Daniel 3: God's Promise of Deliverance

Prayer

Introduction

Good morning!

I want to begin this morning by acknowledging a couple of things - Firstly, acknowledging that aside from a few of you, we do not know each other. So let us remedy that: my name is Desmond Watson. I am not a pastor - this is, in fact, my first time preaching. Secondly, because of this, I want to acknowledge Rene Gomez as the person whom you may direct any ire or anger from my lack of preaching ability. If at all you find yourself wanting to throw tomatoes or any other sort of rotten vegetable/fruit, please aim in his direction. Thirdly, and more seriously, I want to acknowledge the seemingly strange times that we, as a nation, are currently in. You have heard, no doubt, about the tension in our nation - perhaps from your parents or teachers or peers or the news - and you are confused, or outraged at the schism and the lack of decorum from people whom’s stage of life you will soon enter into. I want to take a few moments to address this as - when I look out into this gathering - I see many faces which do no look like mine, and you see a face speaking to you which may not look like yours.

The Lord in His wisdom has ordained it that His people are those who, externally, have little in common. I grew up in a culture perhaps not utterly dissimilar, but certainly different than many of yours - if only by virtue of having not attended private school when I was your age. Indeed, it is only by the grace and providence of our Lord that I stand before you today to preach a sermon on Unshakable Promises to a group of teenagers whose paths, had I not been placed providentially where I am today, I would more than likely not have come across. What I am trying to say is that oftentimes the ways in which the Lord determines does not make sense to us, but, in the end, ultimately proves His glory.

I want to speak plainly with you all, and provide a road map of sorts that helps us hone in on the promise that we will be focusing on this morning. Specifically, the Promise of God’s Deliverance to those who are His, and those who are not. Now, it would be foolish to discuss the Deliverance of God without first asking, “From what am I being delivered?” This is a prudent question, and a deeply theological one.

Now, when you think of the Deliverance of God, you may think of Moses delivering captive Israel from the hands of their oppressors, the Egyptians. Or perhaps you think of Job, and the Lord delivering and restoring him from the attacks of the Enemy. Further still, you may think of the many times King David cries out for deliverance or salvation in the Psalms.

While these are an excellent example of God delivering His people, there is another which will be the primary focus of our attention this morning. Many of you are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. If you are, I’m asking this morning that you pay especially close attention. It is often in the stories that we are intimately familiar with that we lose focus on the most.

This morning we will briefly examine the life of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Then we will understand the context of the Babylonian Exile, its importance in biblical history, and then read Daniel 3. From there we will ask a couple of necessary questions of the text, and make some observations about the deliverance and characteristics of God. Finally, we will examine the ultimate example of God’s Deliverance to His people, and what awaits those who are in union with Christ, and those who are not. Everyone tracking? Let’s dive in:

Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

Polycarp was born around 69 A.D. in the area now known as Turkey. It is commonly believed that he was a disciple of John the Apostle. Many scholars and early church historians note Polycarp’s importance and influence on the early church, his own disciple (Irenaeus) speaking thus of him:

...Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also saw in my early youth, for he tarried [on earth] a very long time, and, when a very old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, having always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true.

Now, for the purposes of this sermon this morning, I wish only to prove Polycarp’s faithfulness unto our Lord. This perhaps summarized best in the farewell of his martyrdom. It was said that as they strapped Polycarp to the stake where he would be burned, many of those in the attendance cried out to Polycarp to save himself, to which Polycarp replied:

"Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked. I bless you, Father, for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ."

And he was set afire. And when the flames would not consume him, he was stabbed to death by sword.

Context for the Text

To understand the significance of God’s deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we must first properly understand the context in which the line of Judah found itself captive to the Babylonians. Jeremiah 19 and 20 records the prophet Jeremiah standing in the courts of the temple, reminding the people of the impending doom because of their wickedness:

You shall say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 4 Because the people have forsaken me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents, 5 and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into my mind— 6 therefore, behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. 7 And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life.

Now, if you remember the history of the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Judah was promised by God (through Jacob) to produce an offspring from whom the scepter (or authority/sovereignty) shall not depart.

“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:8-10)

So how is it that approximately 1500 years after this promise was uttered that the tribe of Judah found itself captive in the hands of their enemies the Babylonians? Was the promise that God made through Jacob to Judah to effectively preserve the rule and reign of his line made void by their capture by the Babylonians? We must say it isn’t so. Looking closely at the two texts, and indeed the entire counsel of the Word, we discover that the punishment and wrath that the Lord visits upon sin and sinners does not stand in contradiction to the promises He made by the power of His word. Indeed, we are given indication from the text in Genesis that the Lord has, in fact, made an end known to the promise given to Judah’s line- that the scepter will depart from it until Shiloh comes. Hold on to that: we will come back to it later.

And so it was that God delivered His people into the hands of their enemies, the Babylonians because of their wickedness.

Now, Daniel 3 isn’t the first time we see Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Book of Daniel. In the very first chapter, we meet them as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, along with Daniel, as three youths who were to be taken into the king’s court, given the king’s food, and trained for three years to stand ready as aide’s to the king. Under the instruction of Daniel (by conviction of the Lord), they did not partake in the king’s food and were found more healthy than all the other aide’s under King Nebuchadnezzar. And so the Lord blessed them with wisdom and knowledge.

Then in chapter 2, we find Nebuchadnezzar plagued by dreams, which no one could know or understand - and so he sent out an edict to have all the wise men in his kingdom slain. Daniel was given an interpretation of the dream and was promoted to rule over the whole province of Babylon and to be the chief prefect of the wise men. And Daniel made of a request of Nebuchadnezzar and so Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were appointed over the province of Babylon.

And so we pick up in Daniel 3:

Read the Text [Daniel 3:1-30, ESV]

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits[a] and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 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. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 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. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 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.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 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.[c] 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?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 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.[d] 18 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.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[e] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 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.” 25 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.”

26 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. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 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[f] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 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.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. - Daniel 3

2 Questions and 3 Things We Want to Notice

Now there are a couple of questions we should want to have answered from reading this text.

The first question is: Is the deliverance of God, as presented in the the text we just read normative? That is, when faced with fiery trials and temptations, as promised in the New Testament, can we expect to be delivered by God in the same manner, with the same sort of outcome that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found? It’s safe to say from examining the life of Polycarp earlier, and with the host of brothers and sisters who have lost their lives for the sake of Christ, that we can, with confidence, say no - we cannot expect the deliverance of God to all the time look like what we just read in Daniel 3. Now, that isn’t to say that the Lord will not deliver in this manner.

The second question is this, since then we know that the manner in which God determines to deliver His people from mortal peril differs, can we, with confidence, say that the God we worship is good? Let me posit again it in a manner which secularists and atheists pose it. If we claim that our God is good, why does He allow evil - especially to those who have perished in His name, at the hand of His enemies?

Now, it must be said at the forefront that this question brings to burden the proof of the existence of a Good God, the One found in the Christian Bible. However, as C.S. Lewis notes of himself when he was unregenerate:

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”

Lewis correctly notes that such a question of the existence of a Good God by the presence of evil does not disprove His existence. Rather, it begs the question of how we came about such a notion of “good” or “evil” in the first place. Indeed, the secular world has much of the burden of proving the standards by which they determine a thing “good” or “evil” or “correct” or “incorrect”. We must be vigilant in asking by what measure does the atheist and the secularist determine these things.

Furthermore, we should want to know the Biblical answer to such a question of God’s Goodness. What did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believe to be true of the deliverance of God (and His character) when faced with mortal peril? This leads us into our first observation:

Which is that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not concerned about God’s ability to deliver. Notice their dialogue with King Nebuchadnezzar in verses 14-17:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 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?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace

It was no question in the mind’s of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that the God that they worship was capable of overcoming the attempts of His enemies to destroy His people.

The second observation we to observe from the text is the latter part of verse 17:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Notice that they did not say of God that He might deliver them from the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar. But that he will deliver them. Which seems, when we read first part the very next verse, to be in contradiction to what they are saying to be true of the promise of God to deliver them. “But if not.”

Which brings us to our third and final observation from the text that we want to hone in on is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s resolve to worship the living God, even unto their own demise. Verse 18 reads:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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

So why is it that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were so confident, even unto death, to not worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, even when given the opportunity to preserve themselves by simply bowing at the feet of the golden idol? I submit to you that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were so utterly consumed by the preeminence of their God, that for them, it was not even a question of whether they would even consider bowing down before another god. That is, the superiority, or supreme nature of the God of the Bible convicted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego so much, that even unto their own deaths they would not submit before any idols of any kings of any nations.

Benediction

Now, remember when I said that we’d return to the promise of God to Judah through Jacob that this promise of ultimate deliverance would be through one called Shiloh? This Shiloh, Genesis 49 tells us, will come through the line of Judah, and to Him will belong the obedience of all people.

With this in mind, it becomes clear that the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is a kind of foreshadowing of God’s ultimate deliverance to His people - by Christ Jesus’s death on a cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead. But do not think, friends, that our deliverance is bound up only in the end times, for the Lord is faithful to deliver in our daily lives. In Polycarp’s life, he was delivered from mortality and finitude into rest and joy for all eternity with His Lord. In my own life, delivered from sexual immorality and daily from the temptation of my flesh to be an uncaring husband, a bad friend, and a poor worker.

So if the deliverance of God finds its crux in the crucifix of Christ, we’d best know what it is when have been delivered from. This question leads us to an answer that is at the heart of the Gospel. So here it is:

Christ Jesus, very God of very God, the eternally existing second person in the Trinity, descended from the heavenly places to be born of a virgin, ministered for a time on earth to be slain by the very people He came to save, bearing the burden of our sin so that we, who were enemies of God would be restored to Him by His blood, that we may commune with the Father, by the Spirit, through the Son, and worship and glorify Him forever.

This deliverance, this heavenly communion with Godhead, is what ultimately awaits those who are in union with Christ. But I offer this caution: do not be unconcerned you who are not in Christ. For the Scriptures have made clear that you are not merely innocent bystanders who are impartial, unwilling participants in the world that He has made. Rather, the Bible calls you, as it called those who were previously not in Christ, enemies of God and - let me make this clear - He will deliver you into His wrath, where there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth. But as I look around this room, and the breath of life in you all, I am filled with a great hope - for today can be the day of salvation for you, so long that you repent of your sins and trust Christ for salvation.

I want to you leave you with this image that we were given by the Revelation of the Apostle John of things to come:

I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12

May we be numbered among those who worship the Living God for all eternity. Let’s pray.