

Ten minutes, just for the king.

It is stupid to throw our lives away for ten minutes.”

These men knew that ten minutes could change an entire life.

Ten minutes can chart the course for your eternity.

vii.

They might have said, “This is more than can be expected of us; God will understand just this once.”

It is true that God understands our struggle with sin—that is why He loves the sinner and made provision at the cross for freedom from the penalty, power, and presence of sin.

Knowing that “God understands” should be a spur to obedience, not a license to sin.

viii.

“I am glad that the three holy children were not ‘careful to answer,’ [the KJV has, “we are not careful to answer thee” here] or they might have fallen upon some crooked policy or lame excuse for compromise.

What have we to do with consequences?

It is ours to do the right, and leave results with the Lord.”

(Spurgeon)

C. The Hebrew men in the fiery furnace [3:19–27]

1.

The three men are cast violently into the furnace (19–23)

a. Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury: No matter how brave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were, facing the fury of a king was still extremely intimidating.

We get the feeling that prior to their statement Nebuchadnezzar spoke kindly, almost in a fatherly manner to these wayward boys.

After hearing their bold challenge the expression on his face changed.

i.

Despite the intense intimidation, the men stayed courageous in their confession of faith.

Spurgeon eloquently described the horror of those who lose their courage at such times: “Remember also that by yielding to the fear of man you are demeaning yourself.

There shall come a day when the man that was ashamed of Christ will himself be ashamed: he will wonder where he can hide his guilty head.

Look at him!

There he is!

The traitor who denied his Lord!

The Christ was spat upon and nailed to the cross, and this man was afraid to own him.

To win the smile of a silly maid, to escape the jest of a coarse fellow, to win a few pieces of silver, to stand respectable among his fellow-men, he turned his back upon his Redeemer and sold his Lord; and now what can be said for him?

Who can excuse him?

The angels shun him as a man who was ashamed of the Lord of glory.

He is clothed with shame and everlasting contempt.

Even the lost in hell get away from him, for many of them were more honest than he.

Is there such a man as this before me?

I summon him in the name of the living God to answer for his cowardice!

Let him come forth and own his crime, and humbly seek forgiveness at the hands of the gracious Savior.”

(Spurgeon)

b.

Bound in their coats … the furnace exceedingly hot: Everything was done to make sure that the three Hebrew men were quickly and completely burned.

2. Nebuchadnezzar sees four alive and well in the furnace (24–25)

a. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished: It is astonishing that anyone survived for a moment inside the furnace when others perished at the door.

i.

The Septuagint says in Daniel 3:24 that Nebuchadnezzar’s attention was caught when he heard the men singing praises in the furnace.