CHAPTER 3 THE GREAT IMAGE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND SALVATION FROM THE FIERY FURNACE. This chapter following chapter 2 seems to confirm that Nebuchadnezzar had seen the image that he had envisioned there as representing the gods. Probably what Daniel had told him, with its suggestion of his empire final... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and its breadth six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.' This image of gold which Nebuchadnezzar set up, if it was gold through and through, would take up much of the temple treasur... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, the governors, 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.' Having made his grand ges... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then the satraps, the deputies and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded O peoples, nations and languages, that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. And whoev... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.' The repetition beloved of ancient writ... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came near and brought accusations (literally ‘ate their pieces' i.e. chewed over publicly what they had heard) against the Judeans.' We are probably to see these Chaldeans as belonging to the ‘wise men', who were possibly secretly nursing a grudge aga... [ Continue Reading ]
‘They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king live for ever. You, O king have made a decree, that every man who will hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall d... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded his men to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So they brought these men before the king.' His anger was that of a despotic king against men who flouted his authority and decree. He was beside himself. This was treason. So he commanded that they be... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it right, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image that I have set up?” Now if you are ready so that at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer, and al... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Shadrach. Meshach and Abednego answered, “We have no need with respect to this matter to set up a defence before you. If it is to be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the look on his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was normally heated. And he commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshac... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then these men were bound in their hose, their turbans and their cloaks, and their other clothing, and were cast into the midst of the burning, fiery furnace. As a result, because the king's command was urgently demanding, and the furnace intensely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who took... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counsellors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the heart of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the heart of the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Nebuchanezzar came near to the opening of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out, out from the heart of the fire. And the satraps, the deputies and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his supernatural agency, and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and they have changed the king's word, and have surrendered their bodies, that they might not serve or worship any god, apart fr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation and language who speak anything 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 who is able to deliver in this way.' He still had the heart... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.' His final act was to promote the three men to more powerful positions in the province of Babylon.... [ Continue Reading ]