Add to my study list. The events of chapter three are hard to date, but it seems that they take place within a few years of Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. – These “certain Chaldeans” successfully gain access to the king’s court. 14. 21. coats . 24. The "astonishment" of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:24 is made an argument for its genuineness, as if it explained the cause of his astonishment, namely, "they walked in the midst of the fire praising God, but the angel of the Lord came down into the oven" ( Daniel 3:1 and Daniel 3:27 of the Apocryphal addition). 24 “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.”. Commentaries on Daniel. So the edict under Darius ( Daniel 6:7-9 ) was aimed against the Jews by those jealous of Daniel's influence. But as we will discover soon, that is about to change. Indeed, the dimensions of this image (60 cubits H x 6 cubits W) are remarkably similar to that of an obelisk, which was an extremely common pagan symbol used in ancient religious rites and ceremonies. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. Between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in the second chapter and that of Daniel in the seventh, four narratives of Daniels and his friends' personal history are introduced. . Daniel's three friends are thrown into the fire but God delive… Seven is the perfect number; that is, it was made as hot as possible. (Proverbs 24:21; Jeremiah 29:7; John 19:11; Romans 13:1,2,5; 1 Timothy 2:1,2; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13,17) However, there is no command in scripture to obey the civil authorities if and when they require us to violate God’s commands or to worship anyone or anything aside from the God of heaven. 1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide # 3:1 Aramaic 60 cubits [27 meters] tall and 6 cubits [2.7 meters] wide. Compare Job 1:6 , 38:7 , Psalms 34:7 Psalms 34:8 ; and the probably heathen centurion's exclamation ( Matthew 27:54 ). (See Romans 13:1-7, especially 1,2), In more recent times, misguided Christians have attempted to use all manner of reasons for rebelling against the king. – As if the king has forgotten his own decree, the Chaldeans remind him of all of its specific details as they prepare to lay their trap for the Jews. For example, we immediately notice that dimensions of the gold “image” set up by Nebuchadnezzar are filled with the number six: a number associated with sinful man and with the beast of Revelation 13. "Whether our God deliver us, as He is able, or do not, we will not serve thy gods." St-Takla.org Image: People forced to worship idol by king Nebuchadnezzar: "Whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace" (Daniel 3:6). Bible Commentary Daniel 3. 25. four--whereas but three had been cast in. Why then should it not be expected that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should have survived after falling into the flames? Specifically, because they chose to “put their trust in Him” instead of placing their trust in the false god erected by the king. The Chaldeans immediately denounced Daniel's three friends as transgressors of the king's command. Time: During King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign from approximately 605 B.C. nor worship--by prostration of the body. Those who refused to bow down in obeisance to Nebuchadnezzar’s image were threatened with the death penalty. Will they comply? It contains things we all like in a story... 90 foot idols, furious kings, fiery furnaces hot enough … 15 “Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. 3. . The three Hebrews showed strong faith when they chose to trust God regardless of whether or not he would deliver them. 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. While it is often assumed that this “image” was a towering statue of Nebuchadnezzar himself (as envisioned in his vivid dream interpreted by Daniel in chapter two), the dimensions are stunningly similar to an obelisk (phallic structure), which were common among ancient pagan societies. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refuse positive homage to the image of the world power ( Daniel 3:12 ); Daniel will not yield it even a negative homage, by omitting for a time the worship of God ( Daniel 6:10 ). Daniel 3:2. There is an interesting irony here as King Nebuchadnezzar (who in his madness will literally roam the earth as a beast himself as described in Daniel 4) threatens all who fail to worship his authority by paying homage to his “image” will face a fiery furnace. So too, here in this first verse of chapter three, we see the actions of King Nebuchadnezzar foreshadowing the actions that will be later taken by the beast described in Revelation 13, whose “image” must be worshipped with something of a loyalty oath. Daniel 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. Three Hebrew men who are forever etched into scripture for their bold rejection of Babylon’s official command to offer worship to a god other than YHWH. Once the music began to play, the assembled rulers are commanded to “fall down and worship the golden image.” That is, the assembled rulers were to show their obedience to Babylon’s king and kingdom by bowing down (prostrating oneself) in an act, not just of homage, but of outright worship directed towards the golden image that “Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”. – Here, the three Hebrews respond in obedience to the king’s command to “come out” of the blazing inferno. 11 “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”. These four men are not bound but “loosed” and, to the king’s amazement, they appear to be “walking about” in the middle of the blazing inferno without harm or injury. – One of the first things we notice about Daniel chapter 3 is the heavy prophetic foreshadowings that it contains. That the king gives this task into the hands of some of his most elite military officials perhaps suggests two things: 1) That the king feared divine reprisal from his action and wanted his most proficient warriors at hand and 2) that he trusted them to be able to carry out this execution despite the extreme (sevenfold) heat that was emitting from the furnace. Initially, it appears that the central conflict of the story involves idolatry. Whatever the king approved of, they all approve of. to 562 B.C. Thou, O king, hast made a decree.] Any furnace for common purposes in the vicinity of Dura would serve. They will not be spared and will “immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” Put simply, the three men have two choices: 1) Fall into line by bowing down to a false god or 2) fail to comply with the king’s command and face an immediate fiery death! The "height," sixty cubits, is so out of proportion with the "breadth," exceeding it ten times, that it seems best to suppose the thickness from breast to back to be intended, which is exactly the right proportion of a well-formed man [AUGUSTINE, The City of God, 15.20]. NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S IDOLATROUS IMAGE; SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO ARE DELIVERED FROM THE FURNACE. – All of the assembled leaders are standing before the gold image are instructed to listen for Nebuchadnezzar’s orchestra to play. Daniel is a book of a number of astounding miracles; and these should be understood in light of the absolute necessity of God's prevention of the absorption of the Judaic remnant (the truly important part of Israel) into the gross paganism of their Babylonian captors. Daniel 3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:. word," Ezra 6:11 ) from regard to God. 3:4-26 Daniel’s three friends were forced to decide between true and false worship. The word "angel" in both Testaments means a messenger and this "angel" in Daniel could be a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. – The king’s faithful court ministers confirm to Nebuchadnezzar that indeed he had ordered exactly three men to be cast into the blazing fiery furnace. It is not in the Chaldee. . smell of fire--compare spiritually, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 . Though Nebuchadnezzar had acted foolishly, in haste, he clearly knew that a miracle had taken place before his eyes and was quick to give credit not to men or to his own pantheon of gods, but instead to the “Most High God” of the Hebrew people. . – Nebuchadnezzar concludes his threat with a particularly stinging statement that reveals the extent of his madness by placing his temporal authority above that, not only of his own gods but also above that of the God of the Hebrews. – According to the accusers, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego failed to comply with the king’s new edict to fall prostrate and pay homage to the king’s golden image when the orchestra began to play. But Daniel 3:25 of English Version explains his astonishment, without need of any addition. This theme runs through both the books of Daniel and Revelation.. Welcome to the official online home of True Riches Radio, a unique Bible teaching podcast and the True Riches Academy, an online Bible teaching center that educates, equips, and empowers believers. This theme runs through both the books of Daniel and Revelation.. So too, all of the king’s men, including the “satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials” (see commentary note on Dan. changed the king's word--have made the king's attempt to coerce into obedience vain. – The three Hebrews are not sent away to live in exile due to their extreme act of civil disobedience. flute--a pipe or pipes, not blown transversely as our "flute," but by mouthpieces at the end. – The scene must have initially been one of disbelief. TrueRichesRadio.com (Formerly Jerry Robinson Ministries International) - (877) 96-FAITH. (Num. I really am enjoying reading the commentaries. But once again, God has a plan to protect His chosen people. Ancient idolaters thought that each nation had its own gods, and that, in addition to these, foreign gods might be worshipped. There is no stability of principle in the ungodly. After all, this is the same fate that awaits those who fail to obey and follow Christ. Nebuchadnezzar told the story. – Once they arrived, all of those invested with power by the king stood in front of the massive gold image set up by the king. Daniel 3:3 - 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. – However, if Nebuchadnezzar’s offer of a second chance to prove their loyalty is refused by these three Hebrews, the king makes their fate crystal clear. (Acts 5:28) The Apostle Peter’s response mirrors that of these three Hebrews when he exclaims: “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) Sadly, many Christians have greatly twisted this defiance to authority by applying it to other perceived injustices perpetrated by kings. 1. image--Nebuchadnezzar's confession of God did not prevent him being a worshipper of idols, besides. Nebuchadnezzar demands homage to be paid to his image ( Daniel 3:1-6 ), and boasts of his power ( Daniel 4:1-18 ). He would punish anyone who did not obey (Daniel 3:29). Decision for God at last gains the respect even of the worldly ( Proverbs 16:7 ). 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”. Daniel 3 offers a glimpse into the lives of a group of young refugees whose existence is threatened in a new land. But if not, &c.--connected with Daniel 3:18 . – Here, the defiant Hebrews display a remarkable faith similar to that shown by suffering Job in the depths of his trials when he said: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15). Daniel Daniel Taken to Babylon. The fiery furnace is a picture of the torment of the great tribulation. “It 3 will not leave even a root or branch. – Here, the accusers specifically remind the king of his bold threat towards anyone who dares to defy his edict. God saved them. Now Nebuchadnezzar had changed. fire had no power--fulfilling Isaiah 43:2 ; compare Hebrews 11:34 . Here follows an addition in the Septuagint, Syrian, Arabic, and Vulgate versions. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. The latter advances from mere self-glorification, in the fourth chapter, to open opposition to God in the fifth. 7:10,11,84,88), Through the use of this reverent word for “dedication”, we can truly see the religious aspect of Nebuchadnezzar’s dedication event, which likely included sacrifices, processions, and a feast, in addition to music. This decree promulgated throughout the vast empire of Nebuchadnezzar must have tended much to keep the Jews from idolatry in the captivity and thenceforth ( Psalms 76:10 ). English Version agrees better with the original. 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.". John Trapp Complete Commentary. . . 22 “For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.”. Between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in the second chapter and that of Daniel in the seventh, four narratives of Daniels and his friends' personal history are introduced. Compare, for example, the dimensions of Nebuchadnezzar’s golden “image” of sixty cubits high and six cubits wide to the near exact proportion of the Washington Monument (555.5 feet high and 55.5 feet wide according to measurements by the National Park Service). Christians should not cater to such rebellion but instead, to seek “to lead a quiet life” as the Apostle Paul commands. But Nebuchadnezzar was not content to simply toss the three Hebrews into the fiery furnace. It must have been an incredible scene as all under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule prostrated themselves at the orders of the king. – Presumably, at the time that the king’s orchestra began to play. A verse by verse commentary om Daniel 3 dealing with The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace. Though He slay them, they will still trust in Him ( Job 13:15 ). 25 “He said, “Look! 19. visage . The outline of this paper is as follows: Introduction: The Relation of Chapter 3 to Chapter 2 The Relation of Chapter 3 to Chapter 6 Exposition: Act I: The Command to Worship the Golden Image (3:1-7) Act II: The Courage of Daniel’s Three Friends (3:8-18) However, when forced to choose between obedience to God or obedience to the king, they must choose God. Specifically, they shall be “torn limb from limb” (likely by being tossed to the lions) and their house(s) shall be leveled (“reduced to a rubbish heap.”) Here again, we are witness to another hasty proclamation by Nebuchadnezzar. Ironically, Nebuchadnezzar’s proud statement will soon boomerang on him as the Hebrew God will indeed arise and defend His people from this pagan monstrosity. . – Obviously in shock, the king approached the entrance to the blazing furnace to get a better look in case his eyes were deceiving him. Posted on Feb 12, 2004 by Beyond Today Editor Estimated reading time: 11 minutes. Passion overdoes and defeats its own end, for the hotter the fire, the sooner were they likely to be put out of pain. Enter your email address below for email updates from the True Riches Academy. Footnotes. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Daniel 3:7 - Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Read Daniel 3 Commentary here. Therefore, they used this influence to accuse the Jews of not complying with the king’s commands to bow down and worship the king’s golden image, as we will see further as the chapter unfolds. The God of the Hebrews made a public display of His power in front of the mightiest king in the world, and before all of his officials. God saved them. 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. In giving some better traits in Nebuchadnezzar's character, Daniel agrees with Jeremiah 39:11 , 42:12 . As a sidenote, death by fire was apparently a common form of capital punishment employed by the king of Babylon as evidenced by Jeremiah 29:22. 26. the most high God--He acknowledges Jehovah to be supreme above other gods (not that he ceased to believe in these); so he returns to his original confession, "your God is a God of gods" ( Daniel 2:47 ), from which he had swerved in the interim, perhaps intoxicated by his success in taking Jerusalem, whose God he therefore thought unable to defend it. – Not only does the king witness this miraculous event. With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later! This is one of just a handful of examples we have from the Bible of God’s people defying the command of a supreme authority.

Schools First Credit Union Application, Nebulizer Mask Price, Farmer Dan The Rooster Song Lyrics, Chicago Downtown Things To Do, Witchy Princesses Meaning, Barrel Oak Winery Wedding,