THE BOOK OF DANIEL
CHAP.APTER THREE

THE GOLDEN IMAGE AND THE FIERY FURNACE.

In Chap.apter three we have a dramatic story concerning the three Hebrew Men. We don’t have Daniel personally present or involved in this Chap.apter, but we have a valuable lesson set before us in how that a believer is to maintain his integrity in the Lord no matter what the circumstances might be.

It is believed that there is a 20 year interval between the events of this Chap.apter and Chap.apter two. We concluded Chap.apter two with NebuChap.adnezzar’s confession that Daniel’s God was a God of gods, and the Lord of kings, but we don’t see a Chap.ange in the king’s heart.

Note: Note how shallow his confession was; he stated that Daniel’s God was a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, not that He is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings.

He recognized God’s greatness and God’s wisdom, but not God’s Sovereignty.
(2:47)

God is not a God, He is THE God. He is not a Lord, He is THE Lord.

The two images in Chap.apter 2 & 3 represent man’s rule and man’s worship.

In Chap.apter 2 the image speaks of all Gentile governments until the coming of Chap.rist.

In Chap.apter 3 the image speaks of NebuChap.adnezzar and his new theology. It was to be a great affair, and a means of uniting the kingdom strongly under both, NebuChap.adnezzar’s government and his religion.

But in doing so it brings new trials to the servants of God. we need to understand that life is full of Chap.anges, and most of the time, they will bring new trials, and if we remain faithful to Him, these trials will be for our profit, not for our defeat.

We will come forth as shinning gold, and jewels meet for the Master’s glory.

Below is an outline given of the six moral conflicts faced by Daniel and the three Hebrew men: Please note carefully the conflicts and how they were won;

First Conflict.
Between pagan self-indulgence, and conscientious Abstinence, in promoting health.

Abstinence wins, Chap.. 1:8—15.

Second Conflict.
Between pagan Magic and heavenly Wisdom in the interpretation of dreams.

Divine Wisdom wins, Chap.. 2:1—47.

Third Conflict.
Heathen Idolatry arrayed against
Loyalty to God.

Loyalty to God wins, Chap.. 3:1—30.

Fourth Conflict.
A pagan king’s Pride arrayed against Divine Sovereignty.

God wins, - the king turned out to eat grass, Chap. 4:4—37.

Fifth Conflict.
Impious Sacrilege arrayed against
Reverence for Sacred Objects.

Reverence wins, - the Handwriting on the wall. Belshazzar  dethroned, Chap. 5:1—30.

Sixth Conflict.
Between Malicious Plotting and the Providence of God over his Saints.

Providence wins, — the lions mouths stopped, Chap.. 6:1—28.

(Thompson’s Reference Bible.)

If we learn nothing else than that we can be victorious in our conflicts through Jesus Christ, then we have learned well an important lesson.

Paul wrote: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37

It seems that this chapter teaches us this truth above all things, thus, we need to read and study this Chapter as being more than just history.

This Chapter is divided up into three divisions for our study:

Their trial or temptation: 3: 1—15

Their testimony: 3: 16—17

Their triumph: 3:18—30.

The words of Peter ring clear in this story: “But the God of all grace, who bath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” I Peter 5:10

This is clearly seen in the lives of these three men, may God help us to be like them, this ought to be our prayer.

I. THEIR TRIAL OR TEMPTATION. Daniel 3:1—15

Daniel and the three Hebrew Men were faced with a new country, new people, new government, new religion, new foods, and etc. when they were carried off into Babylon in Chapter one.

Now after being in Babylon for about 20 years, they were faced with a new god, or rather, a new image, with new demands upon them.

We must understand that the Devil will bring many things before us, but they are still his own tricks, just in a different style or manner.

A. It was a trial against their position.

“Then Daniel requested of the king, and be set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affair of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.” Daniel 2:49

“There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; —Daniel 3:12

1. They had become government officials.

In fact, they helped to run the government. If they were permitted to break the law, then the people would rebel also.

They were being tried in relation to their place in society. If we are not careful, we will become more concern about our social standing than our relationship with God.

Remember Peter said: “Dearly beloved, I beseeChap. you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, whiChap. war against the soul;” I Peter 2:11

So we are strangers and pilgrims in this world, so we better not become to friendly with it.

Paul said that we are not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:1-2), because our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20—21)

2. They had a steady income.

They were somewhat living in a very comfortable manner. No doubt many of the captives were living in poverty or in slavery, with many of their family members living back in Jerusalem in great need.

Paul said that Demas forsook the ministry and went back to the world for worldly advantages. (II Tim. 4:10)

There is always the trial that One will sell himself out for a small salary.

Remember it is the love of money that is the root of all evil, (I Tim. 6:10), and when we serve the almighty dollar just to make a living more so than trusting in God from whom all blessings flow, it is just as wrong.

3. They had religious freedom to some degree.

The king honored and respected the three Hebrew Men and Daniel for their faith in God, as well, as he honored (not worshipped) their God for the revealing of the dreams.

So these men had the liberty to worship their God with out being questioned as it seems. They could have compromised and bowed before the golden image and fooled the people, and then went back into their own rooms and prayed to their God, probably no one would have every known the difference, other than God.

(Remember that David tried this method when he sinned with Bathsheba, but God knew)

When you serve God out of conviction then these convictions will govern your life in private, as well, as in public. You cannot play both sides of the fence.

Jesus said that trials would come to God’s people while they are in this world:
John 16:33
II Tim. 3:12

Jesus said that a person is blessed if these trials comes because of the Word or for righteousness sake:
Matt. 5:10-12
(I Peter 4:12-16)

Trials and temptations will come, we are not promised to be delivered from them, but we have the promise that God will go through them with us.

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee,”
(Heb. 13:5)

II. THEIR TESTIMONY. -Daniel 3:16—17

Daniel and the three Hebrew Men gives a beautiful testimony all through the Book of Daniel. It is almost impossible, to find a flaw in their witness for Christ.

I feel as I read the Book of Daniel that the key to Daniel’s and the three Hebrew Men’s testimony is found in Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel purposed in his heart - “. It was this purposing, this condition of the heart that God blessed and honored in their lives.

David speaks of this truth: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, 0 God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17

Do not make gods out of Daniel and the three Hebrew Men for they were of the same clay as we are.

Read carefully what Paul taught us in Hebrews 11:32-40, and we can see why they were so victorious.

The heartbeat of their faith was in God, note carefully, these men knew more than the Bible, they knew the God of the Bible. May God help us to be very careful and examine ourselves, as to do we know the Bible, or do we know the God of the Bible?????

Jesus sobers our thinking when He said:
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
John 5:39 40

A. Their testimony was heart felt. Daniel 3:16

“We are not careful to answer thee in this matter.”

These three Hebrew Men didn’t take their testimony lightly. “We are not careful” speaks of the seriousness that they held to in the answering of the question in verse 15.

1. The answer was already settled in their hearts.

Peter helps us to understand this: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” I Peter 3:15

2. The answer was fitting for the occasion that they were facing.

Peter said:- “   for the reason of the hope that is in you -I Peter 3:15

The hope for these three Hebrew Men was not in their position; their income; their religious freedom:

(See the three points under the first heading)

but it was in the God that they served.

We ought to examine ourselves and be sure where our hope lies. As you see, it was not their government position, their wealth nor their wisdom that delivered them from the furnace, it was their God.

B. Their testimony was based on an unadulterated faith in God.

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” Daniel 3:17

1. He was their personal God.  “our God.”

Before we are able to face trials and temptations as we ought, we better know that we are in fellowship with our Lord.

2. He was the One that they were serving. “whom we serve”

When we serve God daily and walk with Him daily, it is not likely we stop serving Him when we face problems.

3. He was able. “is able to deliver us -“

We need to know that God is able or is sufficient for what we face.

What peace fills the heart when One knows that God is sufficient for all things.

4. He was deserving.

“But if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Remember that we have already studied that the trials and temptations that we face, are
gods of this world and the gods of men versus the True and Living God.

Remember that the name Abednego is the name for the servant of the shinning fire.

Abednego was named after  - Bel - The Fire-god.

So these three Hebrew Men were facing the Fire-god of the Babylonians, but they faced it in the power of the True and Living God.

Note the confession of the king in 2:47, and the question of the king in 3:15, “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”

So the battle rages between the True and Living God and the gods of man, so why should we fear, our God will win.

Read carefully, Isaiah 40:12—31

C. Their testimony was based on a total surrender to the will of God.

“But if no, we will not —“

They would rather burn than turn. But they were not going to bow.

They said “we will not”  - We will not serve thy gods -

We will not worship thy image.

Their answer was positive without a shadow of doubt.

It is this kind of faith and commitment that God will send the whole host of heaven to protect if necessary.

III. THEIR TRIUMPH Daniel 3:19—30.

They were cast into the furnace because of “nonconformity”., but “the fire had no power” before the “power of the True and Living God.”

Remember that this is - Bel - The Fire-god verses Jehovah - the True and Living God..

I think that God has a good laugh at man who tries to set up his deities and declares themselves as gods.

Proverbs 1:26
Psalm 2:4

A. Their enemies were caught in their own trap.

“Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the f lame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach., Meshach, and Abednego.”
(3:22)

Malachi teaches us that the wicked and their wickedness becomes the fuel for their own judgment.

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble.” Malachi 4:1

B. Their trial brought a new sense of freedom. 

“Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt;” Daniel 3:25

Walking in a furnace of fire, and not be burnt, nor hurt in any manner, and the air-condition of heaven was working to keep them cool, plus, Jesus Himself came and walked with them, what an experience!

With Jesus you can walk in a furnace heated seven times and never loose your cool.

They were not saved from the furnace, but they were saved in the furnace.

The peace of God in the heart is an indestructible principle, beyond the reach. of any fiery trial. The world, the devil, and all the gods of man cannot take it away.

Walking through a fiery furnace is a heavenly place when Jesus is there. Amen!

C. The trial brought a new sense of fellowship.

“ and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:25

Don’t let the modernists of the world speak to you that this was a son of God or just an angel of God, but let the Holy Spirit speak in the Holy Scriptures as was written, this was the Son of God, it was Jesus who came to walk with the three Hebrew Men.

Remember that Christ taught that what is done against His people, is done
against Him.

Isaiah 63:8-9
Acts 9:5

D. Their trial brought a new opportunity for service.

“Then the king promoted Shadrach., Meshach., and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:30

Their ability to serve increased after the trial, and their liberty to serve their God became greater.

The more that we refuse to bow to the image of man, the more we will have the image of Christ upon our hearts an life.

CONCLUSION:

The three Hebrew Men are living examples of what it really means to remain faithful and true to Christ and His cause.

They teach. us some important lessons:

1. Have things settled in your heart before you face trials or temptations.

These men knew where they stood with the Lord, and how they stood with Him, before they ever faced the temptation of the golden image.

2.Know that God will always be with you no matter what is brought against you.

When you walk upright and in His will, then God will not leave you but will go with you through every trial.

3.Know that all things will have to bow to the authority of the Lord.

Draw night to Him and the Devil will flee from you.

4. Settle it in your heart that being faithful to God, even if it calls for
death, is worth it all.

Never sell short the blessing of God both now and the life to come. For those who remain faithful have and will have blessings untold.

Stand and shout the good news “My God is able” and if not, then, I will, not serve nor worship the gods of man.

PROPHETIC

In each. Chapter we have many practical lessons that are taught that we can lay hold on and apply them to our hearts and lives.

Also in each. Chapter we can see some things that are prophetic.

1. The Missing Daniel.

We have here a wonderful picture of events in the last days. Daniel was not present when these things took place. Undoubtedly he was away on official business for the king, and the king took advantage of his absence to erect his wicked idol.

This illustrates the rapture of the Church; when the Church is out of the world, then, Satan will be able to carry out his diabolical plans for enslaving the minds and bodies of men.

2. Satan’s heyday.

II Thess. Chapter 2 and Revelation Chapter 13 makes it clear that Satan is going to have a:
heyday after the Christians are raptured and taken to heaven. For one thing, he will raise up a: world ruler, the AntiChrist, who (like Nebuchadnezzar) will conquer the nations and establish a totalitarian government.

The Church. will be gone but there will be 144,000 Jewish believers sealed by the Lord and protected from Satan’s devices (Rev. 7:1-8; 14:1-4). The AntiChrist will set up his own image .and force the world to worship it (Rev. 13), but the faithful Jews will not bow down. Like the Hebrews in Babylon, the 144,000 will serve God and God will protect them.

It is interesting to note that the image of King Nebuchadnezzar is identified with the number 6 (60 cubits high, 6 cubits wide, and there are six instruments in the band, Dan. 3:1, 5); and the image of AntiChrist is identified with his number, 666 (Rev. 13:18). It is this image that Jesus called the “abomination of desolation” in Matt.
24:15—22.

3. Israel.

We see in Daniel 3 a prophetic forecast of Israel during the tribulation period, after the Church. has been raptured. Nebuchadnezzar represents the AntiChrist; his image represents the image of the Anti Christ that he will erect; and the three Hebrew Men represent the believing Jews, the 144,000, who will be protected during the tribulation. It is likely that these Jews will read Daniel 3 and understand it and know that their God will go into the furnace of tribulation with them and bring them out again for His glory.

4. The World.

Every day we can see our present world moving toward unification. There are scores of organizations and agreements that bind nations together these days. We have a world government in the United Nations; a world bank; a world court; and a World Council of Churches. Soon we will see the development of a “United States of Europe,” and the leader of that organization will become the last world dictator, the AntiChrist!

The stage is set. “The cometh of the Lord draweth nigh!” Before Jesus returns, we Christians may have to go through the “furnace of fire,” but we need not fear, for He is with us. But all born again believers will not go through the great tribulation period that will last for seven years.

It is far better for us to go through the furnace of fire than to live in a lake of fire for all eternity. Amen!