God's Presence, Daniel 3
Notes
Transcript
Today we are continuing our study in the book of Daniel. Daniel is the record of how Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah walked with God through trials. These men set some great examples for us, and through their experiences, we can learn about walking with God through trials, as well!
Today we are in Daniel 3. I encourage you to open you bibles to Daniel 3 and we will read and work through this chapter together.
Let’s pray and ask God to speak to us from his word.
Pray
I titled today’s Sermon, God’s Presence. As we go through the account in Daniel 3, we will get to see God present with His followers in their trial.
Knowing that God is with us, that He is truly near and with us when we go through trials is a comfort that we need to hold onto. Through trials, our enemy, Satan, wants us to feel alone. We need to learn that God is truly with us, even in the worst of situations to combat the feelings of fear and aloneness.
Let’s work our way through the passage and see how God is near.
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
This is an interesting turn of events after Daniel 2. In Daniel 2, the king had a dream of a huge statue with a head of gold which represented his kingdom.
Now, in chapter 3, he is making a image of gold around 100 feet high, and 10 feet wide if you use the Babylonian cubit which was about 20”.
We do not know what the image of this statue was. It could have been Bel or Marduk, a couple of the gods of Babylon. It could have been an image of Nebuchadnezzar. He certainly had the pride for this as we will see in the next chapter.
He made this image on the plain of Dura, in which archaeologists have found a large square made of bricks which may have been the base for this image.
This is a true account of what really happened.
When did it happen? We do not know for certain. However, we do know that it happened after Daniel 2, which was in Nebuchadnezzar’s 2nd year of reign, for we will see in the context, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah are serving in the positions the king gave them at the end of chapter 2.
The Jews translated their scriptures into Greek in the 3rd and 2nd centuries before Christ came into the world. In that translation, they indicated that this event took place in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year of reign.
We do not know that date is certain, however, we do get the sense, that this took place well after the events of Daniel chapter 2.
Let’s keep reading to find out what took place.
He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.
So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do:
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
This is an impressive list of individuals.
Satraps - chief representatives of the king
Prefects - military commanders
Governors - civil administrators
Advisers - counselors to governing authorities
Treasurers - financial administrators
Judges - law administrators
Magistrates - passed judgments
Provincial officials - local leaders
Basically, Nebuchadnezzar was gathering all of those in government together to show his power and authority. There are some that believe that this occured a year after there was an attempted revolt against Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar is showing his authority by giving the command for them to worship what he has made, and if they do not, they will be thrown into a blazing furnace, which he apparently also had on location, possibly to melt the gold for overlaying the image.
This was a move by Nebuchadnezzar to bring everyone from all the nations and language groups in his kingdom in line under his political authority, as well as under his religious authority. He wanted to be the head over every aspect of life for everyone in the kingdom.
This was a big event, and one for which he prepared extensively. He even had a full orchestra on hand.
Picture this in your mind. This was no small event with just a few people. This was a major event, including representatives of all the people groups in the kingdom! This was the time the king wanted to know who would be loyal to him. Who would fall in line with him politically and religiously. And he was obviously serious about this. He threatened execution for anyone who would not comply.
What is going to happen? Will the people fall in line? Will they give up their own cultures and traditions? Will they fully align themselves with the king?
Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Would they comply, even if this was contrary to their culture? Yes! Yes, they did.
Imagine a huge stadium filled with representatives of every people group. They are all told to fall in line under the authority of one man, who expects their political obedience, and their religious affection.
Now imagine everyone in the stadium doing it! Wow! That is amazing to me!
In our own nation we do not see this kind of unity. Different people groups do not want to give up their identity like that. They want to keep their identity. They have their political ideologies and religious affections that they do not want to give up.
But in this place, at this time, they all feared the king, and bowed down.
Or did they?
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.
They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever!
Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,
and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
The astrologers. Remember them from Daniel 2? These were the guys who could not deliver what the king wanted, so he ordered them to be killed.
Daniel and his friends prayed to the Lord, and were able to save all the wise men.
However, the king then appointed Daniel and these three men to high positions in the kingdom right out of their schooling.
There had to be a lot of jealousy coming from these men.
They approach the king to denounce the Jews. The Jews would have referred to the ones who worshiped God.
The word for denounce here is from a word for eating, or devouring. They wanted to tear these guys down. Chew them up and spit them out. They hated them.
So, they approach the king and start with buttering him up.
“May the king live forever!”
They then repeat the kings order, which by the way, we followed, your highness..
Then they get down to business… But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon...
They point out who they mean, but they couch it in a way that I think shows their real heart. They were jealous of their positions!
Anyway, they point out that these three men:
Pay no attention to you
Do not serve your gods
Do not worship your image of gold
This all shows us, again, the nature of the event was to show absolute, political loyalty to the king, and acquiescence to the king’s religious affections.
They would not obey.
How did Nebuchadnezzar respond?
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
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?
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?”
The king was furious!! And he had them brought before him.
He asked them if they would not worship, and then told them to fall down and worship, or else!
Then he added, “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
He obviously knew they worshiped God from the past. However, he did not think that God could save them. God may have helped him know his dream, but God was nothing compared to him, King Nebuchadnezzar!
Did these men think that they could just go unnoticed in the crowd? Did they think they could just get away with not bowing down and worshiping?
Now, there was no way of getting away with it. They were before the king. He was watching them! Would they do it to save their lives?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
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.
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.”
I love their answer!
We do not need to defend ourselves.
They did not launch into a speech about how God was the true God. They did not try to reason with the king about how God had revealed Himself to the king before.
No. They realized there was no talking with this man. And, they did not need to defend themselves. They did not need to defend God.
The kings opinion that not even God could save them did not change who God is, nor what He is capable of doing.
They knew the truth. That was sufficient. There was no need to argue.
They knew that God could deliver them! But He could deliver them from the furnace, but He didn’t have to! If God saved them from the furnace, or if God allowed them to die, either way, they were delivered out of the king’s hand!
Wow! What perspective. As they were going through this trial, they knew that God could deliver them from death by fire. But if He did not, they were delivered out of all suffering in this world!! To live is to follow God, and to die is even better, to be with God!
They would not argue with the king about who God is, nor what He is capable of doing. However, they wanted the king to be sure of one thing, they would not serve his gods or worship the image of gold. They obeyed the king in other matters. However, when it came to religious affection, they would not follow the king. They would follow God!
How would the king respond?
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
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,
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.
And now the grand finale!
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.
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.”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
What can we learn from this?
What can we learn from this?
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.
Trust God
Trust God
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Be willing to give up our lives
Be willing to give up our lives
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
God is with us in the fire
God is with us in the fire
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
People need to see God through us
People need to see God through us
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—
I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.