Daniel 3:1-7 The Unity Celebration, pt.1

Introduction

This is what I call pride run amok. The king had been told in the dream in the previous chapter that he was the head of gold and that went to his head. So what does he do? He makes a golden image and forces everyone to bow down to it and worship it. To be fair, this is what kings of mankind often do. Especially if they are maniacal tyrants as he appears to have been. It is often the case throughout history where a king has images of him posted around the country so everyone will know who he is. The pharoah’s had their sphynx, Hitler had his posters and so did Saddam Hussein. So even in our time this is not so unusual.

So what is this image?

This image of gold (probably gold plated) would have been gleaming in the sunlight, dazzlingly bright, so much that it would have been a blindingly bright image to look at on a sunny day. Even its size would not have been that far off from other images. Most people think that a 90’ tall by 9’wide image must have been an obelisk otherwise it would be disproportionate and unstable if it was a man’s image. However, it would not have been uncommon for the height to include a platform of some type that would put it better form. I happen to think the image is intended to be like him. For one thing the word image is used in v.19 for a play on words for the same word that is used for ‘his face changed’ image/tselem (referring to his face) is the same one that is used for “he had set up an image/tselem. In other words, as he set up an image, now the image of his face changed. The image is an expression of himself. (CBC) The writer mocks the kings response by tying his appearance to the face of the image. The word for image suggests this could be a human form but doesn’t have to be. It could have been like an obelisk which would be more fitting for its dimensions. K&D think the image was human likeness by pointing out the word of pillar or obelisk would have used the word matzebah rather than tsalem image. I also think that because he had just been told he was the head of gold, it is not a far stretch for him to make an image like representing him as the head of gold. In fact it could have been a gold bust of him like the sphynx’s of Egypt.

This image was obviously an image to worship. It was an idol most certainly. The fact is the people that reject the one true living God have no trouble setting up other gods of their own choosing. They find one unsatisfying, they look for another that will give them what they want. They just keep multiplying them. We call that pantheism. Just take your pick which one fits you the best. So to add another one to the is not a big deal. That is called syncretism. Blend them all together. I remember reading the Elvis dabbled in Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity because he wanted to cover all the bases just in case. It was no different for this king. He just added another god to his collection. People today are like that. They think there are many ways to heaven or that everyone is going to go there and that all the religions lead to heaven. So you see bumper stickers with “co-exist” on them blending major religious symbols into the word. And if you single out Christianity as the only true faith, well then, those tolerant folks get all intolerant in a hurry.

But what is the king doing here? Why did he set up this image and why on the plain of Dura?

This was most likely a political event intended to unify the kingdom around one language and religion. Remember he had gathered the most important figures around the kingdom to come to this dedication. His practice was to take captives and train them in his kingdom culture and government. So there was people from various countries he conquered. He was seeking to get them to swear allegiance to him. That would have been normal. The roman empire did the same thing. A legion would conquer a clan or tribe of peoples and then after their defeat they would seek their allegiance by promising citizenship if they swore allegiance to the Emperor. The alternative was death or imprisonment. You could see how this would help make the decision. Then citizens were to swear allegiance to the emperor in a yearly act of worship of the Emperor. This became a problem for the Christian.

Where is plain/valley of Dura- possibly mentioned in , this is where the people migrated after the flood. they set up the tower of Babel there and this is where they became confused by the language barriers from God. The significance seems to me to be that just as this was the place where mankind set up to worship creation, man. so it is the place where the king chooses to set up worship to himself as god. He seeks to unify his kingdom through worship with one language and ritual. Both attempts are met with failure, the former with confusion of language and dispersion, the latter with resistance by the people of God and confusion on the part of the king and his assistants who witnessed the fiery furnace event.

So to help us with unpacking this chapter it seems to fit nicely into three points: The masses comply, three Jews defy, and God is magnified.

I. The Masses comply, 1-7

So the king sets up this colossal image that is stunning both in size and in brilliance. Then he calls all (ie. he commands really) those who of significance to the kingdom. There is a listing of 8 categories of officials in v.3,7. These would have included all the important people who would then wield influence throughout the kingdom and ensure compliance of their constituents. This was both a political religious rally intended to unify the kingdom around one king and one religion (which was all inclusive). That would mean anyone who wanted to opt out of the religious part, pointing out his religion was exclusive of others would not be tolerated. Does that sound familiar? So much for separation of church and state.

The passage is making clear that the king set this up. 6x that fact is mentioned. Thus to reject the image is to reject the king. If you are not for the image you are not for the king and hence not for the kingdom. He cannot have that can he?

He even had the royal orchestra there to set the atmosphere. Music has always been a tool used to set the emotions and aura of an event. So at football games bands play to get the teams and fans pumped up, to play their best and win the game. Militaries have their bands to do the same. Britian used to have their drum and pipes go before them as they went into battle. At major events there were bands that played pomp and circumstance. Rock concerts during the 60’s were often political jamborees. Even in Christianity today so-called worship has become a concert band spectacle with darkened lights, loud music the kids like, long everlasting songs that are mind numbing. We even call the music portion of church services worship. And we call the song leader the worship leader. But nothing could be further from the truth.

So the command went out that when the orchestra plays the song they were to all fall down before the image and worship it, v.5. The flip side of it is this. If you don’t you will immediately be cast into the burning fiery furnace.. for a syncretist the choice is not a hard one. In fact, it is real easy. I’ll take life rather than a fiery death.

So, v.7 when the band plays as soon as they all heard the music. the all fell down and worshipped the image. They all complied. And why wouldn’t they. It was in their best interests humanly speaking. They would stay alive. This was a calling out party. It was a plain of decision either you were in our you were out. If you were out you were really going to be out. You were going to die.

So compliance to someone who has no morals, no rigidly held beliefs, this was a no-brainer.

That is happening in our own culture today. As long as you are okay with abortion, LGBTQ, same sex marriage, politically to the left you will be met with a pat on the back most everywhere you go. But as soon as you stand out as someone who opposes any of that you labelled a bigot or homophobic, not a nice person. And instead of a pat on the back you will be shown the door.

A man can smother his elderly wife who has cancer to save her from suffering and get away with it in court, but if you spank your child in discipline and go to jail. We live in a twisted society.

So the way to get by in this world is to go along with what everyone else is telling you, with what the government is telling you, what society is telling you is acceptable and you will get along fine. Just don’t muddy the waters by becoming self righteous and claiming there is only one way to heaven, or that immorality is wrong. They will tell you that is just your opinion. And don’t bring the Bible into this discussion because that is just a bunch of myths and it is just your interpretation.

But let me tell you something friend. This book is the only answer. It is God’s word and it does have something to say about those topics and to keep quiet about them in order to keep from ruffling someone’s feathers is simply wrong. I don’t mean we have to be mean or untactful about how we deal with these subjects but if you are going to follow the masses you are going to follow them right over the cliff into eternal hell. They need to hear the gospel and it might just be the stand you take that prompts someone else awake to hear the good news.

Well now we are ready for the the next point which we will address next time.

Conclusion:

Friend you and I are going to have to make some decisions in the future as to what is worth fighting for or standing for and what is not.

The Bible teaches us that if we deny Him before men He will deny us before the Father and the holy angels. We live in a syncretistic society that tells us that any aberration of morality is right as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. A society that tells us all the religions are okay, just take your pick, but don’t tell me that there is only one way to heaven. They say compliance is the best policy and accepting all religions and there is only your own moral truth. Don’t rock the boat or we will push back. Just ask the baker who lost his business or the Dr.’s and medical workers who lose their jobs because they will not perform abortions or promote certain contraceptives because it goes against their beliefs.

The Briefing on last 5/23 pointed out that the religious liberties act is going to be an issue in the 2020 election.

While summarizing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, David Marcus writes, “It is an ingenious little piece of legislation with two major planks. First,” as he writes, "it establishes that if the government is going to compel a person to violate his religious beliefs, it must have a reasonable interest in doing so. Second, and more importantly, once that interest is established, the government must find the least restrictive means possible to achieve that interest.”

Do Biden and Sanders still stand by the idea that the government should go out of its way to not compel people to violate their religious beliefs? Do they still hold that to whatever extent possible? The state should not compel Americans to violate their religious beliefs.”” (The briefing 5/23/19)

Certainly king Nebuchadnezzar did not have that in mind. And it seems that Biden and Sanders will not be for it either.

Whether we stand for religious liberty or not The fact is, if we take the Bible at face value, Jesus makes ‘one way’ quite clear in and Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” ().

We will be forced on the plain of Dura in our own time. Are you going to comply or defy?

The fact is, if we take the Bible at face value, Jesus makes ‘one way’ quite clear in and Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” ().

The good news is that God stands for and with, not behind those who stand for him. David recognized and believed that when he fought the Philistine Goliath. Daniel and this three friends knew that. Do you?