Context
Exile period
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, takes away the elite, young, good looking men to work as administrators in the Imperial administration
Among those enlisted are four teenagers named Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Educated in the Babylonian literature and language
Given new Babylonian names associated with Babylonian deities: Belshezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
God’s blessing follows the young men, in a foreign land separated from family and everything they know
Multiple promotions in the Imperial government
Daniel ch.3 is one of three tests in the book while they serve in the Imperial administration of Babylon
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
Grotesquely large, 90 foot tall statue plated with gold, proportions off (1:10), could be on a pedestal or built into the city wall somehow
What is the statue of? The image could be Nebuchadnezzar himself, more likely Marduk the national god 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.
Assembly of major officials within the Babylonian empire, possibly consolidating unity after the disturbing dream of a divided kingdom in Daniel 2
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe 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 nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Command to worship the image when they hear the orchestra playing
Resistance to this command is anticipated
Furnace on-site for the construction of the image
The gathering goes on smoothly and everyone worships…
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe 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, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Astrologers (Chaldeans) rat out the Rack, Shack, and Benny, likely colleagues in the same class of “wiseman” as them
They could have gotten away with it!
Professional jealousy and potentially ethnic motivations
Allegiance to the empire and king tied to idol worship
Where is Daniel? Court officials not present or he’s sick (not worshipping the idol)
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, pipe 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?”
Rack, Shack, and Benny given one last chance
Nebuchadnezzar totally discounts the ability of YHWH to rescue
Not questioning his own deities ability, but making a comparison at the power of his own gods
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Rack, Shack, and Benny dig their feet in
Idol worship is treason to YHWH, black and white commandment
“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” Exodus 20:3-4
Faithful to Babylon so far, but now the King’s order has come in direct conflict with God’s commandments.
Ultimate allegiance to God
Two Questions
Can God save? — Yes
Will God save? — Not sure
Not presumptuous that God will — “But even if he does not”
“ The friends refuse not only to take the second chance offered by Nebuchadnezzar but to enter into any discussion about their God’s abilities; their death or rescue does not hang on any such ill-conceived ideas about their God. Second, the friends state firmly to the king that the prospect of their death in no way besmirches the character of the God they worship, nor does His declining to rescue them affect their decision to be loyal to Him. The epistemic translation of, “may save” (v. 17), is not to be understood as an expression of any sort of doubt about God or his abilities; it is borne of their conviction that God is under no obligation to rescue them from the furnace or from the king’s hand… Having stated the possibility of rescue, they add that their loyalty is not predicated on that possibility, but they remain unrepentantly loyal to their God even should they die.” John A. Cook, “Grammar and Theology in Daniel 3:16-18”, Bulletin for Biblical Research 28/3: 367–80
Their ultimate concern is allegiance to the one true God, not their own wellbeing
In accepting the possibility of death they demonstrate their freedom from the King’s power
“Not only action but suffering, too, is a way to freedom. In suffering, liberation consists in being allowed to let the matter out of one’s own hands into the hands of God. In this sense death is the epitome of human freedom. Whether the human deed is a matter of faith depends on whether people understand their own suffering as a continuation of their action, as a consummation of freedom. I find this very important and very comforting.”
“183” Bonhoeffer Letters and Papers from Prison.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
The King has no control over these faithful Jews
He crashes out upon the reply of the lads
The furnace is heated seven times hotter than usual, hyperbolic — as hot as possible
The rage of Nebuchadnezzar coincides with the heat of the flames
The executioners get killed
But then the miraculous happens…
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Miraculously saved from the fire
No smell of fire — I smell like smoke just by being within 20 feet of a campfire
Joined by a mysterious guest, Who is the fourth person?
Theophany - God appearance
Pre-incarnate Jesus? Probably not exactly, unless we treat every theophany as if it’s Jesus too
Meaning of the theophany: God is with the friends in the fire
Original significance: God is with his people in exile, in suffering
God does not extinguish the flames, though he could. He saves them through the flames, as if symbolizing that though their present circumstances (of fire and more largely of exile) will not change, God’s faithful presence will be beside them, empowering and preserving them through such difficult trials.
The crowd that assembled to worship the Marduk idol statue instead is confronted with the saving power of YHWH.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Virtues we learn from Rack, Shack, Bennie
Fidelity in Trial — Refused to compromise on their core principles
Faith in Danger — Believed that God was able to save them from certain death
Humility in Suffering — Did not think that God owed it to them to rescue them
Jesus
Fidelity — Confession to Pilate
Faith — Trust that the Father would vindicate
Humility — Faced the cross knowing he would not be rescued
Jesus didn’t escape the flames.
