Daniel 3 - Meaning, Themes & Application

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.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, 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 up.

Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”

Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, live for ever!

You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image;

and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.

There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who is that god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

If it happens, 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, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

He commanded certain mighty men who 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 pants, their tunics, their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

They walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

Then Azarias stood, and prayed like this. Opening his mouth in the midst of the fire he said,

“Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers! Your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore;

for you are righteous in all the things that you have done. Yes, all your works are true. Your ways are right, and all your judgments are truth.

In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, Jerusalem, you have executed true judgments. For according to truth and justice you have brought all these things upon us because of our sins.

For we have sinned and committed iniquity in departing from you.

In all things we have trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments or kept them. We haven’t done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.

Therefore all that you have brought upon us, and everything that you have done to us, you have done in true judgment.

You delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king who is the most wicked in all the world.

And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you.

Don’t utterly deliver us up, for your name’s sake. Don’t annul your covenant.

Don’t cause your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham who is loved by you, and for the sake of Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

to whom you promised that you would multiply their offspring as the stars of the sky, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.

For we, O Lord, have become less than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

There isn’t at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before you, and to find mercy.

Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted,

like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you.

And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face.

Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.

Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded.

Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken.

Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”

The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood,

so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace.

It spread and burned those Chaldeans whom it found around the furnace.

But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace,

and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.