Daniel 3:1-15 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Daniel 3:1-15. Let’s go!
Daniel 3:1-7 (NIV)
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.
3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
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 horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
On verses 1-7: Did King Nebuchadnezzar command all of his government officials to worship this colossal image because Nebuchadnezzar himself loved and worshiped this image? Not necessarily. A good argument can be made that Nebuchadnezzar’s command had less to do with worship and more to do with Nebuchadnezzar testing the loyalty of his government officials. Thus we don’t even learn the name of this image; instead, it is repeatedly referred to as the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Some scholars think it may even have been an image of Nebuchadnezzar himself, although other scholars believe that the image was most likely that of Marduk, the Babylonian’s primary god. In any event, notice that the focus was on Nebuchadnezzar and obeying his orders.
By the way, to cue Babylon’s government leaders to fall down and worship the image, Nebuchadnezzar arranged for all kinds of music to play together at the same time. That must have sounded scary and awful. Even scarier and more awful was the consequence for not falling down and worshiping the image: being thrown into a blazing furnace.
What can we learn from this? You can either lead people with fear or you can lead people with love. Nebuchadnezzar chose the former and his kingdom did not last. Jesus chose the latter and his kingdom has lasted far longer to this day, and will go on to last forever.
Also, from a worship perspective, we learn that many people worship out of fear as a response to the threat of punishment. God made us to worship out of love as a response to the reality of God’s goodness, expressed in Jesus Christ.
Daniel 3:8-12 (NIV)
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!
10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,
11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon–Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego–who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
On verses 8-12: You may be wondering: where was Daniel in all this? Did Daniel bow down to the image Nebuchadnezzar had created? Knowing Daniel as he is described in this book, it would be inconceivable that he did. Also, the astrologers in verse 8 denounced the Jews as a group, which suggests that Daniel, a Jew himself, did not bow down to the image. More likely, the reason Daniel is nowhere to be found in this story is because all this was happening in the plain of Dura (v1) while Daniel remained in the royal palace in the capital city of Babylon due to his job duties (2:49). So Daniel did not personally have to face the dilemma of whether or not to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image.
Daniel 3:13-15 (NIV)
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?
15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
On verses 13-15: This incident likely occurred after the events of Daniel 1 and 2. If so, then how could Nebuchadnezzar go after Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, especially after their God had miraculously revealed the nature and meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s disturbing dream in Daniel 2? Keep in mind that Nebuchadnezzar did not become a worshiper of Yahweh after the events of Daniel 1-2. The events of Daniel 1-2 showed Nebuchadnezzar that Daniel’s God was real and the revealer of mysteries. However, in Babylon where people worshiped many gods, Nebuchadnezzar had not reached the point of becoming a worshiper of Yahweh exclusively. Through this incident Nebuchadnezzar would learn that Yahweh is not only the revealer of mysteries, but also a Saviour like no other.
What can we learn from this? Often it takes multiple encounters with the Lord before someone will profess their faith in Him. Just as God was patient to woo Nebuchadnezzar to Himself, so you and I need to be patient when it comes to loving people to faith in Jesus.
Thank You Father for how patient You were – and still are – with me. Thank You for each and every time You go out of Your way to woo me to Yourself. Thank You also that we get to worship You out of love and not out of fear. Loving You and being loved by You is truly what I was made to do. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
