Daniel 3:13-18

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.

 

Nebuchadnezzar then commands that the three men who did not bow down to the statue were to be brought before him.  The king was definitely apoplectic because the text tells us that he had rage and fury.  The word rage carries with it the meaning of violent anger and fury carries with it the meaning of “enraged or anger.”   So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brought before the king.

 

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?

 

This was probably the first time that the king met Daniel’s three companions and perhaps he did not know that they were associates of Daniel.  Here the king seems to be offering them a second chance concerning worshipping his gods nor the image that was erected.  It is something that instead of them being thrown into the furnace, they are brought before the king.  Why would the king of Babylon concern himself with the lives of these three men?  Normally when a king’s order is not obeyed, they are instantly jailed or executed.  What we have here is Satan trying to get them to forsake the real God and worship the image in fear of their lives.  They were being tested to see if they would exchange their lives for a destroyed testimony.  Would they bow the knee to the false image and forsake their God?

 

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?

 

The king offered them the second chance to obey his command of falling down and worshipping the image the moment the music started once again.  Here we have a classic confrontation between obedience to the state and obedience to God.  Nebuchadnezzar then reaffirms that if they do not obey his edict, then immediately they will be cast into a fiery furnace.  This time there will be no courtesy granted for extra time.  They were to either be obedient to his command or they were to suffer immediate execution.  Then Nebuchadnezzar makes a grave mistake thinking that he had much more power than deity and actually questioning God’s ability to deliver Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  The word “deliver” carries with it the meaning of “free.”  In other words, did they think that the God they serve will be able to free them?  He probably thought to himself, doesn’t your God see how much power I have and how vast my kingdom is?  The problem is that old Nebuchadnezzar did not know that God was the one who gave him that kingdom.

 

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.

 

Then Nebuchadnezzar received his answer from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  They told the king that they were not careful to answer him in this matter.  In other words, they were not going to patronize the king and tell him what they wanted to hear to save their lives.  They knew what they were going to say and they commenced to give their unanimous answer.  Their minds were already made up and set on the answer that would be given to the king.

 

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.

 

They now answer the king and tell him, basically contradicting what he previously said concerning God’s ability to free them.  They begin by stating that if it was to happen or as we would say “if it be God’s will.”  We never know what our lives will become in the will of God so we always claim to seek God’s will in everything.  Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego tell the king that God is definitely able to deliver them from the burning furnace plus He is more than able to deliver us out of your hands.  Their response to the king was definitely a challenge to his authority and if that ever became known, it would make him a laughingstock as a weak monarch.

 

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.

 

Then they continue on in defiance of the king’s order that even if God does not deliver them from the furnace or even the threat of the furnace, that they will never serve his false gods.  The word “serve” carries with it the meaning of “serve, worship, or revere.”  Then they told him that they absolutely refuse to worship the golden image he set up.  The word “worship” carries with it the meaning of “to do or pay homage.”  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew the God of their fathers and were not going to forsake Him nor ruin their testimony of staying faithful to God.

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