I. Verse 1 "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon."
1. Vs. 1: Some claim these events took place about 15 to 20 years after the beginning of the book. This would place the date around 584 to 589 BC.
2. Vs. 1: The dimensions of 90 feet by 9 feet probably included the base on which the statue was placed.
3. Vs. 1: The exact location of Dura is not know. We do know it was located in the province of Babylon which would place it fairly close to the capitol city.
II. Verse 2-7 "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up."
1. Vs. 2-5: The king commands his subjects bow to the image when certain instruments sound. The exact identity of these different instruments is difficult to ascertain. They appear to be a medley of stringed instruments and some horns or reed instruments. The term translated "dulcimer" may be a stringed or reed instrument, but in may indicate all the other instruments playing in unison or symphony.
2. Vs. 6: The furnace type is not specified. It may have been for baking bricks for construction purposes. The fact it was heated seven times above normal suggests there was a standard heat level to be maintained. This implies the furnace had an ordinary purpose, such as baking bricks or forging metal.
III. Verse 8-15 "Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 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? 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?"
1. Vs. 8-12: The Chaldeans protest the Hebrew’s refusal to worship before the image. This event may represent a plot on their part to give the Hebrews difficulty. Compare with Daniel 6.
2. Vs. 13-15: It appears the king favors Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as he gave them a second chance. This may have been due to Daniel’s efforts on their behalf after he interpreted the king’s dream in chapter 2.
IV. Verse 16-18 "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 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. 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."
1. Vs. 16-17: These three show great faith and courage in their willingness to die. Notice they did not presume God would save them, though they maintained it was possible for God to save them if he willed to do so. See Heb. 11:34. The greater faith is not to assume God will give us what we want, but to accept whatever God wills to give us, remaining faithful to him.
2. Vs. 16-18: The Hebrews were essentially saying they did not have to answer the king in this matter. To suggest they did not owe him an answer or that they did not need to be delicate in their response must have seemed insulting to the king. The essence of their statement is that in religious matters they answer to God and owe no answer to the king. Compare with Acts 5:29.
V. Verse 19-23 "Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace."
1. Vs. 19-20: The king has a change of countenance, facial expression, regarding the three men. This implies that before he was eager to exonerate them but now wishes to punish them.
2. Vs. 21-23: The fact the fire devoured the soldiers on the outside but did not kill the three Hebrews as they went in may have been Nebuchadnezzar’s first clue God would save the three Hebrews.
VI. Verse 24-25 "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
1. Vs. 24-25: Nebuchadnezzar could see that the fourth person in the furnace was more than an ordinary mortal. However, we are not certain what he meant by "Son of God". He could have been aware of Hebrew theology regarding the Messiah. See Ps. 2:12. He could have been given an awareness of Christ by revelation from the Spirit on this occasion. However, in verse 28 he calls the fourth person an angel. Thus this phrase may indicate something less than God’s son in a literal sense.
VII. Verse 26-30 "Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon."
1. Vs. 26-27: God is very deliberate in this instance to make sure others know the fire hurt the Hebrews in no way whatsoever. He goes so far as to not even allow the smell of smoke to permeate their clothing.
2. Vs. 28-29: Nebuchadnezzar comes to respect the God of the Hebrews. He demands that others do the same.
 |
 |