Daniel 3 · The Lantern

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.

For Scripture says, "In the eighteenth year, Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, and its breadth was six cubits, and he set it in the plain of Deira in the country of Babylon." [Daniel 3:1] And so through eighteen years he imitated Jesus the son of God, who was present in the world, who also raised his own human image from the dead and show…

Verse 1. "Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden statue seventy cubits in height and six cubits in breadth." How soon he forgot the truth, when he had just been worshipping a servant of God as if he had been God Himself, but now commanded a statue to be made for himself in order that he personally might be worshipped in the statue!

Our Lord is good and loves humankind, so the creator and ruler desires "all to be saved and to know the truth" and "does not seek the death of the wicked but that they should turn and live." Indeed, for that reason he died for our salvation.

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.

And having sent out a command he summoned together the governors, captains and rulers and all of those in authority to come to the consecration of the image, which Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.

The enemy prepares the theatre, and he himself collects together the spectators, and prepares the lists; a theatre too, not of chance persons, or of some private individuals, but of all those who were honourable and in authority, to the end that their testimony may be worthy of credit with the multitude.

Verse 2. "Nebuchadnezzar sent therefore to the satraps, magistrates and judges, the dukes and potentates, and the prefects and all the princes of the various districts that they should gather themselves together." It is the higher ranks which stand in the greater peril, and those who occupy the loftier position are the more sudden in their fall.

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.

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

And we know that once we have been persuaded by Jesus to abandon idols and the atheism of worshiping many gods, the enemy cannot persuade us to commit idolatry, though he tries to force us.

Seest thou how difficult these struggles are made; how irresistible the snare; and how deep the gulph, and a precipice on either hand? But be not afraid. In whatever degree the enemy increases his machinations, so much the more does he display the courage of the young men.

Verses 4, 5. "And a herald proclaimed with mighty voice: 'To us the order is given, both peoples and tribes and languages, at what hour ye hear the sound of the trumpet...'" Not that the entire population of all the nations could have gathered on the plain of Dura and adored the golden statue, but rather, in the person of their leaders, all the tribes and peoples were supposed…

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:

And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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.

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

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:

And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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.

Consider thou also with me the wickedness of those who were their accusers, and how maliciously and bitterly they brought the accusation!

Verse 12. "Now then, there are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the district of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who have despised thy decree" (the Vulgate reads: "those men of thine have despised the decree, O king").

When in Babylon an image had been made, And everyone against his will worshiped the lifeless things as though it were alive, Then, as Scripture tells, three youths, Having received in their hearts divine guidance, did not leave the straight path, For they considered the madness of many as a path that leads astray. And so the steadfast young men did not follow it.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

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

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?

But someone will likely say, "And so why did God rescue the martyrs long ago, but now he does not so rescue them?" For twice we find that the blessed Daniel, having been cast into the den of lions, was not destroyed by the beasts and the three boys in the furnace were not conquered by the fire.

But I say all this now, and select all the histories that contain trials and tribulations, and the wrath of kings, and their evil designs, in order that we may fear nothing, save only offending God. For then also was there a furnace burning; yet they derided it, but feared sin.

Verse 15. "Prostrate yourselves and worship the statue I have made." Although he had up to this point given the youths his orders in angry fashion, yet he gives them room for a change of heart, so that their previous guilt might be pardoned if only they should fall down and worship. But if they should not deign to offer worship, the punishment of the fiery furnace lay at hand.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

So they did not nail him but tied him. Then he, placing his hands behind him and being bound to the stake, like a noble ram out of a great flock for an offering, a burnt sacrifice made ready and acceptable to God, looking up to heaven said, "O Lord God Almighty, the Father of the beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of you, the God o…

Nevertheless the reason why I admire those youths, and pronounce them blessed, and enviable, is not because they tramped on the flame, and vanquished the force of the fire: but because they were bound, and cast into the furnace, and delivered to the fire for the sake of true doctrine.

When they heard these words, the young people Laughed at the great vanity of the king. However, lest he consider himself to be very wise, The wise youths raised their eyes and said: "O Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, We have no need to talk this over with them, For no one answers you if you say foolish things, For thus it is written in the Scripture: 'Do not give reply to a fo…

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.

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.

I will dare to say something and I will not venture to say something else while speaking. These boys, having read the contents of Scripture, saw what was spoken by the prophet, that it was written concerning them.

Verse 18. "But if He does not will to do so" - phrasing which admirably avoids the idea, "If He is not able," which would be inconsistent with what they had just asserted, "He is able to deliver us" - but rather they say, "If He does not will to do so." Thereby they indicate that it will not be a matter of God's inability but rather of His sovereign will if they do perish.

Far from serving our Lord for payment, we are motivated by affection and longing, and at the same time we prefer the service of our God to everything.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And so the Babylonians, seeing the three boys hymning in the furnace, did not cease to heat the furnace with resin, pitch, tar, and brushwood and the flame climbed forty-nine cubits above the furnace and spread out against they who fought against the mighty God.

Verse 22. "Then those same men who had cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were slain by the fiery flame." Of course this meant the same men of whom it was said above, "And he commanded the strongest men in his army to bind the legs of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and cast them into the burning furnace of fire (another reading: into the furnace of flaming fire)." And so they…

The flames killed because the slanderers, being carried away by their joy, approached the furnace to observe the burning of their [victims], but through divine intervention they were consumed by the heat of the furnace.

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Accordingly, after these things happened, Scripture says, "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace while bound and that they were walking in the midst of the flame, hymning to God and blessing the Lord." [Daniel 3:23; Song of the Three Children 1] And so the bonds which the king put around them, these the fire consumed immediately, y…

For the blessed Jeremiah in captivity was no less blessed, nor was Daniel, nor Ezra, nor the blessed Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, than if they had not fallen into captivity; for they were led into captivity in order to bring comfort to the people in their present circumstances, and to bring hope of escaping captivity.

Verse 23. "But these three men, (here the Vulgate inserts: "that is,") Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell fettered into the midst of the furnace of flaming fire. And they were walking about in the midst of the flames praising God and blessing the Lord.

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.

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.

If, then, neither Moses, nor Elias, nor Ezekiel, who had all many celestial visions, did see God; but if what they did see were similitudes of the splendour of the Lord, and prophecies of things to come; it is manifest that the Father is indeed invisible, of whom also the Lord said, "No man hath seen God at any time." But His Word, as He Himself willed it, and for the benefit o…

Then Nebuchadnezzar seeing what happened "was amazed and rose up in haste and he heard their hymns and he said to his nobles 'Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?' But they said, 'Truly O king.' He answered and said, 'Here I indeed see four men speaking and walking in the midst of the fire and there is no destruction in them and the appearance of the four…

Nebuchadnezzar, having ordered the three men to be cast into fire, saw a fourth when he looked into the furnace and said, "I see the fourth as the Son of God." He was impious and yet saw apparitions, visions and dreams. Thus, we cannot infer with absolute certainty that the one who has seen visions and dreams and apparitions is truly impious.

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.

"Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the door of the burning furnace and he said, 'Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, slaves of God Most High, come out and come here.'" [Daniel 3:26] For since he himself was not able to come into the furnace, he called them to come outside. And he called the names of the three, but he found he was not able to declare the fourth.

Verse 26. "Then Nebuchadnezzar approached unto the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and said: 'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come forth and draw near!' And straightway Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth from the midst of the fire." Being terrified with fear, the king does not address his request to the youths through any messengers, b…

When a person has abandoned the world, it seems to him that he is living in a remote desert, full of wild beasts. He is filled with unutterable fear and indescribable trembling and cries to God like Jonah from the whale, from the sea of this life, or like Daniel from the pit of the lions and the fierce passions or like the three children from the burning furnace and the flames…

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

"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death" and therefore no more corruption, it being chased away by incorruption, even as death is by immortality.… That the raiment and shoes of the children of Israel remained unworn and fresh for the space of forty years … that the fires of Babylon injured neither the cloaks nor the trousers of the three…

The Father's care and providence neither allowed the garments of the Israelites to perish nor the worthless shoes on their feet to wear out; nor, finally, did he permit the wide trousers of the captive young men to be burned.

Human weakness uses its acquaintance with things experienced to measure divine works that are beyond its experience and thinks it has made a keen observation when it says, "If there is flame, it is hot; if it is hot, it burns; if it burns, then it burned the bodies of the three men thrown into the fiery furnace by the wicked king." If then even those who might not understand th…

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.

And so in this way Nebuchadnezzar said, "'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his boys because they obeyed him and they opposed the word of the king and handed their bodies over to the furnace, that they might not serve any God except their God.

Verse 28. " 'Blessed be God (the Vulgate has "their God, namely") of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who hath sent His angel and rescued His servants who believed in Him...'" The person whom he had previously called a son of God he here calls an angel, even though he had in the preceding passage described him as similar to a son of God rather than to God Himself.

"In spite of myself, then, I revere the God of the Hebrews, And I command all the people in my land to join in praising him. 'Come, then, holy children, come forth from the furnace, For I am convinced that your God is in truth God.' " (Nebuchadnezzar) These things happened in Babylon as the Scriptures says, At a time when those who had provoked God's anger were in captivity.

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

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

Daniel3