The Book of Daniel (4)
Chapter 3
Nebuchadnezzar's Image

         '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.

         Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the 
princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, 
the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to 
come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the 
king had set up' (verses 1,2).

        A herald announced to all those standing before the image that 
at the time they heard the sound of all kinds of music, they were 
to fall down and worship it, and anyone found not worshipping, 
would be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

        The setting up of this image of gold and the decree of 
Nebuchadnezzar probably dated some twenty years after his 
dream, and Daniel's interpretation of it, in chapter 2.  Then, his 
amazement and delight knew no bounds, and he was forced to 
confess, pagan, heathen that he was, that Daniel's God was 'a 
God of gods, and a Lord of kings' (2:47).  (This time period is 
given in The Companion Bible, after an intensive study of 
ancient records).  This confession of Nebuchadnezzar concerning 
the Almighty God of Israel had evidently been forgotten.  It 
certainly must have been shallow and was not accompanied by 
any change in heart or life, nor did it cause him to abandon his 
heathen gods or idolatry.  It was from the mouth, and not from 
the heart.

        The measurements of the image in verse 1 are ominous; 
something of symbolic meaning is indicated in its dimensions.  
The height was sixty cubits (about ninety feet) and the breadth 
six cubits (or nine feet).  By these multiples of six, we are 
reminded of the Philistine giant, Goliath, in 1 Samuel chapter 17.  
His height was six cubits and a span, his armour was made up of 
six pieces, and the weight of the spear's head which he carried 
was six hundred shekels of iron.

        In the Scriptures six is the number of man, and all multiples 
of it.  In Revelation 13:18, the number of Satan's man of sin, 
referred to as the beast, is the number of a man; and his number 
is 'six hundred three-score and six' (666).  So at the 
commencement of this Gentile power we find this number six 
prominently mentioned, together with the king's command that 
all people, rich and poor, high and low, everyone everywhere 
were to fall down and worship the image of gold.  Tradition says 
it was an image of a human being; the Scriptures do not tell us.  
What Nebuchadnezzar does is to establish state idolatry, and the 
penalty for refusal was death by burning.

         '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' (verse 7).

        Some critics say these instruments originated in Greece, and 
therefore the whole record is but a fable, but they have been 
proved wrong, and it is now known the Chaldeans used them all.  
Daniel is a part of the Scriptures, which are the Word of God, 
and therefore the events recorded in this Book are facts, not 
fiction.

        What were the Jewish captives to do?  We have all heard the 
saying, 'When in Rome do as Rome does'.  That could well have 
been an easy way out, but Jehovah, Israel's covenant God, had 
proclaimed that no Jew was to worship any idol.  He alone was to 
have their worship, because He was the One true God.  'Thou 
shalt have no other gods beside Me', was His express command.  
To Daniel and his three friends, all faithful and loyal men of God, 
there was no question of compromise, but for some reason Daniel 
is not called upon to go through the terrifying experience of the 
other three, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

         'Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and 
accused the Jews -- There are certain Jews -- 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' (verses 8-12).

        The angry king demanded they be brought before him, and he 
repeated what  would happen to them if they did not worship his 
image, challenging them -- 'and who is that God that shall deliver 
you out of my hands?'

        'Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, answered and said to the 
king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this 
matter.  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.

        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' 
(verses 16-18).

Who can read the words of these three men in their reply to the 
king, without feeling impelled to pray for like precious faith 'we 
are not careful' -- 'we do not deem it necessary for us to 
answer you in this matter'.  If we argue long enough we can 
often prove anything, but it is sometimes the honest thing to do to 
refuse to debate some questions.  James in his epistle, chapter 
1:22, throws some light on this subject: 'Be ye doers of the word, 
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves' 
(paralogizomai -- arguing yourselves aside, implying false 
reasoning).

        'But if not':  here is the supreme stand of faith, the pinnacle 
of courage.  It may come as a shock to some that many of God's 
most loyal and faithful children have had to suffer, and are still 
called upon to endure today, the most terrible afflictions, and 
many Christians throughout the world are still showing the same 
supreme acts of faith that we read of in Hebrews chapter 11, and 
in the life of the apostle Paul.  We have only to think of our Lord 
Himself Who set His face like a flint and went to certain death in 
Jerusalem.  From the days of the first martyr Abel, right down to 
this day in which we live, the words of these three friends have 
always had their place.

        '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.

        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.  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' (verses 19-21).

        As these three men were thrown into the furnace, the heat was 
so intense the flames slew those who took up Shadrach, Meshach, 
and Abed-nego, but as Nebuchadnezzar stood and watched he 
was astonished to see not three, but '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' (verse 25).

        As there is no article here, it should read 'A son of God', and 
as Nebuchadnezzar would know nothing of New Testament 
revelation, he is describing a superhuman being, or an angel.  The 
one thing that remains throughout the ages is the presence and 
power of the Lord.  These men may not escape the fire, but this 
pagan monarch will have to testify: 'they have no hurt'.

        '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.

         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.

        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 O there is no 
other god that can deliver after this sort' (verses 26-29).

        So the mighty, autocratic heathen ruler of the earth was 
brought to his knees, and blessed the God Who delivered His 
faithful servants.  The series of confessions by this mighty ruler 
shows a growing realization of the One True God.

N.J.DREDGE