Daniel 3.3-The Dignitaries In The Various Provinces In Nebuchadnezzar's Kingdom Obey His Orders And Stood Before The Gold Statue Of Himself
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday May 30, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 3:3-The Dignitaries In The Various Provinces Of Nebuchadnezzar’s Kingdom Obey His Orders And Stood Before The Gold Statue Of Himself
Lesson # 80
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 3:1.
This evening we will note Daniel 3:3, which records the dignitaries in the various provinces in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom obeying his orders and standing directly in front of a ninety foot tall gold statue he erected of himself in order to await the call to worship this statue.
Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (NASB95)
“Then” is composed of the preposition bĕ (בְּ) (beth), which is not translated and is followed by the temporal adverb ʾěḏǎ∙yin (אֱדַיִן) (ed-ah´-yin), “then.”
The temporal adverb ʾěḏǎ∙yin is a temporal coordinator and means “then” since it shows consecutive events in the narrative.
Here it introduces a statement that tells the reader the next event that took place after Nebuchadnezzar issued an order for each and every one of the dignitaries from the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue, which he erected.
The preposition bĕ means “when” since it functions as a temporal marker indicating a point of time or a point when something takes place.
Here it indicates that “when” the satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers, judges in other words, each and every one of the dignitaries from the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue, which Nebuchadnezzar erected, they all stood in front of the statue.
“Satraps” is the masculine plural noun ʾǎḥǎš∙dǎr∙pǎn (אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן) (akh-ash-dar-pan´), which means “satrap” and were a group of officials who were the chief representatives of Nebuchadnezzar and were governors of certain types of provinces.
They were the highest officials in his kingdom, which is supported by the statement in Daniel 6:1, which records that Darius appointed 120 satraps over his kingdom who would be in charge of the entire kingdom.
“Prefects” is the masculine plural noun seḡǎn (סְגַן) (seg-an´), which means “prefect” and were the military commanders of the various provinces throughout Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
“Governors” is the masculine plural noun pě∙ḥā(h) (פֶּחָה) (peh-khaw´), which means “governor” and is used here of the civil administrators or governors of civil government in the various provinces throughout Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
“Counselors” is the masculine plural noun ʾǎḏǎr∙gā∙zǎr (אֲדַרְגָּזַר) (ad-ar´´-gaw-zare´), which means “minister of information” referring to those individuals who give counsel or advise those in governmental authority.
“Treasurers” is the masculine plural noun geḏā∙ḇǎr (גְּדָבַר) (ghed-aw-bawr´), which means “treasurer” referring to those individuals in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom who were in charge of the finances of the various provinces throughout the kingdom.
“Judges” is the masculine plural noun deṯā∙ḇǎr (דְּתָבַר) (deth-aw-bawr´), which means “lawyer, guardian of the law” and were those individuals who were administrators of the law in the various provinces throughout Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
“Magistrates” is the masculine plural noun tip̄∙tāy (תִּפְתָּי) (tif-tah´ee), which means “magistrate, judge” referring to judges in the various provinces throughout the Babylonian kingdom who passed judgment in keeping with the law.
“And all the rulers of the provinces were assembled” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the singular construct form of the noun kōl (כֹּל) (kole), “whole” which is modifying the masculine plural construct form of the noun šil∙ṭōn (שִׁלְטֹן) (shil-tone´), “the rulers of” and then we have the feminine singular form of the noun meḏî∙nā(h) (מְדִינָה) (med-ee-naw´), “the provinces.”
The conjunction wa here in Daniel 3:3 is used in an explicative sense meaning that the word is introducing an expression, which clarifies the list of officials who assembled for the dedication of the gold statue which Nebuchadnezzar erected on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
This expression “all the rulers of the provinces” is a summary title for the list of seven classes of officials mentioned by Daniel.
The noun šil∙ṭōn means “official, ruler, dignitary” and describes in summary fashion that the satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers, judges were all officials of high standing or dignitaries in Nebuchadnezzar’s government.
The noun kōl denotes totality and is used in a distributive sense meaning “each and every” indicating that “each and every one” of the dignitaries from the various provinces in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom assembled for the dedication of the statue he erected in the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
The noun meḏî∙nā(h) means “province” referring to the province of the city of Babylon and is a genitive of source meaning it denotes that these high governmental officials or dignitaries were “from” the various provinces of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
The verb kenǎš means “to assemble” and denotes Nebuchadnezzar issuing an order for the purpose of “assembling” his officials from the various provinces of his kingdom for the dedication of the gold statue he erected on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
“For the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up” is composed of the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) “to” and its object is the feminine singular construct form of the noun ḥǎnǔk∙kā(h) (חֲנֻכָּה) (chan-ook-kaw´), “the dedication of” and then we have the masculine singular form of the noun ṣelēm (צְלֵם) (tseh´-lem), “an image” which is followed by the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “that” and then we have the third person masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active perfect form of the verb qûm (קוּם) (koom), “set up” which is followed masculine singular form of the proper name neḇû∙ḵǎḏ∙ně(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר) (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar), “Nebuchadnezzar” which is followed by the masculine singular form of the noun mě∙lěḵ (מֶלֶךְ) (meh´-lek), “king.”
The noun ḥǎnǔk∙kā(h) is the object of the preposition lĕ and means “dedication” of the gold statue that Nebuchadnezzar erected on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
The preposition lĕ functions as a marker of purpose meaning that it is introducing a statement which tells the reader the purpose for which the dignitaries from the various provinces in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom assembled on the plain of Dura in the province of the city of Babylon.
“And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up” is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine singular peʿal (Hebrew: qal) active participle form of the verb qûm (קוּם) (koom), “they stood” and then we have the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) which is followed by the preposition qǒḇēl (קֳבֵל) (kob-ale´), “before” which is followed by the masculine singular form of the noun ṣelēm (צְלֵם) (tseh´-lem), “an image” which is followed by the particle dî (דִּי) (dee), “that” and then we have the third person masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active perfect form of the verb qûm (קוּם) (koom), “had set up” which is followed masculine singular form of the proper name neḇû∙ḵǎḏ∙ně(ʾ)ṣ∙ṣǎr (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר) (neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar), “Nebuchadnezzar.”
The verb qûm means “to stand” indicating that the satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers, judges from the various provinces in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom “stood” before the ninety foot tall gold statue, which the king had erected.
The preposition lĕ is a marker of direction indicating the direction in which all the dignitaries stood and denotes they stood facing “toward” the ninety foot tall gold statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected of himself.
It is joined with the preposition qǒḇēl, which means “in front of” indicating that these dignitaries stood “in front of” this great statue.
Therefore, these two words literally indicate that all the dignitaries were facing towards this great statue.
The verb qûm refers to the king “erecting” or “setting up” this gold statue on the plain of Dura.
Daniel 3:3 records the satraps, military commanders, governors, advisers, treasurers, lawyers, judges from the various provinces in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom obeying the king’s orders by assembling for the dedication of the ninety foot tall gold statue of himself.
Messengers were dispatched by the king to the various provinces in order to contact the various dignitaries who were subordinate to him.
The dedication of the statue was a ceremony, which was both political and religious.
It was a solemn ceremony in which Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue was consecrated as the symbol of world-wide worship and power of himself as a divine being.
Politically, this dedication was intended to symbolize the unity of the various provinces under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority.
Religiously, this dedication was an act of worshipping the gold statue, which represented Nebuchadnezzar.
That this dedication is religious is clearly indicated by Daniel 3:3-7.
Therefore, this dedication is an attempt by Nebuchadnezzar to join religion with politics, which has been attempted throughout history by various rulers.
It will be successfully attempted by the Antichrist during Daniel’s Seventieth Week who will demand worship from the inhabitants of the earth as symbolized by the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt Jewish temple in the midway point of Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Daniel 3:3 tells the reader that once they all arrived on the plain of Dura, they stood directly in front of the ninety foot tall gold statue of Nebuchadnezzar awaiting the call to worship this image of.
This is indicated by Daniel 3:3-7, which records these various dignitaries in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom worshipping this image of himself which is idolatry.
The Scripture teaches that Satan and the kingdom of darkness are behind the idolatry and the worship of the false gods in the world.
Therefore, unregenerate members of the human race like Nebuchadnezzar were worshipping demons by worshipping the various gods and practicing idolatry.
Deuteronomy 32:17 and 1 Corinthians 10:20 teach that the worship of idols is connected to the worship of demons since the sacrificing to idols is in reality sacrificing to demons who promote the worship of idols.
Idolatry is the worship of something created as opposed to the worship of the Creator Himself.
Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (NASB95)
Exodus 20:23 “You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves.” (NASB95)
Idolatry originally meant the worship of idols, or the worship of false gods by means of idols, but came to mean among the Old Testament Hebrews any worship of false gods, whether by images or otherwise or the worship of the Lord through visible symbols (Hos 8:5-6; 10:5).
Idolatry is not only the giving to any creature or human creation the honor or devotion, which belongs to God alone, but also is putting anything ahead of your relationship with God and which would prevent you from doing His will (1 Cor 10:14; Gal 5:20; Col 3:5; 1 Peter 4:3).
Ultimately in the New Testament idolatry came to mean, not only the giving to any creature or human creation the honor or devotion which belonged to God alone, but the giving to any human desire a precedence over God's will (1 Cor 10:14; Gal 5:20; Col 3:5; 1 Peter 4:3).
Three times in Daniel 3:2-3, Daniel mentioned that Nebuchadnezzar had erected this statue.
The exact same list of dignitaries that appears in verse 2 also appears in verse 3.
The repetition is for rhetorical effect emphasizing with the reader the enormity of Nebuchadnezzar’s sin in causing those in his kingdom to worship an image of himself.
Instead of being humbled by Daniel’s interpretation of his dream, Nebuchadnezzar became extremely arrogant.
This action taken by the king is the direct result of Daniel’s interpretation in Daniel 2:38, which records Daniel telling him that he was the head of gold of the statue.
Some suggest that the statue was not of himself but of one of the Babylonian gods, like Nabu.
However, there is an obvious connection between the head of gold in the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel chapter 2 and the gold statue constructed by the king in chapter 3.
That the events recorded in chapter 3 follow the events recorded in chapter 2 is indicated by the fact Daniel’s three friends are functioning in their new positions of authority (3:12) to which they were appointed by Nebuchadnezzar (2:49) per Daniel’s request.
Furthermore, chapter 4 records the Lord judging Nebuchadnezzar and deposing him for seven years and giving a mind of an animal resulting in the king acting like an animal for those years.
This was to bring the king to the place where he acknowledges the Lord’s sovereignty over him and that he is subordinated to the Lord.
Lastly, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:38 that wherever members of the human race, wild animals of the field or birds of the sky live, the God ruling the heavens has given them into his power.
Consequently, God has caused him to rule over each and every one of them.
Thus, Nebuchadnezzar misapplied Daniel’s interpretation and failed to understand one of the purposes for God giving him this revelation, namely to humble and cause him to worship the true and living God, Yahweh.
Nebuchadnezzar has a distorted view of himself and is not viewing himself from God’s perspective which is that he is a creature of God and subordinate to God.
Nebuchadnezzar has failed to respond properly to Daniel’s interpretation and as a result has failed to understand that he is nothing but an instrument in the hands of Almighty God.