Daniel 3:29-Nebuchadnezzar Decrees He Will Execute Any Person Belonging To The Nations, Ethnicities Or Language Groups In His Kingdom Who Slanders The God Of Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday August 8, 2012
Daniel: Daniel 3:29-Nebuchadnezzar Decrees He Will Execute Any Person Belonging To The Nations, Ethnicities Or Language Groups In His Kingdom Who Slanders The God Of Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego
Lesson # 104
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 3:28.
This evening we will study Daniel 3:29.
Daniel 3:29 “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” (NASB95)
“People” is the masculine plural form of the noun ʿǎm (עַם) (am), which means “nations” in the sense of a large group based on various cultural, physical and geographical ties and refers to national entities.
“Nation” is the masculine plural noun ʾǔm∙mā(h) (אֻמָּה) (oom-maw´), which means “ethnicities” referring to an ethnic group, divided on the basis of constituting a unique entity.
“Tongue” is the masculine plural noun liš∙šān (לִשָּׁן) (lish-shawn´), which means “language groups” speaking of those groups who share the same language.
“Anything offensive” is the feminine singular noun šā∙lû (שָׁלוּ) (shaw-loo´), which means “anything critical” implying finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.
Here it denotes saying anything critical against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego such as finding fault with His methods, policies or intentions.
“Inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way” is a causal clause meaning that it presents the reason or the basis for Nebuchadnezzar’s decree.
It speaks of the impotence of pagan gods which the Babylonians and the rest of unregenerate humanity worshipped and served in comparison to the God of Israel.
It refers to the impotence and inability of the gods of unregenerate humanity being able to deliver from death like the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Daniel 3:29 “Therefore, from me the decree is sent forth, namely that any person belonging to the nations, ethnicities and language groups who says anything critical against their God, specifically Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, will be dismembered and in addition their home will be transformed into a rubbish heap because there is absolutely no other god who is able to deliver this way.” (My translation)
Nebuchadnezzar’s decree has a negative tone since he does not direct people in his kingdom to worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Though he has praised him publicly before all the dignitaries in his kingdom, he did not promote the worship of the God of Israel or direct people to have faith in Him.
However, he did declare the impotence of the gods which people in his kingdom worshipped and served in comparison to the God of Israel.
Thus, he is saying that these gods are impotent in comparison to the God of Israel.
Though the king has trusted in the God Israel, as expressed in Daniel 3:28 which records him praising the God of Israel, which no unbeliever in Scripture has ever done, Nebuchadnezzar has not disengaged himself from committing the sin of intimidating people.
He has yet to learn how to treat his fellow human beings.
Although he is saved, he has yet to learn to think and act in the manner God would have him to do so.
However, this decree would protect the Jewish exiles in Babylon from persecution.
Thus, the king’s decree would serve a good purpose in preserving the remnant of Jewish exiles.
God has promised through the prophet Jeremiah that after the seventy years of discipline have ended, he will bring a remnant back to the land of Israel (Jeremiah 25:11-12).
This decree would preserve that remnant until that time.
Also, his decree did not force people to worship the God of Israel, which would be wrong to do since the God of Israel wants people to worship Him willingly and not under compulsion.
He is not a tyrant.
Thus, the fact that Nebuchadnezzar does not issue a decree forcing people to worship and serve the God of Israel demonstrates humility and respect for Him.
This decree is expressing Nebuchadnezzar’s faith in the God of Israel from a negative perspective in the sense that it rejects the gods worshipped and served by unregenerate people throughout the earth.
It is saying that only the God of Israel is worthy of worship and worthy of their faith since the gods of the heathen are totally impotent to deliver from death unlike the God of Israel.
Therefore, in Daniel 3:28, he expresses his faith in the God of Israel in a positive sense by praising Him and now here in Daniel 3:29 he expresses this faith in a negative sense, namely rejecting the gods of unregenerate men.
Notice, he says that there is no god who is able to deliver in the manner in which the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego delivered them from death, which implies that he has rejected the gods he once worshipped.
By saying that there is no god who exists who is able to save in the manner like the God of Israel, is clearly implying he has rejected his own gods since the statement denotes the totality of gods which men and women worship and serve on earth.
Undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar’s decree also was motivated by fear of the God of Israel since Daniel 3:15 records him mocking the ability of the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to deliver them out of his power.
The king felt that the God of Israel would retaliate against him because he mistreated Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and unjustly executed them and mocked His ability to save these three from his power.
However, he has not learned yet that the God of Israel forgives sin.
Thus, if he knew this, he would not fear retaliation.
Therefore, his decree was motivated by his desire to appease the God of Israel.