Pam Padgett ... teacher
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made a gold image and required that the image be worshiped. Anyone who did not fall down and worship the image would be cast into a fiery furnace ....
Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose
height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set
it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the
governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the
counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come
to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is
commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear
the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and
all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and
worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not fall down and worship the
image, some of the Chaldeans told this to king Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar gave them another chance to fall down and worship the image,
reminding them that if they didn't do this, they would be cast into a
fiery furnace ....
Daniel 3:12
There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king,
have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and
fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they
brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it
true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor
worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that
at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and
worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye
shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace;
and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded that God is
able to deliver them from the fiery furnace and from the hand of king Nebuchadnezzar if it was HIS will to do
so. They would not serve other gods nor worship the image ...
Daniel 3:16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O
Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If
it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But
if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
At Nebuchadnezzar's command, the furnace was heated seven times more than usual. Although the furnace was so hot that the mighty men
who bound and cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace
were killed, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and another in a form like the Son of God were seen walking in the
midst of the fire ...
Daniel 3:19
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was
changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than
it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that
were in 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 coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and
were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore
because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding
hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and
spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound
into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O
king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is
like the Son of God.
Seeing these things, king Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God, saying that no other God can deliver like this ...
Daniel 3:26
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye
servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors,
being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had
no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats
changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then
Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his
servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and
yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god,
except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every
people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and
their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
By not
falling down and
worshiping the image, and by the few words they spoke, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego testified that only the true and living God who
created all things is to be worshiped. And the existence and power of God could not be denied as HE not only delivered them but kept them from all harm. (They did not even smell of fire!)
While considering this, I was reminded of what Pete told us in the following ...
1 Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake,
happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 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: 16 Having a good conscience;
that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be
ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.