The Wise Shall Understand Daniel Chapter 3 The Fiery Furnace Lesson 4 Daniel 3:1-30

Transcription

1 The Wise Shall Understand Daniel Chapter 3 The Fiery Furnace Lesson 4 Daniel 3:1-30 THE IMAGE OF GOLD AND THE FIERY FURNACE Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. The Image of Gold Dan 3:1 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. If this was an image of a man it was grotesque since the proportions were 1:10 instead of 1:6, which is the normal proportion of man. 1 Sixty cubits (90 feet) and six cubits (nine feet) remind us of the mark of the beast of Revelation 13 whose number is On the sixth day God created man. Six is the number of man's failure. Six always comes up short of divine perfection, which is represented by seven. 3 The proportions may suggest that this was an obelisk. 4 It certainly was "very tall and very thin." 5 The Hebrew suggests that it was an image of a man, even though grotesquely out of proportion. It may have been part man-image and part pillar. The image may have been mounted on a tall pedestal with a human figure mounted on top (APPENDIX, Figure 1). 6 Instead of the statue being of solid gold, most probably it was constructed of wood overlaid with gold as was customary. 7 Is it possible that in making the entire image of gold Nebuchadnezzar wanted to defeat the implication of the first image with a head of gold degenerating into succeeding kingdoms, which we saw in the last lesson, and make his kingdom and himself last forever? 8 Was this a plan by Satan to prevent the kingdom of God from being established with Christ as king? This makes the symbol of the sixes all the more relevant. 9 Six miles southeast of Babylon archeologists have found ruins believed to be the foundation of this image. 10 According to Fausset s Bible Dictionary, Oppert found in the Dura (Dowair) plain, at what is called 1 E. W. Bullinger, THE COMPANION BIBLE, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1990, Note to Daniel 3:1. John F. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1971, p John Phillips, Jerry Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1990, p. 50. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 80. John F. Walvoord, THE PROPHECY KNOWLEDGE HANDBOOK, Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1990, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Bullinger, THE COMPANION BIBLE, Note to Daniel 3:1, and Appendix 42, pp. 35, Daymond R. Duck, Larry Richards (editor), DANIEL: God's Word For The Biblically-Inept, Lancaster, PA: Starburst Publishers, 1998, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 80, Noah W. Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, Oklahoma City, OK: Hearthstone Publishing, Ltd. 1990, 1998, p. 82. J. R. Church, DANIEL REVEALS THE BLOODLINE OF THE ANTICHRIST, Oklahoma City, OK, Prophecy Publications, 2010, pp. 87, Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p. 49. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p

2 the mounds of Dura, the pedestal of what must have been a colossal statue. 11 The gold of this second image represented Nebuchadnezzar's glory. God through Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the head of gold of the first image was Babylon. This image may have been erected as an act of self-deification of Nebuchadnezzar, and for his glory. However, it might been erected to honor either the god Bel or Marduk, but, in that case, it seems odd that the name of the god is not mentioned. 12 Dan 3:2 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. According to the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) this image was dedicated in 585 BC. 13 About the same time Nebuchadnezzar issued his third decree against the stubborn attitude of Jerusalem, and the city and temple were destroyed. 14 In 597 BC Nebuchadnezzar had entered Jerusalem and took King Jehoiachin captive, together with Ezekiel the prophet, and Mordecai the uncle of Esther (Esther 2:6). He then stripped the temple and treasury of its riches, and placed the king's uncle, Zedekiah, on the throne. Nine years later, in 588BC, Nebuchadnezzar beseiged Jerusalem after Zedekiah rebelled. Jerusalem was destroyed in 586BC He entered Jerusalem, seized Zedekiah the King, slaughtered his children before his eyes, then blinded him and took him to Babylon in fetters to die in captivity Chronicles 36:5-20 describes the succeeding Jewish kings from Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin, to Zedekiah. Both Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin did evil and were carried off to Babylon. Special attention was reserved for Zedekiah. 2 Kings 25:1-12 vividly portrays Nebuchadnezzar's final conquest of Jerusalem, and Zedekiah's defeat. Let's look at 2 Kings: 2KI 25:1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. 6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. 8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away. 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. Dan 3:3 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. 11 FAUSSET'S BIBLE DICTIONARY, Electronic Database Copyright 1998, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc., Nebuchadnezzar. Renald E. Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, A Commentary on the Book of Daniel, Belmawr, NJ: The Friend s of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1982, pp. 29, Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 49, 50. Robert Jamison, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1866 (Preface),1973, reprinted: April 1993, Vol. II, Part II, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 81. Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, A Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p SMITH'S BIBLE DICTIONARY, Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour and Company, 1987, Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, Mordecai, p INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPAEDIA, Revised Edition, Electronic Database, 1996, Biblesoft, Jerusalem. 2

3 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. The meaning of the various titles are: princes = satraps, governors = prefects, captains = governors, judges = counselors, treasurers = treasurers, counselors = law officials or judges, and sheriffs = magistrates. 16 Loud music is used to stir man's emotions and deaden his natural senses. Loud music is a brainwashing tactic used to control man's pursuits and behavior. Today we see rock music controlling the emotions and habits of our young people. 17 Even subliminal messages have been used in rock music to stir the emotions of the unsuspecting young. Satan wants the children. Hitler didn't care about the old, he had already persuaded the youth. Our troops beamed Music at Noriega in Panama to break down his will to resist. All were to worship the image as decreed by the king. Nebuchadnezzar's goal was world government with him as ruler. The best way to unify people to world government is to unite them religiously. We see this being attempted today with various ecumenical and tolerance movements as regards religion. The world is trying to meld together the various Eastern and Western religions into a common belief system. The Bible says that the image of the Antichrist will be set up in the last days and the people will be forced to worship it or be killed (Rev 13). This will be the ultimate one-world religion. 18 Even the church is being lulled into the urge to merge with programs such as The Council on Foreign Relations member Rick Warren s Purpose Driven is driving many pastors to value church growth over spiritual growth. Make no mistake about it, Rick Warren and many other church leaders, whether they are aware of it or not, have become participants in the plans of the United Nation s World Religions, and the Church Growth Movement. Besides the infection in the church, the schools have long been targets to change the worldview of the children. According to Berit Kjos in her book Brave New Schools 19 : "Connecticut fourth-graders use guided imagery to 'experience' Indian tribal life and meet 'wise' spirit helpers. Colorado sixth-graders enjoy 'spirit dances' wearing their classmade masks. Oregon students celebrate Winter Solstice by acting the roles of the Sun God, Moon Goddess, drummers, and animal spirits. California students wear masks that help them identify with their favorite Greek gods and goddesses. Earth-centered religions are in." "Having rejected biblical Christianity, educational 'change agents' have realized that some kind of global spirituality is needed to fuel a collective pursuit of global unity. Although Native American spirituality provides the perfect model--and brings the least resistance from concerned parents--any one of the world's New Age or neopagan religions will do. Offering a common alternative to the biblical God, they all blend one or more of the following: Pantheism: All is God and God is all, since a universal force infuses all things with spiritual life. Today's popularized versions encourages everyone to 'look within' for the strength, wisdom, and guidance needed to empower oneself for success. Monism: All is one, joined together through the pantheistic spirituality. Polytheism: Many gods. Since the pantheistic deity makes everything sacred, people can worship anything or anyone they choose. Children learn that in the end, all the world's gods lead to the same happy spirit world." "Few classroom texts dare mention the terrors and tortures that have always oppressed pagan cultures--those that sought power and wisdom from occult forces." The new spirituality in the schools is neopaganism, which is: "Disguised as personal empowerment and harmony with nature, this global or earth-centered spirituality seduces both young and old who ignore the tragic lessons of history." Vice-President Al Gore seems to advocate a return to some form of (Gaia) goddess worship in his book, EARTH IN THE BALANCE Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp. 83, Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 50, Berit Kjos, BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS, Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1995, pp. 16, Al Gore, EARTH IN THE BALANCE: Ecology and the Human Spirit, New York, NY: Plume, 1992, pp. 258,

4 On page 258 he speaks of the spiritual "richness and diversity of our religious tradition throughout history" that has been ignored by minds closed to teachings outside their own system of belief. The fast pace of knowledge in our time has " led to an intense new interest in the different perspectives on life in other cultures and has spurred a renewed investigation of the wisdom distilled by all faiths. This panreligious perspective may prove especially important where our global civilization's responsibility for the earth is concerned." On pages 261~263 he praises the Baha'i faith, and advocates a change in our Christian religious beliefs when he quotes Catholic Theologian Teilhard de Chardin: "The fate of mankind, as well as of religion, depends upon the emergence of a new faith in the future." At the Parliament of Religions (1993), a mixture of Christian and non-christian religions, the Papal representative Archbiship Francesco Gioia from the Vatican said the following 21 : "Other religions may achieve salvation. The differences in other religions does not prevent them from obtaining salvation." He observed that other religions: " reflect the truth of God." "Truth" he said: " lies hidden in other religions. Truth in all religions constitutes ground for dialogue. Dialogue was opened by God's initiative." He added: "A change has come. We now talk, listen to, and walk together. There is good news of friendship among us all." The ideas of one-world power and glory first set before us in Babylon is still fresh in the minds of world leaders today. The first symbol of this was the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). Interestingly, this same concept is blatantly portrayed in the symbol of an unfinished tower seen in a poster and in the construction of the European Parliament Building proclaiming the formation of the European Union (APPENDIX, Figure 2). This unfinished tower theme is also represented on the Great Seal of the United States and on the reverse of the dollar bill with the unfinished pyramid on which is proclaimed Novus Ordo Seclorum, New World Order. President Bill Clinton s presidential library is also in the form of an unfinished bridge. The idea is that the world is proceeding to finish what was begun in defiance to God at Babylon (APPENDIX, Figure 3). There is no doubt that the world is proceeding toward global unification (utopia), and has been for centuries, today under the auspices of the United Nations or something else of man s making. Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the future antichrist that will be the world leader in the end-times. This future antichrist will set about to finish the final consolidation of the nations and religious systems of the world. This antichrist will look to be worshiped as god. All who oppose and fail to worship him will be executed Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a 21 Edgar C. Carlisle, A World "Church" is Planned For 2000 A. D, privately printed, 1994, p Church, DANIEL REVEALS THE BLOODLINE OF THE ANTICHRIST, Oklahoma City, OK, Prophecy Publications, 2010, p

5 bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon [Satan] which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. The Hebrew children knew that to worship the image would bring on them the wrath of God. They refused to worship, preferring the temporary flames of Nebuchadnezzar s furnace. Worshiping the Antichrist s image and taking his mark will mean facing the eternal punishment of the lake of fire. It will be far better to face the temporary pain of the Antichrist rather than the eternal pain of Hell. Notice the following: Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. The Fiery Furnace Dan 3:7 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. 8 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. 5

6 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; 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 Abed-nego, 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? Imagine the scene as hundreds or thousands in the presence of Nebuchadnezzar were prostrate before the image, and out of that mass could be seen the figures of three Hebrew children standing straight and tall. Accusations were made against the Hebrew children. It was mentioned that these Hebrews were set over the affairs of Babylon, an indication of the resentment felt by the certain Chaldeans. They were informing the king of the serious mistake in giving them that authority. They also reminded the king that to challenge Babylonian lawful worship was to challenge the king. 23 So that there could be no mistake, Nebuchadnezzar would have his band play the music one more time to give them one last chance to comply with his decree. Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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. The refusal of the Jewish children to worship gave the appearance of opposition to the greatness of his (Nebuchadnezzar s) kingdom. They were saying: "We don't care about the consequences, it doesn't matter what man can do to us, we fear God instead. But, no matter what, our God is able to deliver us." In any case, they will not serve the king's gods nor worship the golden image. 24 They will honor only the one true God. Like Daniel, they too refused to compromise and bow to peer pressure. The world never likes those who do not follow the current fads and trends. The world likes those people who fit identical profiles. But the Bible admonishes us in Romans 12:2: ROM 12:2 (Paraphrase) Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold. J.B. Phillips Bible As related by John Phillips and Jerry Vines in their book Exploring the Book of Daniel: A theologian named Athanasius, who lived many centuries ago, was fighting heresy in his day. The Roman emperor Theodosius summoned Athanasius to appear before him. The Emperor brought the pressure of his office to bear on the theologian. He wanted him to relinquish his stand against a popular heresy of the day. The emperor, however, could not get Athanasius to compromise. Finally Theodosius said, "Athanasius, don't you understand? The whole world is against you." Athanasius looked back at him and said, "Then Athanasius is against the whole world." 25 One might inquire, where was Daniel? No clue is given, but you might surmise that Daniel was not present. He may have been outside of Babylon at this time Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 86, Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 85, Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p

7 Dan 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: 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 Abed-nego, 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. The Babylonian smelting furnace was such that metal could be thrown in from a platform on top, and when melted was extracted from an opening at the bottom and poured into molds. Iron was a common metal in those days and the melting point of iron is 2,795 degrees Fahrenheit. 27 The furnace was very hot indeed. It is known that there were similar ovens in Persia used for the execution of criminals. It is unknown how Daniel escaped this fate unless, for some reason, he was absent, or was exempt because of his high office. 28 This was Nebuchadnezzar's method of disposing of undesirables, as Hitler later would use his gas chambers and ovens. 29 JER 29:22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; Alternately, the opening through which Nebuchadnezzar peered was the one through which the fire could be stoked and fueled. 30 The perfect number 7 means that they should make it as hot as possible. 31 In the King James Version, "Hosen" probably means drawers, or trousers, not stockings. It may otherwise mean "a hammer" that was carried as a symbol of their office. 32 Dan 3:22 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 Abed-nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 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. The men that were to cast them in were overcome and perished by the heat before they could cast the Hebrew children into the furnace. The verse simply states that the children "fell down bound" into the furnace. 33 The King was probably peering through the opening where the molten metal was usually extracted. He wanted to see them burn, but was astonished at what he saw. 34 Dan 3:25 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. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp. 89, 90. WEBSTER'S NEW COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY, Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam Co., Publishers, 1961, Iron, 1961, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp. 89, Duck, DANIEL: GOD'S WORD FOR THE BIBLICALLY-INEPT, pp. 88, Albert Barnes, BARNES NOTES: Daniel, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Vol. 1, p Robert Jamison, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAl, Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1866 (Preface),1973, reprinted: April 1993, Vol. II, Part II, p Barnes, BARNES NOTES: Daniel, Vol. 1, p Jamison, Fausset, and Brown, A COMMENTARY: CRITICAL, EXPERIMENTAL, AND PRACTICAL, Vol. II, Part II, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p

8 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 Abed-nego, 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 Abed-nego, 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 Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon. Three entered the furnace bound, now four were seen loose, walking around inside the furnace. The fourth man is like the Son of God, but, it is doubtful that Nebuchadnezzar could comprehend that idea. More likely he thought of the fourth man as a son of the gods. 35 He was saying that the fourth person looked like a divine or supernatural being. In verse 28, the king said that God sent His Angel. The Aramaic word translated angel is also used for deity. Therefore, with this in mind, He is clearly indicated as of heavenly origin. Who is that fourth man? There is much agreement that he is the pre-incarnate Christ. 36 The incident of the fiery furnace has prophetic implications: Symbols of the Fiery Furnace 37 The Tribulation is symbolized by the furnace. The Antichrist will be like Nebuchadnezzar "a proud, godless, violent, out-of-control, one-world Gentile leader." The false prophet will be like the herald who told everyone to worship the statute. The Abomination of Desolation will be like Nebuchadnezzar's grotesque statute. The Fourth Man will be like Jesus who helps his people Israel. The absence of Daniel could signify the church, which will not be present during the Tribulation because of the Rapture. The Lesson to Ponder The faithfulness of the Hebrew children resulted in Nebuchadnezzar s public acknowledgment of the power of God. God was glorified by His ability to deliver them from the fire. We may not be asked to endure the trial of being burned alive, but we are under trial nevertheless. Satan is the prince of this world, and he seeks to destroy our faith in God anyway he can. 1 PET 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 35 Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, p. 91. Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, A Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p Duck, DANIEL: GOD'S WORD FOR THE BIBLICALLY-INEPT, p

9 We must be steadfast in our faith which will result in the ultimate glorifying of God by our lives. Our lives must be a living sacrifice to God, not being conformed to the world, and transformed in our minds so that we can know and do what is the perfect will of God. ROM 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. APPENDIX Figure 1 Nebuchadnezzar s Image 38 Figure 2 Tower of Babel Painting and European Union Poster

10 Figure 3 European Union Parliament Building in Strasbourg, France 10