Worship

Introduction

As we begin this sermon, I want to define again what I mean when I say God is Sovereign.

I do not mean that God’s sovereignty is evidenced by an acknowledgement of it; people’s belief in God’s sovereignty is not necessary.

Daniel, Mishael, Azariah and Hananiah’s submission to Nebuchadnezzar’s authority does not mean they did not acknowledge God’s sovereignty (they went into exile, they ate the kings food when it did not cause them to defile themselves, and they submitted to a three-year indoctrination.)

What does sovereignty mean?

Sovereignty is [God’s] his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure[i]

We see God’s sovereignty in His absolute right to be worshipped alone.

Present also in this account is God’s providential care. Providence is basically God’s provision for the needs of men on time.[ii]

We will see play out in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s lives.

In order to understand what Nebuchadnezzar does in chapter three, you have to understand the dream recorded in chapter 2.

This was the dream:

““You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31–35, ESV)

Nebuchanezzar is the head of gold. Four other kingdom which will be inferior to his will arise.

“And in the days of [that fourth kingdom] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”” (Daniel 2:44–45, ESV)

Some of the chapters that follow gives the details of this dream, we will not cover it here. This text emphasizes that Nebuchadnezzar was not satisfied with mere greatness, he wanted more.

But Nebuchadnezzar wanted more, he wanted what belonged to God alone, worship.

I invite you to turn in your bibles to our text, Daniel 3:1-30.

Shall we pray?

Father, thank you for speaking to us through your word. We are people who carry with us today’s burdens and tomorrow’s fears. Yet in this sacred moment, nourished us through your word. As surely as you have prepared your word for us, now prepare us for your word.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s consider first the circumstance.

[i] M. G. Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1893).

[ii] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Providence,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1792.

I. The Circumstance (Daniel 3:1-7)

Nebuchadnezzar builds a statue

It may seem strange that “all of a sudden” Nebuchadnezzar builds a gold statue. This statue was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide.

I mention the dream because as you will notice in our text, Nebuchadnezzar will construct a statue of gold.

It is tempted to think builds this statue because of the dream. Yet we know, external circumstances do not cause people to exhibit Pride. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride is an issue of his heart, not a result of the dream. The dream only revealed with was in his heart.

How did Nebucadnezzar go from: “The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”” (Daniel 2:47, ESV) to building an idol to himself?

The proverb warns “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18, ESV)

Even the Apostle Paul warns against “thinking of yourself more highly than you are” (Romans 12:3)

Pride is exalting ones’ self above his actual standing.[i]

Nebuchadnezzar had already been told by God in a dream that he was given “… the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making [him] rule over them all…” (Daniel 2:37–38, ESV)

By God’s own testimony, Nebuchadnezzar was a man of significance, but that was not enough for him. He wanted more.

Set in a place of prominence:

“King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:1, ESV)

Presented to the powerful:

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.” (Daniel 3:2, ESV)

‘Satraps’ were rulers over the main provinces of the Persian Empire and ‘prefects’ were probably their deputies. Governors were in charge of the sub-divisions of the satrapies. (Nehemiah was a governor). The other officials were in charge of various functions of government. [ii]

He required worship

Not only did Nebuchadnezzar construct this idol, but he also commanded that people worship him.

“And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”” (Daniel 3:4–6, ESV)

Notice the tension between the compliant and the defiant.

The compliant: as the music plays, all of the people of Babylon immediately fell down and gave Nebuchadnezzar worship.

The defiant: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the idol.

In the first six verses of our text, Daniel tells us six times that Nebuchadnezzar set this idol up.

This underscores the tension between this powerful king, all the people of Babylon and these three men.

[i] Victor P. Hamilton, “299 גָּאָה,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 143.

[ii] Bob Fyall, Daniel: A Tale of Two Cities, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1998).

II. The Conflict (Daniel 3:8-18)

Apparent Jealousy

There is an apparent jealousy here. The Chaldeans point to three Jewish men in particular because they were promoted:

“There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”” (Daniel 3:12, ESV)

Not only were they stripped of their home, their names (notice the use of their Babylonian names here) they are targeted because they were promoted: “Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.” (Daniel 2:49, ESV)

Notice they are called by their names:

Shadrach (“Command of Aku”—the Sumerian moon god)[i]

Meshach (Who is what Aku is?) (“Who is what Aku is”)[ii]

Abednego (servant of Nebo; a Babylonian God of wisdom)[iii]

This is a subtle reminder that this battle was not only between God and Nebuchadnezzar, but also his false gods. Since their identity has been stripped away, it would be natural for them to forsake their God and worship this idol, but in faithfulness to God, they do not.

However, the clear sovereignty of God will be demonstrated when this event is resolved.

It is very clear why Shadrach Meshach, and Abednego couldn’t worship the idol.

“And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:1–6, ESV)

These two commands were not conditional. It did not matter the circumstance, only God could be worshipped.

The Cost of Disobedience

An immediate and irrevocable death sentence.

[i] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1933.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] John D. Barry et al., eds., “Abednego,” The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

III. The Conclusion (Daniel 3:19-30)

Nebuchadnezzar was angry to hear that there were some in his kingdom who “[paid] no attention to [him]; [and who did] not serve [his] gods or worship the golden image that [he has] set up.”” (Daniel 3:12, ESV)

So he called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into his presence and demanded they obey his command and asserts his position: “Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”” (Daniel 3:15, ESV)

There answer was decisive: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”” (Daniel 3:16–18, ESV)

Notice the faith of these men. It did not matter if they were delivered from the fiery furnace or not, they would not worship a false god.

I wonder, does our obedience have conditions? Do we obey because we expect to be blessed or delivered? These men believed they would be delivered, either in this world or the next!

I wonder as they said this if part of Psalm 115 went through their mind?

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.” (Psalm 115:3–11, ESV)

Noticed the unquestioned power of God in the way that he delivered them:

The furnace was so hot, the men who put them in perished in the flames. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wore flammable clothing yet were not burned.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”” (Daniel 3:24–25, ESV)

Notice what Nebuchadnezzar said about God:

“Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.” (Daniel 3:26, ESV)

Remember his challenge “And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”. Now he uses the title the Most High God.

He acknowledges Jehovah to be supreme above other gods (not that he ceased to believe in these); so he returns to his original confession, “your God is a God of gods” (Da 2:47),[i]

Notice the result and the assertion of the majesty of God:

“Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:28–30, ESV)

This is not really a story about Nebuchadnezzar but God. This is a story about the power of God. There was no statue. There was no fanfare. But unshakable fact of God’s deliverance was clearly seen. The Most High God was able to deliver his servants from fire!

You know, the Most High God is still delivers: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV)

As real as the the fires were in our text, the fires of hell are real. As real as the deliverance of God was in our text, real is the deliverance of Christ!

Shall we pray?

Almighty God and loving Father, dismiss us now with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace. Let each of us, who possess your love, triumph in redeeming grace. We thank you for the gospel’s joyful sound. May the fruits of your salvation flourish in our hearts and lives, that we may bring glory to you and be found faithful in your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Benediction:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21, ESV)

[i] Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 627.