His Servants' Ministry

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HIS SERVANTS' MINISTRY

www.godcannotlie.org

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We here at His Servants' Ministry, teach the whole Truth of God's Holy Word. We teach God's goodness and mercy and Heaven; but we also teach God's righteous wrath and judgment to come and an eternal Hell, a Lake of Fire.

It deeply saddens me the way that the world is turning away from the goodness of Almighty God. The vast majoriy of people in the world today never, ever, think of eternity. They just keep on keeping on in their sin, and they really must think they will go to Heaven. My dear friend, there really IS a Hell, and there really IS a Judgment Day when ALL people will be held accountable for their sins. BEWARE!!!

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Book of Daniel
Chapter 3

INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 3

Daniel chapters 3-6 contains four accounts about the personal history of Daniel and his friends. Chapters 3 and 6 dwell on God's deliverance of his faithful children from the fiery furnace and from the lion's den. Chapters 4 and 5 show us how God suddenly humbled Nebuchadnezzar, who in open self-glorification and opposition to God had demanded respect and reverence to be paid to his statue (Daniel 3). Belshazzar goes much further in the blaspheming of God by polluting his holy vessels (Dan.5:23). In direct contrast, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego illustrate the true conduct of God's people. They refused to give outward homage to the statue (Daniel 3) and Daniel refused to suspend his worship of God (Daniel 6).

In chapter 3, the account is given of a golden image made by Nebuchadnezzar: its size and where it was placed (Dan.3:1); and a summons to all his princes, governors and officers, to attend the dedication of it (Dan.3:2), a declaration commanding men of all nations to fall down and worship it, at hearing the sound of music (Dan.3:4). An accusation of the Jews was raised to the king, mainly Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, for not worshipping it (Dan.3:8). The king sends for them in rage, threatening to cast them into a fiery furnace if they continued to disobey him (Dan.3:13). Their answer revealed a steadfastness not to comply with it, even when the king ordered to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, and cast them into it, which was done. The end result was frightening to the king . . . for they that cast them in were destroyed through the vehement heat of the furnace, but the three Jewish boys were unhurt (Dan.3:19). Nebuchadnezzar's amazement at the sight of FOUR persons, instead of three; and these untied and loose, walking in the midst of the fire without hurt . . . and one of them like the Son of God. The king called to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, to come out of the furnace, which they did in the presence of the king, his princes, governors and officers, and NOT having received any harm to their persons or clothes (Dan.3:26). Then the king, praising the God of the Jews, published an decree that none should speak against him on pain of death; and restored the three young men to their former dignity.

Theme: The decree of Nebuchadnezzar to enforce universal idolatry; the three Hebrew children cast into the furnace when they refuse to bow to the image of gold.
In the first chapter of Daniel heathen customs were judged; in the second chapter heathen philosophy was judged; and in the third chapter heathen pride is judged.

Constructing the Image of Gold (3:1-2)

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. (KJV)
An image of gold . . . reveals the extravagant and wasteful display of wealth and workmanship that went into the construction of this extraordinary image. Some think that Nebuchadnezzar constructed this image in memory of his father, Nabopolassar, while others are convinced that he made it to Bel, the pagan god of Babylon. I think it is more likely that he made it of himself. Daniel had said that Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold in the image of his dream. But, instead of humbling himself before God, the dream caused Nebuchadnezzar to be filled with excessive pride, and he made an entire image of gold to represent the kingdom he had built.
The image was sixty cubits high and six cubits in breadth . . . that was a big image. A cubit is about 18 inches, which would make the image 90 feet high. Babylon was located on a plain, surrounded by flat country. Although it was a city of skyscrapers for its day, the height of the image made it visible for a great distance. The plain of Dura was flat and expansive, which allowed a great multitude to assemble for the worship of the image . . . actually the worship of the king.

Daniel 3:2 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. (KJV)
All the leaders and government officials were present for the dedication of the image. Only the high-ups were invited, and they were to tell the people. This was the first step in the brainwashing program. These officials made up a great company.

What did Nebuchadnezzar really have in mind when he made this image? We can consider three things:
(1) The making of this image shows the rebellion of Nebuchadnezzar against the God of Heaven who had given him world dominion. Instead of gratitude, this was a definite act of rebellion.
(2) This also shows the king’s egotistic pride in making an image which evidently was self-deification. The Roman emperors also tried this later on.
(3) Nebuchadnezzar was clearly seeking a unifying principle to weld together the tribes and tongues and peoples of his kingdom into one great one-party government. In other words, he was trying to organize a one-world religion (like the devil is are trying to do today). This was nothing in reality, a repetition of the tower of Babel (Gen.11), trying to form one religion for the world.
There are so many who are working toward a one-world religion today, including the denominations which make up the World Council of Churches. They are moving toward a one-world religion, and they will leave Jesus completely out. All their efforts are NOT toward the worship of the living and TRUE God . . . they actually oppose Him and His Holy Word. It is a movement which is going to lead to the Great Tribulation period, to the satanic Man of Sin (Antichrist) and the False Prophet. This will be after TRUE believers are removed from the Earth at the Rapture.
http://www.worldlychaos.org/w_c_hand_in_hand_one_world_religion.htm
http://www.lastdaysprophecy.org/L_D_ec_one_world_government.1.htm
http://www.lastdaysprophecy.org/L_D_1.pre-trib_rapture_why_I_believe.html

Dedication of the Image of Gold (3:3-7)

Daniel 3:3 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. (KJV)
Princes were private counselors who had access to the king at all times (Dan.3:27; 6:1-7).
Governors were deputies or nobles of the various provinces (Dan.2:48; 6:7).
Captains were deputy rulers of remote provinces (Dan.3:27; 6:7), or leaders of armies (1 Ki. 20:24; Jer.51:23, 28, 57; Eze.23:6, 12, 23).
Judges helped the king make laws (Ezra 7:25; 10:14; Isa.1:26; 40:23).
Treasurers were those in charge of the treasure houses (Ezra 7:21; Neh.13:13).
Counselors were lawyers, judges (Mat.22:35; Tit.3:13).
Sheriffs were supreme masters, civil magistrates (only in Dan.3:2-3).
Rulers of provinces were state and civil officers and various wise men (Est.9:9; 9:3).

The day to dedicate the massive image arrived. It is my humble opinion that everyone was present . . . except Daniel. I think that he had a good reason for his absence, most likely that he was away on the king’s business, for he was in a special position of being the chief advisor to the king of Babylon who was now the ruler of the world. BUT, if he was in the vicinity, he purposely stayed away because he was NOT about to fall down and worship an idol!

Can you even begin to imagine the sight of that huge image of gold on the plain of Dura? It had to be very impressive and it must have made a tremendous appeal to the eye. In the plains of Dura, great multitudes might easily be gathered, to see the idol lifted up, visible to all. The people feasted their eyes on it with reverence, ready and willing to adore it, in obedience to the king's will and pleasure, for whatever pleased him pleased them. , walking willingly after the commandment, as Jeroboam by his calves made Israel to sin (1 Ki.12). Heathens and wicked men are as unstable as water, they are carried about by every wind of doctrine (Eph.4:14), suitable to their princes and to their own lusts.
A sad thing to think is that if the king had commanded idols to be broken and burnt, and the worship of the TRUE God to be set up, these people would not have been so willing to conform, because people are always more inclined to false worship than true.

Daniel 3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, (KJV)
Heralds were messengers employed by kings to announce rulings, and to proclaim their coming (Mal.2:7; 3:1; 4:5; Isa.40:3). Otherwise they were used to proclaim the opening of games, the name and country of the contestants, and the rules of the contest. This is the only place where the word herald is found in the KJV of the Bible.

Daniel 3:5 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: (KJV)
A cornet is a horn with a deep hollow sound, also one with a shrill and piercing tone.
A flute is a wind instrument with a strong and shrill sound.
A harp is a stringed instrument.
A sackbut is another type of harp.
A psaltery is another stringed instrument.
A dulcimer is a stringed instrument.
All kinds of musick means all kinds of musical instruments.
Ye fall down and worship . . . fall down so that those who refused would be easily detected.
The splendor and the solemn sound of the music, and the strict command, was enough to encourage them to fall down before it. This is one of Satan's great devices to draw the world from God's pure worship, and the simplicity that is in Christ . . . dazzling men's eyes, and bewitching them with gaudy, whorish dress of idolatrous service (Rev.17:4-5), as we see in this example; all of which arises merely from this because men do not or will not see that God's worship is entirely spiritual. In this state of total prostration, it would be easy to detect any who might violate the king's command.

Daniel 3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (KJV)
It would be only the Jews would oppose the worship of the image. People of other nations found little or no difficulty in worshiping other gods along with their own. Because of this, the king’s command would mainly affect the exiled Jews. It was treason for anyone to refuse homage (respect, reverence) to Nebuchadnezzar as both the civil and religious head of the empire. A later decree by Darius would similarly affect the Jews in Babylon (Dan.6).
Fiery furnace was a common method of punishment in Babylon (Jer.29:22), although a new furnace was not necessarily made for this occasion "brickkiln," (2 Sam.12:31). Any furnace in the area around Dura would have served the purpose. This was a punishment normal among the Chaldeans, to scorch, roast, and burn offenders with fire, and this the king of Moab imitated (2 Ki. 3:27; Amos 2:1). This shows the satanic malice and cruelty of wicked men, especially against those that went against their pride and/or superstition.

Daniel 3:7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. (KJV)
This movement of dedication was an outward act of worship, and was almost unanimous. There may have been some who were not convinced in their hearts, but they gave no visible evidence that they were against it. People try to justify their position with some kind of excuse. The same methods shall new Babylon follow, in the long slavery of their false church, for the whole world wondered after the beast, and none could make war with him (Rev.13:3-4, 7-8).
http://www.godcannotlie.org/rev_ch13.htm

The Three Hebrew Men Do NOT
Worship the Image (3:8-12)

Daniel 3:8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. (KJV)
Accused the Jews . . . Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (vs.12). For some reason, Daniel and other Jews are not mentioned or they were not present at this dedication.
The devil's plan appears, and we see the bottom line of his plot. The Chaldeans find that the Jews were made courtiers, and had preferred places of trust and honor. They accused the Jews means they were eaten up with envy and malice. We shall see just how they go to work, putting the king in a furious rage.

Daniel 3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. (KJV)
These jealous, hypocritical Chaldeans said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king!”

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: (KJV)
These hypocrites told the king “You issued a ruling demanding that all the people bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the music.”

Daniel 3:11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (KJV)
And, that decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing, 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. (KJV)
These hypocrites continue . . . Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon pay no attention to you. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.
We do not know if other Jews refused to fall down and worship the statue, but these three young men were singled out as public examples. Why didn't the three men just bow to the image and tell God that they did not mean it? THAT would NOT work then, or now! The answer is that they had firmly determined NEVER to worship another god, and they boldly took their stand. As a result, they were condemned and led away to be executed. These men did NOT know whether they would be saved from the fire. All they knew was that they would NOT fall down and worship any idol. Are you ready to take a stand for God no matter what? When you stand for God, you will stand out. It may be painful, and it may not always have a happy ending. But . . . we must be prepared to say, "If He rescues me, or if He does not rescue me, I will serve only God."

Daniel 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. (KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar would fly into a rage when anyone dared to disobey his commands. As the supreme ruler of Babylon, he expected absolute obedience. But his pride had caused him to go far beyond his own authority. His demands were unjust and his reactions extreme.
Why didn’t the Chaldeans accuse Daniel too, for he was chief of all the others in honor? The answer is, because the king had a greater favor for him, and he was popular and beloved for his great wisdom and blameless life. They would not meddle with him now, in case his wisdom might by chance spoil their plan.

Daniel 3:14 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? (KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar asked them if the charge against them were true. Had they refused to worship his gods and the image which he had set up? They were brought before the enraged king. He wanted first to see if they were guilty, by hearing them speak for themselves, and telling them he expected obedience and conformity to his laws from them.

Daniel 3:15 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? (KJV)
Astonishing pride and blasphemy! Nebuchadnezzar openly insulted the only TRUE God, Whom he recently had confessed (Dan.2:47) to be a God of gods, and a Lord of kings. I think that the root of Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance lay mainly in that he had burnt the Temple of the Jews' God, and made slaves of His people.

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. (KJV)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego told Nebuchadnezzar, there is no need for an answer in this case, for it is in useless for us to deliberate and debate the matter, for the king has decided to have his will on us, and we are determined NOT to obey in this wicked thing . . . for to bow to the image of gold would be utter disobedience to our God in Heaven.

Daniel 3:17 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. (KJV)
These young men had a very strong faith in their God, not only because of His power, which was omnipotent and unlimited, but also as to His will, which readily inclined Him to help His servants in their distress.
IF it was the will of the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego served, He was well able to save them from the blazing furnace and from the king’s power, then He would save them. If it was not God’s will to save them, they were willing to die. Nebuchadnezzar could cast them into the furnace, but the terror of it had no effect on their minds to make them change their minds. They would NOT bow to the idol of gold!
Peace is one of the amazing blessings of God’s TRUE children!
http://www.godcannotlie.org/true_children_of_god.htm
http://www.godcannotlie.org/saving_faith.htm
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (KJV)
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (KJV)
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (KJV)
Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (KJV)

Daniel 3:18 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. (KJV)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego made it crystal clear that they would NOT serve the heathen gods. They add this to show they did not mean that God would absolutely deliver them from the furnace. God knows how to deliver, but there are times He does allow His saints to suffer (Mat.5:10-12). The young men did NOT know that the Lord would deliver them, but they DID know they would stand firm in their faith in the God of Heaven!

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. (KJV)
The king's fury was revealed in his face and in his words. He took their bold answer as the highest insult and provocation, which he simply could not bear. The pride of his heart (Ob.1:3) made his rage boil over, and as a result he made the furnace seven times hotter. Dictators would burn the people of God in Hell if they could.

Daniel 3:20 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. (KJV)
I wonder just what thoughts were running through Nebuchadnezzar’s mind. Did he think these three young men would resist? Did he think that their God would defend them from his power?
Did he really think that he and his mighty men could win? It really did not matter what he thought . . . because the TRUE God of Heaven (Ezra 1:2; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21, 23), would show His power when the violent king did his worst, and would quench the violence of the fire . . . both of the furnace and of the king's fury. Almighty God would show this proud and mighty king that the God of Heaven was far above him.
Nebuchadnezzar had an uncontrollable temper. In an extreme emotional outrage, he vented his anger against these men whom he had previously favored.

Daniel 3:21 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. (KJV)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and tied, fully dressed. Their hosen means their stockings. In other words, they were in full dress for this trip to the fiery furnace.

Daniel 3:22 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. (KJV)
The king's commandment was urgent . . . which made the mighty men all the more hasty in their execution, taking less care for themselves against the violence of the flame.
The fire slew those men . . . the Hand of God came down upon those who had executed the wicked commands. No matter how mighty these wicked men were, they had absolutely NO strength to escape the flames at the mouth of the furnace . . . while the ones thrown into the fiery furnace completely escaped in the middle of it. Do you really SEE the power of God?

Daniel 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. (KJV)
All this is expressed to make the power of God more glorious in their preservation, for that flames that slew the executioners could have much more easily suffocated the three children before they fell down.
The fire not so much as destroying what they were bound with, and much less them; but being bound they fell, and there they lay, unbound and alive; while those that cast them in were killed.

In the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac and Arabic versions, follow sixty seven verses, containing the song of Azariah (Abednego, Dan.1:7) and his companions in the furnace, which are not in the Hebrew text.
COMMENT: There is a lack of connection between this and the following verse. It is between these verses that the apocryphal Song of the Three Children, as it is called, has been inserted by Jerome and others; but with this note: Quae sequuntur in Hebraeis voluminibus non reperi; "What follows I have not found in the Hebrew books." And then begins, "They walked in the midst of the flame, praising God, and blessing the Lord."

Daniel 3:24 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. (KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar was amazed, at the burning of those that cast the three men into the furnace, or he might be seized. I am sure that he was filled with panic, and his spirit filled with fear and dread, that this was from the mighty Hand of God.
The king rose up in haste . . . from where he was, and went to the mouth of the furnace, to see what had happened to those that were cast into it. Nebuchadnezzar spoke to his counsellors who had advised him to do what he had done, out of envy and ill will to these Jews. “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said, “True, O King”.

Daniel 3:25 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. (KJV)
I see . . . the fire was light for them to see what was in the furnace. It was NOT three dead, burned bodies . . . but instead it was FOUR men unbound and walking in the midst of the flames! The FORTH MAN is like the Son of God . . . a Divine, most beautiful and glorious countenance . . . either of a mere angel, or rather of Jesus Christ, the Angel of the covenant, who did at times appear in the Old Testament before His incarnation (Gen.12:7; 18:10, 13, 17, 20; Ex.23:23; 33:2; Josh.5:13-15), and in all these places it is the pre-incarnate Jesus (Gen.19:24; Ex3:2; Acts 7:30, 32-33, 38).
Nebuchadnezzar could not have known the New Testament revelation of the Son of God who was born of God and Mary (Mat.1:18-23; Luke 1:35; Heb.1:5-7). Daniel himself acknowledged the being was an angel (Dan.3:28). So, was it just an angel? Or was it THE Angel of the covenant?

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. (KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar came near . . . as near as he dared to come, within hearing distance. And spake with a much milder tone than before, because God had stopped the fire of his fury in what he had witnessed. Now he would confess and acknowledge the TRUE God to be the Most High above all gods, and the three worthy young men to be His faithful servants.
Came forth of the midst of the fire . . . they came out upon the king's call, without which they would not have moved

Daniel 3:27 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. (KJV)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were examined carefully by all the great men of Babylon who witnessed this great miracle, upon whose bodies the fire had absolutely NO power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of smoke was on them. Four miraculous things:
(1.) Their bodies were immune to fire.
(2.) Not one hair of their head was singed.
(3.) Their clothes were not burned.
(4.) No smell of smoke was upon them.
All the works of God are perfect (Deut.32:4), and there was nothing here lacking to make His wonderful deliverance complete. This was a pure act of God's omnipotence, who was able to keep the fire completely away from His faithful servants.
http://www.hisservants.org/is_jesus_god_h_s.htm

Daniel 3:28 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. (KJV)
As a result, out of the mouths of blasphemers and contemners of God can the Lord ordain praise . . . but in all of this, it did not keep this king from his idolatry, for he said, the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego . . . NOT his God. Miracles will not work conversion until God works upon the heart (Eze.11:19; 36:26).

Five things that Nebuchadnezzar confessed:

(1.) That God has sent His angel.

(2.) That God delivers those who trust in Him.

(3.) That God made him change his word.

(4.) That the Jews offered to give up their lives in order to be true to their God.

(5.) That there is no other God that can deliver like the God of Heaven (Dan.3:29).

Consider the power of faith: it quenches the violence of fire (Heb.11:34); and the Presence of God is with His people, even in life’s fire and fiery trials (Isa.43:2; 1 Pet.1:7; 4:12).
Nebuchadnezzar was at least man enough to recognize superiority. He always acknowledged God when His power was manifested (Dan.2:47; 3:28; 4:34).

Daniel 3:29 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. (KJV)
Even though Nebuchadnezzar does not resolve to worship the TRUE God, nor command others to do it, yet he would not allow the God of the Jews to be evil spoken of. He was determined to hold fast to the heathen religion established, his own idols; the great golden idol, which had been slurred and slighted by these three young men, he would NOT take down and give up. The TRUE God would not to be spoken wrongly of under great penalty; even though the king confessed that no god anywhere else could do what the TRUE God did. Bel certainly could not have preserved his men out of the furnace, whereas God preserves His servants in the furnace; Bel would still be the king’s god.

A decree against any word of slander against God is rare, but my friend, one day it shall so be!
(Ps.2; Dan.2:44; Zec.ch.14; Mat.21:44; Rev.2:26-27; 12:5; Rev.ch. 20).

Daniel 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. (KJV)
All those who honor God, them God will honor. Any time that we suffer persecution, shame and pain for God, is honors God (John 21:19; 1 Pet.4:14). It is likely that the Chaldeans criticized the God of the Jews, and more so after this fiery furnace account, because for His sake these His servants refused to conform to Babylon idolatry; and their common quarrel with the people of God was always about their religion . . . so it is here, and too in Daniel's case (Dan.6 4-5); and so too with Haman (Esther 3:8). And for that very thing, it makes them disloyal and breakers of the king's laws. Now God would defend His people and make this great king to do it too, knowing it grieved the hearts of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, to hear the name of God abused by idolaters and profane and wicked men, and no doubt they complained to the king about it, who did right by this harsh decree. But the king thought it proper to promote them to honor, and restore them to their places. This was the second promotion for the three Hebrew friends of Daniel (Dan.2:49; 3:30).

Special Comments for Daniel Chapter 3

Four miraculous things:
1. Their bodies were immune to fire.
2. No hair of their head was singed.
3. Their garments were not burned.
4. No smell of smoke was upon them.

Five things that Nebuchadnezzar confessed:
1. God has sent His angel.
2. God delivers those who trust in Him.
3. God made him change his word.
4. The Jews offered to give up their lives in order to be true to their God.
5. There is no other God that can deliver after this sort (Dan.3:29).

Book of Daniel

Ch.1 . Ch.2 . Ch.3. Ch.4. Ch.5 . Ch.6 . Ch.7 . Ch.8 . Ch.9 . Ch.10 . Ch. 11. Ch.12 . Special Comments

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