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Revelation - Detour

Daniel 3

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Recap (Daniel 1-2)

Chapter 1:

Daniel & friends (Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah) trained to be of service in royal court

Refuse to defile themselves by food
Blessed by God and enter king’s service

Chapter 2:

Nebuchadnezzar has a dream

Through Daniel, God gives dream + interpretation
Dream about subsequent kingdoms after Babylon

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Reading

Daniel 3:1-18

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Plain of Dura

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Question (Daniel 3:1-15)

Why might Nebuchadnezzar have made this image?

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We’re not really told exactly what this image looks like. Some suggest either one of the Babylonian gods or Nebuchadnezzar himself, but we don’t really know. I’d guess that from Daniel’s perspective, it doesn’t really matter - such a miniscule thing compared to the one true God.

1 cubit = 1.5 feet

“Nebuchadnezzar’s idol stood 90 feet from top to toe. That’s the size of a nine-story building. What makes the image so unusual is that it is only nine feet wide. This 10-to-1 height-to-width ratio was the standard amongst ancient Egyptian obelisks. While perfect for a thin tower, it would have distorted typical human features. So we likely have a tall, quite svelte representation of either Nebuchadnezzar or one of this gods.” - Discovering Daniel (https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Daniel-Finding-Prophetic-Global/dp/0736988386), chapter 3 (“Faith Under Fire”), p.61

“Finally, whether solid or plated, we know that it was made of gold. If we were to go with the solid gold theory…we’re looking at a toal cost of $262,142,850,735.36…The other option…is that it was built of wood and overlaid with gold.” - Discovering Daniel (https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Daniel-Finding-Prophetic-Global/dp/0736988386), chapter 3 (“Faith Under Fire”), p.61-62

Anyway, we’re not really told in the text exactly why Nebuchadnezzar may have made this image, though there are a few clues:

It’s interesting that the statue Nebuchadnezzar saw in chapter 2 was gold. It’s possible that statue and the image here are related. On the other hand, creating a statue/image with a splendorous gold appearance wouldn’t be surprising. If they are related somehow, then this image could be a symbol of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride or potentially trying to better solidify his kingdom against the dream from chapter 2.
Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages, that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. - Daniel 3:4-5 (WEB)

The image seems to be designed for falling down and worshipping at the command of the king by all people in his kingdom. So this could possibly be a unifying force to help preserve loyalty and prevent people from splintering off.

Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.” - Daniel 3:6 (WEB)

By eliminating people who refuse to fall down in worship, Nebuchadnezzar could be eliminating enemies or people who could otherwise be disloyal.

There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”- Daniel 3:12 (WEB)

This potentially gives some credence of trying to establish loyalty to the Babylonian gods.

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Question (Daniel 3:8-12)

What could be the motivations for these Chaldeans/astrologers alerting the king to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s disobedience?

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This question is again something we don’t have a clear answer for in the text, so we have to be careful about speculating. But there can be some use in trying to understand motivations of why people might do this (even if not applicable in this particular situation):

We know from chapter 1 that Daniel’s friends here were generally thought of more highly than all of the other “magicians” in Babylon (The king talked with them; and among them all was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king. In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm. - Daniel 1:19-20 WEB), and from chapter 2, we see they were appointed to very high positions (Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel was in the king’s gate. - Daniel 2:49 WEB).
In general, it could be easy for “envy” to become involved in a situation like this. Particularly seeing “foreigners” ranked so highly, the Chaldeans might be desirous of the positions of Daniel’s friends, thinking that if they can get them removed, the Chaldeans could then receive higher positions. If this is the case, then it’s sad on multiple levels, though even more so since Daniel’s friends participated in prayer that led to all of the wise men being spared from death (Daniel 2).
It’s certainly possible their motivations could be more trying to be purely loyal to the king. However, it seems a bit suspicious that some of these Chaldeans seem to have spotted others not bowing down when they should have been bowing down (of course, it’s also possible groups of people were supposed to fall down in ranks, so maybe not everyone bowed down at exactly the same time): “Some of the Chaldeans, who apparently were allowed to peek during worship time, noticed three men who were standing. They wouldn’t have been hard to spot, being the only ones still vertical.” - Discovering Daniel (https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Daniel-Finding-Prophetic-Global/dp/0736988386), chapter 3 (“Faith Under Fire”), p.65

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Question (Daniel 3:1-7)

What could be the motivations for people bowing down/worshipping this image?

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Questions (Daniel 3:1-18)

What is the objection of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

to worshipping this image?

How do they respond to this situation?

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Daniel 3:18 gives the primary defiance that Daniel’s friends have in not serving or worshipping other gods/images. This is ultimately rooted in God’s commands to the Israelites:

“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make a carved image for yourself—any likeness of what is in heaven above, or what is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me - Deuteronomy 5:7-9 (WEB) - see also Exodus 20:3-5

https://bible.org/seriespage/4-faith-and-furnace-daniel-31-30

“Now, with the making of this golden image and the dedication ceremony, Daniel’s three friends find themselves commanded to worship this idol, or die. God said, “Worship idols and die,” while Nebuchadnezzar said, “Worship my idol or die.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were determined to flee from idolatry, even if it meant death; Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to practice idolatry, or they would surely die. In doing what seemed to lead to certain death (refusing to bow down to the golden image), the three Hebrews were delivered from death. These three remained faithful to God and to His law, even when threatened with the fiery furnace. In contrast, Israel persisted in her idolatry, even when warned not to do so. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are the ideal Israelites, who obey God’s law even when it is life-threatening. They would rather face the wrath of men than the wrath of God.”

In their response, it is interesting to see how they both assert God’s deliverance yet also “not” for this situation…

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Question (Daniel 3:17-18)

If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” - Daniel 3:17-18 (ESV)

What enables Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

to make a statement like this?

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I want to examine this part of their response in particular. They assert God being able to deliver them (and even that He will), but then they say “But if not”. What enables someone to make a statement like this?

First off, there seems to be very strong faith in God, including His power and something else (character, will, etc.). Exactly what circumstances may have contributed to this in the past isn’t something we know. But there is strong testimony even before this time in the Old Testament of God, and these friends have already experienced God very directly in their experiences in Babylonian exile from the previous chapters.

But what’s perhaps more interesting is…what is enabling someone to include a “But if not” as well?

This seems to have echoes of what Jesus prayed in the garden before His arrest - “not My will but Yours be done” (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42). There’s an acknowledgement of being willing for God’s will over one's own.
Ultimately, while such a declaration may seem like it’s not having much faith, being willing to submit your desires to God’s is still a statement of faith - there’s still a belief of God existing and having faith that His choices are ultimately better than what we might think we want - that His ways are better than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).

There’s a more eternal perspective of God and His work here than just what might seem to be immediately before them at this time. There’s a greater call toward being willing to give up a temporal, earthly life in favor of eternal life:

Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. - Matthew 10:28 (WEB)
They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. - Revelation 12:11 (WEB)

Much of Hebrews 11 articulates similar concepts that are very important here. Some think that Hebrews 11:34 might have a subtle reference to this scene in Daniel 3 due to the “quenching of fire”:

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. - Hebrews 11:34 (WEB)

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Reading

Daniel 3:19-30

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Question (Daniel 3:24-28)

Who is the 4th being in the fire?

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The 4th being in the fire here is described in a few different ways:

He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” - Daniel 3:25 (WEB)

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/daniel/3-25.htm
men - https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1400.htm - gebar - man, strong man, warrior
son - https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1247.htm - bar - son, heir
gods - https://biblehub.com/hebrew/426.htm - elah - gods

Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God. - Daniel 3:28 (WEB)

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/daniel/3-28.htm
angel - https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4398.htm - malak - angel, messenger

This question is probably one of the most common in this chapter. We don’t really know more specifically than what we’re told in this chapter, and even that is from Nebuchadnezzar’s perspective, who could make him a more unreliable source.

A decent number of people have thought of this 4th being as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. In contrast to a general “theophany” (appearance of of God/a deity - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophany), that would make this a “Christophany” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christophany). A lot of this has to do with the “son of the gods” language and correlation with similar things elsewhere.

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Isaiah 43:2 (WEB)

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,

and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned,

and flame will not scorch you.

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Question (Daniel 3)

What are the results of this chapter?

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Ultimately, Daniel’s friends are saved from this fiery situation, and based on not hearing more about it and Nebuchadnezzar’s declaration at the end (Daniel 3:28-29), there seems to be a “reversal” of the original declaration - it no longer being in effect (at least for those who worship the one true God).

And Nebuchadnezzar also blessed God and declared Him as the only god who could deliver this way (Daniel 3:29).

However, in contrast to the statement of Daniel’s friends in Daniel 3:16 where they seem to find no need to try and “defend” God, Nebuchadnezzar seems to somehow still think that God needs “protection” of some kind based on him declaring punishment for speaking against God (Daniel 3:29). So there’s a sense where Nebuchadnezzar is very prideful about his position and still missing a lot about who God really is.