Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
August 23, 2009
Daniel 3
We will not serve your gods!
Introduction Daniel and his three friends are in captivity in Babylon.
God especially gifted them to serve in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar,
in order to bring a godly influence and righteous change in pagan
Babylon.
Daniel 2:31-39, 46-47
31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image!
This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you;
and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine
gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck
the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold
were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing
floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was
found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
36 “This is the dream.. Now we will tell the interpretation
of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For
the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and
glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts
of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into
your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this
head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel,
and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to
him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God
is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,
since you could reveal this secret.”
Daniel 3
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height
was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain
of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent
word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors,
the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and
all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of
the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps,
the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers,
the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces
gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar
had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar
had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded,
O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the
sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony
with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold
image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not
fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of
a burning fiery furnace.”
7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn,
flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all
the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold
image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused
the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O
king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone
who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery,
in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship
the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall
be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are
certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province
of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king,
have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or
worship the gold image which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before
the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods
or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are
ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre,
and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall
down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do
not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king,
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your
hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that
we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which
you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on
his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke
and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it
was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor
who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and
cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were
bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the
furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men
who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three
men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the
midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste
and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three
men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said
to the king, “True, O king.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking
in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of
the fourth is like the Son of God.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.
27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s
counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies
the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor
were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants
who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word,
and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that
any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces,
and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no
other God who can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the
province of Babylon.
1. Sometimes true, full repentance (change of mind) takes time v1
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold
2. We all have a secret, inner desire to be worshipped v4-6
4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples,
nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of
the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all
kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that
King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down
and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace.”
3. True Christians refuse to worship anyone/anything than the One
True Living God v12-18
12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of
the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these
men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve
your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up..”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before
the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods
or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are
ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre,
and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall
down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do
not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king,
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your
hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that
we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which
you have set up.”
3. Sometimes Christians are penalized for their loyalty to Christ.
People may become infuriated when you put Christ, His principles
first.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before
the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods
or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are
ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre,
and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall
down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do
not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on
his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke
and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it
was usually heated.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his
face changed
4. Christ is there with His people when we honor Him first v23-27
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down
bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste
and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three
men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said
to the king, “True, O king.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking
in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of
the fourth is like the Son of God.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.
27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s
counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies
the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor
were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.
5. Through our faithfulness, the world also comes to understand
His preeminence
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants
who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word,
and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that
any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces,
and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no
other God who can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the
province of Babylon.
Conclusion
18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve
your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set
up.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking
in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of
the fourth is like the Son of God.”
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants
who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word,
and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that
any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against
the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces,
and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no
other God who can deliver like this.”
Pastor Steve Boggan
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Heritage Ranch by Lake Nacimiento, CA
Website - livingwaters.cc
