Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

Transcription

1 BIBLENOTES Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego LESSON-SERMON: MAN, MARCH 8, 2015 Daniel was the fourth and last of the Major Prophets. He, like Ezekiel, was associated with the period of Exile.... Daniel, a Jewish youth of either royal or noble blood, was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C.E. during the reign of Jehoiakim. He lived during the whole of the seventy years captivity, surviving till the days of Cyrus, the Persian conqueror of Babylon. It was a custom in Oriental nations to choose the elite among captives of war to serve in the king s court. Daniel and his three countrymen, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were among those selected to be trained as the king s attendants and taught the Aramaic-Babylonian language and mysteries of the Chaldean sages. Their names were changed to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, Babylonian names that honored the king s gods. (Shotwell 132) Dan 3:1, 8-12, 13 Then they, 16-19, 21, 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. Made an image: It was a common thing for ancient potentates to set up colossal images, sometimes images of deities, sometimes of themselves (IB 6.395). 8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. Accused the Jews - That is, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. The other Jews were left unnoticed; and probably at this time Daniel was too high to be touched; but we may rest assured that he was not found among these idolaters (Clarke online) /5 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

2 In an assembly of provincial officers it would be noticed that the Jewish youths did not conform to the monarch s command [that they fall down and worship the image], and so certain Chaldeans laid complaint against them.... The fact that it was a malicious accusation does not weigh in favor of either meaning against the other, nor does the wording of vs The accusation was against the three, the offense in their case being aggravated by the fact that they were government officials who ought to have been obedient to their sovereign (IB 6.398). 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 music, 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. 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. Daniel is not mentioned in this narrative, for what reason is not stated. The Chaldeans, or members of the guild of astrologers, would naturally be jealous of the unusual honors bestowed on the four Jewish youths. They were quick to see that the king s mandate was disregarded by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (ABC 750). 13 Then they brought these men before the king. He was in a furious rage: Lit., in rage and hot wrath. However, the king does not punish on hearsay. He has the men brought in that he may hear from the them himself ( IB 6.400). 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we arenot 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 usout 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. Nebuchadnezzar was furious at the sight put by the three men upon his idol and his /5 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

3 command. He would give them one more chance, since they were high officers of his realm. But they needed no further time, and they made no apology. Their answer was bold and to the point. They said: We need not waste any words in discussing this matter with you. If the God they worshipped was able or willing to deliver them from the fire, he would do so. But even if not, they were resolved neither to serve the gods of Babylon nor prostrate themselves before the king s image. This is one of the noblest defiances ever uttered to a false faith (ABC 751). 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. The king s fury was heightened by the bold words of the three confessors. He ordered them thrown into the furnace, heated to a tremendous degree. Bound just as they were, they were seized by strong men and thrown into the flames, which were so hot the executioners themselves were overcome and perished (ABC 751). 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. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. Nebuchadnezzar, looking into the furnace, saw a portent. Four men were walking unbound and unharmed in the fire (ABC 751). 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. Loose: Whether we are to understand that the fire burned their bonds but not their clothes, or whether their angelic companion loosed them to walk with him, is not clear.... Once the flames had died down, the floor of the kiln would be covered with glowing coals and anyone walking over them could be seen from the front opening. Here and at 6:22 it is an angel, as it was in the Hagar story (Gen. 21:17) and in the Isaac story (Gen. 22:11) (IB 6.403). The fourth personage now so mysteriously added to their number, it is evident, assumed the appearance of a man, and not the appearance of a celestial being, though it was the aspect of a man so noble and majestic that he deserved to be called a son of God /5 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

4 Walking in the midst of the fire - The furnace, therefore, was large, so that those who were in it could walk about. The vision must have been sublime; and it is a beautiful image of the children of God often walking unhurt amidst dangers, safe beneath the Divine protection (Barnes online). 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. The king drew nearer the door of the kiln. The translation mouth is preferred by those who regard the furnace as a pit whose only opening was from above. If, however, it was a kiln fed from above but with an opening in front or at the side, from which the contents were withdrawn, then gate or door, the literal meaning of the Aramaic, is better. It would be through this door that the confessors heard the king s call and came forth (IB 6.403). 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, 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. Not only were their bodies not burned, but their loose hair was not singed, the heat had not damaged their clothing, and though they had been in the midst of burning fuel, there was not even the smell of burning on them (IB 6.404). Astonished and thrilled by the miracle, the king praised the God of the Jews, affirming that the fourth figure in the furnace was an angel, sent for the deliverance of the faithful three. Further, an order was issued that no disrespectful word be spoken against this God, on pain of dire penalties (ABC 751). Sources: The Abingdon Bible Commentary. Ed. Frederick Carl Eiselen, Edwin Lewis, David G. Downey. Abingdon Press: New York,1929. Barnes, Albert. Barnes Notes on the Bible Cited by biblos.com. Accessed on Clarke, Adam. Commentary on the Bible Cited by biblos.com. Accessed on The Interpreter s Bible. Ed. George Arthur Buttrick et al. 12 vols. New York: Abingdon, Shotwell, Berenice Myers. Getting Better Acquainted with Your Bible. Kennebunkport: Shadwold, /5 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

5 1972. Abbreviation key: ABC = The Abingdon Bible Commentary IB = The Interpreter s Bible /5 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego