The Alamo- 13 days in San Antonio from February 23 – March 6, 1836. Around 180-260 men would
fight against a superior force of around 1,800. At one point legend has it that
Col. William Travis supposedly
drew a line in the
ground and asked those willing to die for the Texan cause to cross
and stand alongside him. He did write the following words, “I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible &
die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of
his country. VICTORY OR DEATH.” We are also called to stand.
We are commanded to take a stand as
well.
Ephesians 6:11 ( ESV )
Daniel 3:1 ( ESV )
1King
Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits£ and its breadth six cubits. He
set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
·
King Neb. Was the king of the Baby. Empire
during this time. They had conquered Israel and now some of their brightest
young men and women are there captives. The Israelites were now the minority.
(Picture of the world system where we as Christians are the minority as well.)
·
Why Gold? Have to look back to Daniel 2:31-35 to see the significance of this.
(Background) I believe that Neb’s pride took over and he was telling God your
right my kingdom is majestic but it will remain forever. A true mark of the
Anti-Christ is that he will be marked by being a man of pride.
·
Height-90 feet high and 30 feet wide. So on
this plain of Dura it could be seen far and wide. (Driving in Kansas and
Nebraska and seeing objects in the distance.)
Daniel 3:2 ( ESV )
2Then
King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the
governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and
all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that
King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
·
Gathered-He had first of all gathered all of
his officials from the most powerful to the least. Almost like Stalin, Are you
for me or against me?
Daniel 3:3 ( ESV )
3Then
the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers,
the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered
for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they
stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
·
They
have all come to obey the king. Think of the multitudes that were gathered
around that image. (In man’s view they were the all wise, the powerful and thinkers of their day. They
gathered around this image that was probably in human form.)
Daniel 3:4 ( ESV )
·
Command-No
options.
·
People’s-A
very cosmopolitan group. People from every nation and tribe. Picture again of
the world wide church?
Daniel 3:5 ( ESV )
5that
when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and
every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that
King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
·
Forced
state religion upon the people. The Anti-Christ Rev. 13.
Just the enormity of the sounds overflowing you. Instruments calling the people
to worship. WHAT ABOUT THE VOICES AROUND US CALLING US TO FORGET OUR GOD.
·
Fall
down-To bow or to make one’s self low. This was to only to be done to God.
Daniel 3:6 ( ESV )
6And
whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning
fiery furnace.”
·
Punishment
by fire. The furnace-More than likely tunnel shaped at the top flowing
into a dome which was supported by columns.
Daniel 3:7 ( ESV )
7Therefore,
as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon,
harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages
fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
·
All
the people-Like sheep of a different “god.”
Their faith was based upon their circumstances or the crowd. Think about
it they all followed probably different
“gods” but now Neb. Ruled over all of them at the threat of death.
Daniel 3:8 ( ESV )
·
Chaldeans
were probably astrologers who were priest of Bel. Their motive was that of
jealousy. How dare these go against the king. (Remember, the boys had a high
position within the land.) Note the term Jews used here, their hatred was
directed to these people just like those of today.
Daniel 3:9-12 ( ESV )
10You, O king, have made a decree,
that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp,
bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.
12There are certain Jews whom you
have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve
your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
·
Shall
be cast-Wants to remind the king of his words and his DUTY to keep those words.
Once again calls them certain Jews. It was YOUR APPOINTMENT.
·
Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego-There Hebrew names were changed to to Baby. gods. Shadrach’s name was Hannaniah meaning the
Lord is Gracious. Meshach’s name was Mishael or Who is like the Lord? Abednego
was Azariah which meant The Lord is my helper. They could change their names
but not their hearts.
·
Pay
no attention-False accusations.
·
Do
not serve your gods-True but they would violate the commandments the True God
gave them. You could hear their accusers say, “It was not right for their
leaders to act this way.”
Daniel 3:13-15 ( ESV )
13Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious
rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought
these men before the king.
14Nebuchadnezzar answered and said
to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve
my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
15Now
if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp,
bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I
have made, well and good.£ But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a
burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my
hands?”
·
Furious
rage-He had lost all control. It was uncontrolled to the point of murder. (Many
will mock or even become furious over our faith.)
·
Well
and good-I am a reasonable man and will give you another opportunity “to do
right.”
·
What
god-He is about to find out there is a supreme God. He will save them. He had
already forgotten what he had said in 2:47 “Truly your God is the God of Gods, the Lord over
kings.” It was words and would not be true for him until chapter 4 when he
would finally humble himself. His answer here would have been there is NO ONE.
THE BOYS REPLY
Daniel 3:16-18 ( ESV )
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you
in this matter.
17If this 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.£
18But
if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship
the golden image that you have set up.”
·
No
need-Some questions don’t even deserve an answer because there is such a God.
·
We
serve-We are going to keep on serving this God no matter what.
·
He is
able to DELIEVER US-They knew this because of the Word of God. He delivered the
people of Israel from Egypt. He gave them the land through Joshua. He Delivered
them through the Judges. He has delivered us from Hell and the power of sin
through His Son.
·
But
THE NEXT PHRASE IS THE KEY TO THE PASSAGE. BUT IF NOT, BE IT KNOWN TO YOU, O
KING THAT WE WILL NOT SERVE YOUR gods or worship the golden image that you have
set up.
·
This
is TOTAL ABANDONMENT TO GOD. We will not bow down.
We
applaud and rightly so this type of faith even to the point of death but what
about us? Do we have a faith that will
stand up against the evils of this day? Sex, alcohol, language, popularity,
being the cool parent. If we fail here why do we think we would be able to take
this kind of stand?
Daniel 3:19 ( ESV )
19Then
Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven
times more than it was usually heated.
·
Filled
with fury-remember we are the minority be prepared when you stand for ALL HELL
TO BREAK LOSE UPON YOU.
·
7
times-Probably not a gauge but the idea is to the extreme. (7 represents
completion0
Daniel 3:20-23 ( ESV )
20And he ordered some of the mighty
men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into
the burning fiery furnace.
21Then these men were bound in their
cloaks, their tunics,£ their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into
the burning fiery furnace.
22Because the king’s order was
urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who
took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
·
Before
we go any further remember this no matter what happens VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN
WON.
·
Probably
went up some kind of ramp and as they were thrown into the flames the men who
threw them in were incinerated. I can only imagine what they must have thought
when they were being tossed in. (Father into your hands do I commit my spirit.)
Daniel 3:24-25 ( ESV )
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was
astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not
cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True,
O king.”
25He answered and said, “But I see
four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and
the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
·
His
anger so furious other versions put in He was watching. He wanted to take
delight in burning them to death and their suffering. (Probably a window on the
furnace.
·
4 men
unbound-Not suffering but walking in the midst of it all. The fourth had to him
like the appearance of a god. (It was probably Jesus in the fire. God will walk
with us when we go through the fires in our lives. He will protect us.)
Daniel 3:26-27 ( ESV )
26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to
the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
27And the satraps, the prefects, the
governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire
had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was
not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon
them.
·
Come
out-They probably could have stayed in there even longer if it were not for the
king’s command. Supernatural deliverance-1) No power over their bodies. 2) Hair
not singed. 3) Cloaks not harmed. 4) Not
even the smell of fire upon them.
Daniel 3:28-30 ( ESV )
28Nebuchadnezzar answered and said,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel
and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside£ the king’s command, and yielded
up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.
29Therefore I make a decree: Any
people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in
ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
·
They
had trusted him even to the point of death for they would not worship any other
God.
·
Torture
awaited any who said anything against their God. (A picture of what happens to
those who refuse Christ as they will face the fires of Hell.
·
Promoted-A
picture of the rewards who have put their faith in Christ.
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