Three Things a Practicing Christian Can Expect – Daniel 3:1-30
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. (2) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king summoned the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had erected. (3) So the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had erected, and they stood before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had erected. (4) Then the herald loudly proclaimed, This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations, and men of every language: (5) As soon as you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you are to bow down and worship the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king has erected. (6) Whoever does not bow down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. (7) Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the cornet, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and men of every language bowed down and worshiped the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had erected.
(8) At that time some of the Chaldean astrologers came forward and brought charges against the Jews, because they disregarded the king’s command. (9) They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever! (10) You have issued a decree, O king, that every man who hears the sound of the cornet, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, must bow down and worship the golden statue, (11) and whoever does not bow down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. (12) There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego—these men, O king, have disregarded you. They neither serve your gods nor do they worship the golden statue that you have erected. (13) Then Nebuchadnezzar, with rage and fury, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. (14) Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you neither serve my gods nor worship the golden statue that I have erected? (15) Now if, when you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you bow down and worship the statue that I have made, it will be well with you. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. And who is the God who will deliver you out of my hands? (16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. (17) If you do throw us into the furnace, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. (18) But if you do not throw us into the furnace, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden statue that you have erected.
(19)Then Nebuchadnezzar became filled with fury, and the expression on his face reflected his anger against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. (20) Then he commanded valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and throw them into the blazing furnace. (21) So these men, still wearing their trousers, their robes, their turbans, and their other garments, were thrown into the middle of the blazing furnace. (22) Because the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire consumed those men who brought Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to the open furnace.
(23) So these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, being firmly tied, fell down in the middle of the blazing furnace. (24) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and leaped to his feet. He said to his advisors, Did we not tie up three men and throw them into the fire? They replied to the king, That is true, O king. (25) He responded, Look! I see four men untied and walking around in the fire, and they are not harmed! And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods! (26) Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the entrance of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here! Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came out of the midst of the fire. (27) The satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed; their trousers were not scorched and there was no smell of fire on them.
(28) Nebuchadnezzar declared, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him! They have defied the king’s command and have yielded their bodies, so that they might not serve or worship any god except their own God. (29) Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation, or men of any language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be reduced to a pile of rubbish; because there is no other god who can save like this! (30) Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
