Daniel 3: Today’s Chapter

February 6, 2021 in Today's Reading by TGV

Daniel 3: Today’s Chapter/ Bible Reading Plan/ The Book of Daniel 3/ Theme: Deliverance from the Furnace of Blazing Fire: A Lesson in Steadfast Faith (3:1-30).


 

Daniel 3 (NKJV) — 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.


 

 

DANIEL 3: TEACHING OUTLINE.

Bible Study Guide/ Daniel 3: Teaching Outline/ Daniel 3, (27-BSG-3E)/ Theme: Deliverance from the Furnace of Blazing Fire: A Lesson in Steadfast Faith (3:1-30).

An Overview: Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refuse to worship the image. They are sentenced to die though the fiery furnace proves harmless. The king convinced that they truly worship the Living Jehovah God, and they are promoted.

Characters: God, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, the Son of God.

Key Text: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.” (Daniel 3:24–26, NKJV)

Key Word: Theophany — the fourth Person, one “like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25)

Striking Verses: Daniel 3:1, 2, 4-6, 8-12, 13, 14-15, 16, 17, 18, 19-21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.

Devotional Focus: (The Fiery Furnace (see section “Y”)

Division of Main Points – The Great Image (3:1)/ The Dedication (3:2–3)/ The Decree (3:4–6)/ The Worship (3:7)/ The Accusation: The Accusers (3:8); The Charges (3:9–12)/ The Inquisition (3:13–18)/ The Sentence (3:19–23)/ The Deliverance (3:24–27)/ The Promotion (3:28–30)

Biblical Events – [Events Occurring]: Babylonian Captivity, (Dan 1:3–3:30)/ Daniel’s early prophetic career, (Dan 1:3–3:30)/ Nebuchadnezzar sets up a golden image, (Dan 3:1–7)/ Daniel refuses to worship an idol, (Dan 3:1–30)/ Daniel’s friends refuse to worship the image, (Dan 3:8–18) /Daniel’s friends are saved in the fiery furnace, (Dan 3:19–30).

Biblical Themes Faith and the Fiery Trials of Life (see Section “H”).

Biblical Phrases – Certain mighty men of valor (3:20); the burning fiery furnace (3:21); the flame of the fire killed (3:22); servants of the Most High God (3:26); shall be cut in pieces (3:29); there is no other God who can deliver like this (3:29)

Issues for Further Study Capital punishment; “son of God/the gods” (Dan 3:25) –- Compare [Genesis 6 and the Sons of God; Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God]; Pagan worship; Religious Sanctions; Theophany; Civil authorities & Believers’ responses to evil; Obedience to God especially when it means life and death!

Striking Facts: Review Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2. Here are few facts in chp. 3:

  1. Nebuchadnezzar builds a gold statue that is 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide.
  2. The king summons all his political leaders to attend the statue’s dedication ceremony.
  3. When the band plays, all those present are to bow down and worship the gold statue.
  4. All those who refuse to bow down will be cast into a blazing furnace.
  5. The king learns that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have refused to bow.
  6. The king offers the three Hebrew men a second chance.
  7. Their Answer: “We will burn, if need be, before we will serve anything other than God.”
  8. The king’s Anger: He orders them thrown into the furnace.
  9. The Furnace is now heated seven times, hotter than usual.
  10. Looking into the fire, an amazed king sees that these Hebrews are still alive.
  11. The fourth Man: He also see another man who looks like “the Son of God.”
  12. At the king’s command, the three men walk out of the fire, not even smelling of smoke.
  13. The king imposes the death sentence upon anyone who speaks against God, and the three men are promoted to higher positions.

Key Thought: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”” (Daniel 3:16–18, NKJV)

“Hebrews 11 lists the names and deeds of great men and women of faith, including these three Jewish men (Heb. 11:34), but at verse 36, the writer says “And others” and then lists people who seem to be failures in spite of their faith (vv. 36–40). The Greek word means “others of a different kind,” that is, others who had faith but didn’t see God do the miracles He did for those listed in the first thirty-five verses. God always rewards faith but He doesn’t always step in and perform special miracles. Not everybody who prays is healed, but God always gives strength to bear with pain and grace to face death without fear. The three Hebrew men believed that God could deliver them, but they would trust Him even if He didn’t. That is how faith is supposed to operate in our lives. See Habakkuk 3:17–19.” [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Resolute, “Be” Commentary Series, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2000), 43].

Admonitions: “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—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 nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,” (Exodus 20:3–5, NKJV)


 

Warm Up Questions:

  1. Why was the king’s act of making the statue an act of defiance against what Daniel, in chapter 2, said would happen? (Review Dan. 2:34-35).
  2. Who reported to the king that Daniel’s friends refused to bow down to his image? (Dan. 3:8)
  3. What possibly motivated the accusers to tell the king? Talk about a similar situation in Daniel 6.
  4. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not…” Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego lack faith that God would rescue them? (Dan. 3:18)
  5. The Aramaic phrase here for “son of the gods” (Dan 3:25) is akin to the Hebrew phrase “son of God/the gods,” which is generally a reference to spiritual beings sent from God. Who was this fourth man in the fiery furnace?
  6. What is the relationship between the images in Daniel 3 and Revelation 13:11-18?
  • What do you think is the main point God is making by including this chapter in the Bible?
  1. What response do you think this chapter should inspires us to do?

THE END/

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