D
A N I E L
CHAP. III.
In
the close of the foregoing chapter we left Daniel's companions, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, in honour and power, princes of the provinces, and
preferred for their relation to the God of Israel and the interest they had in
him. I know not whether I should say. It were well if this honour had all the
saints. No, there are many whom it would not be good for; the saints' honour
is reserved for another world. But here we have those same three men as much
under the king's displeasure as when they were in his favour, and yet more
truly, more highly, honoured by their God than there they were honoured by
their prince, both by the grace wherewith he enabled them rather to suffer
than to sin and by the miraculous and glorious deliverance which he wrought
for them out of their sufferings. It is a very memorable story, a glorious
instance of the power and goodness of God, and a great encouragement to the
constancy of his people in trying times. The apostle refers to it when he
mentions, among the believing heroes, those who by faith "quenched the
violence of fire," Heb. xi. 34. We have here, I. Nebuchadnezzar's
erecting and dedicating a golden image, and his requiring all his subjects, of
what rank or degree soever, to fall down and worship it, and the general
compliance of his people with that command, ver. 1-7. II. Information given
against the Jewish princes for refusing to worship this golden image, ver.
8-12. III. Their constant persisting in that refusal, notwithstanding his rage
and menaces, ver. 13-18. IV. The casting of them into the fiery furnace for
their refusal, ver. 19-23. V. Their miraculous preservation in the fire by the
power of God, and their invitation out of the fire by the favour of the king,
who was by this miracle convinced of his error in casting them in, ver. 24-27.
VI. The honour which the king gave to God hereupon, and the favour he showed
to those faithful worthies, ver. 28-30.
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Nebuchadnezzar's
Golden Image.
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B.
C. 587.
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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. 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.
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. 4 Then a 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 music, 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.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the
nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
We have no certainty concerning the date of this story, only that if this
image, which Nebuchadnezzar dedicated, had any relation to that which he
dreamed of, it is probable that it happened not long after that; some reckon
it to be about the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar, a year before Jehoiachin's
captivity, in which Ezekiel was carried away. Observe,
I. A golden image set up to be worshipped. Babylon was full of idols
already, yet nothing will serve this imperious prince but they must have one
more; for those who have forsaken the one only living God, and begin to set up
many gods, will find the gods they set up so unsatisfying, and their desire
after them so insatiable, that they will multiply them without measure, wander
after them endlessly, and never know when they have sufficient. Idolaters are
fond of novelty and variety. They choose new gods. Those that have many
will wish to have more. Nebuchadnezzar the king, that he might exert the
prerogative of his crown, to make what god he thought fit, set up this
image, v. 1. Observe, 1. The valuableness of it; it was an
image of gold, not all gold surely; rich as he was, it is probable that he
could not afford that, but overlaid with gold. Note, The worshippers of false
gods are not wont to mind charges in setting up images and worshipping them;
they lavish gold out of the bag for that purpose (Isa. xlvi. 6), which
shames our niggardliness in the worship of the true God. 2. The vastness of
it; it was threescore cubits high and six cubits broad. It exceeded the
ordinary stature of a man fifteen times (for that is reckoned but four cubits,
or six feet), as if its being monstrous would make amends for its being
lifeless. But why did Nebuchadnezzar set up this image? Some suggest that it
was to clear himself from the imputation of having turned a Jew, because he
had lately spoken with great honour of the God of Israel and had preferred
some of his worshippers. Or perhaps he set it up as an image of himself, and
designed to be himself worshipped in it. Proud princes affected to have divine
honours paid them; Alexander did so, pretending himself to be the son of
Jupiter Olympius. He was told that in the image he had seen in his dream he
was represented by the head of gold, which was to be succeeded by
kingdoms of baser metal; but here he sets up to be himself the whole image,
for he makes it all of gold. See here, (1.) How the good impressions that were
then made upon him were quite lost, and quickly. He then acknowledged that the
God of Israel is of a truth a God of gods and a Lord of kings;
and yet now, in defiance of the express law of that God, he sets up an image
to be worshipped, not only continues in his former idolatries, but contrives
new ones. Note, Strong convictions often come short of a sound conversion.
Many a pang have owned the absurdity and dangerousness of sin, and yet have
gone on in it. (2.) How that very dream and the interpretation of it, which
then made such good impressions upon him, now had a quite contrary effect.
Then it made him fall down as a humble worshipper of God; now it made him set
up for a bold competitor with God. Then he thought it a great thing to be the
golden head of the image, and owned himself obliged to God for it; but, his
mind rising with his condition, now he thinks that too little, and, in
contradiction to God himself and his oracle, he will be all in all.
II. A general convention of the states summoned to attend the solemnity of the
dedication of this image, v. 2, 3. Messengers are despatched to all
parts of the kingdom to gather together the princes, dukes, and lords,
all the peers of the realm, with all officers civil and military, the
captains and commanders of the forces, the judges, the treasurers or
general receivers, the counsellors, and the sheriffs, and all the
rulers of the provinces; they must all come to the dedication of this
image upon pain and peril of what shall fall thereon. He summons the great
men, for the great honour of his idol; it is therefore mentioned to the glory
of Christ that kings shall bring presents unto him. If he can bring
them to pay homage to his golden image, he doubts not but the inferior people
will follow of course. In obedience to the king's summons all the magistrates
and officers of that vast kingdom leave the services of their particular
countries, and come to Babylon, to the dedication of this golden image; long
journeys many of them took, and expensive ones, upon a very foolish errand;
but, as the idols are senseless things, such are the worshippers.
III. A proclamation made, commanding all manner of persons present before the
image, upon the signal given, to fall down prostrate, and worship the image,
under the style and title of The golden image which Nebuchadnezzar the king
has set up. A herald proclaims this aloud throughout this vast assembly of
grandees, with their numerous train of servants and attendants, and a great
crowd of people, no doubt, that were not sent for; let them all take notice,
1. That the king does strictly charge and command all manner of persons to
fall down and worship the golden image; whatever other gods they
worship at other times, now they must worship this. 2. That they must all do
this just at the same time, in token of their communion with each other in
this idolatrous service, and that, in order hereunto, notice shall be given by
a concert of music, which would likewise serve to adorn the solemnity and to
sweeten and soften the minds of those that were loth to yield and bring them
to comply with the king's command. This mirth and gaiety in the worship would
be very agreeable to carnal sensual minds, that are strangers to that
spiritual worship which is due to God who is a spirit.
IV. The general compliance of the assembly with this command, v. 7.
They heard the sound of the musical instruments, both wind-instruments and
hand-instruments, the cornet and flute, with the harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and dulcimer, the melody of which they thought was
ravishing (and fit enough it was to excite such a devotion as they were then
to pay), and immediately they all, as one man, as soldiers that are wont to be
exercised by beat of drum, all the people, nations, and languages, fell
down and worshipped the golden image. And no marvel when it was
proclaimed, That whosoever would not worship this golden image should
be immediately thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, ready
prepared for that purpose, v. 6. Here were the charms of music to
allure them into a compliance and the terrors of the fiery furnace to frighten
them into a compliance. Thus beset with temptation, they all yielded. Note,
That way that sense directs the most will go; there is nothing so bad which
the careless world will not be drawn to by a concert of music, or driven to by
a fiery furnace. And by such methods as these false worship has been set up
and maintained.
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The
Hebrew Princes Accused; Fortitude of the Jewish Princes.
B. C. 587.
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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 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 Abednego; 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 Abednego, 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 music, 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?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.
It was strange that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would be present at this
assembly, when, it is likely, they knew for what intent it was called
together. Daniel, we may suppose, was absent, either his business calling him
away or having leave from the king to withdraw, unless we suppose that he
stood so high in the king's favour that none durst complain of him for his
noncompliance. But why did not his companions keep out of the way? Surely
because they would obey the king's orders as far as they could, and would be
ready to bear a public testimony against this gross idolatry. They did not
think it enough not to bow down to the image, but, being in office, thought
themselves obliged to stand up against it, though it was the image which the
king their master set up, and would be a golden image to those that worshipped
it. Now,
I. Information is brought to the king by certain Chaldeans against
these three gentlemen that they did not obey the king's edict, v. 8.
Perhaps these Chaldeans that accused them were some of those magicians or
astrologers that were particularly called Chaldeans (ch. ii.
2, 4) who bore a grudge to Daniel's companions for his sake, because he had
eclipsed them, and so had these companions. They by their prayers had obtained
the mercy which saved the lives of these Chaldeans, and, behold, how they
requite them evil for good! for their love they are their adversaries. Thus
Jeremiah stood before God, to speak good for those who afterwards dug
a pit for his life, Jer. xviii. 20. We must not think it strange if we
meet with such ungrateful men. Or perhaps they were such of the Chaldeans as
expected the places to which they were advanced, and envied them their
preferments; and who can stand before envy ? They appeal to the king
himself concerning the edict, with all due respect to his majesty, and the
usual compliment, O king! live forever (as if they aimed at nothing but
his honour, and to serve his interest, when really they were putting him upon
that which would endanger the ruin of him and his kingdom); they beg leave, 1.
To put him in mind of the law he had lately made, That all manner of persons,
without exception of nation or language, should fall down and worship this
golden image; they put him in mind also of the penalty which by the law
was to be inflicted upon recusants, that they were to be cast into the
midst of the burning fiery furnace, v. 10, 11. It cannot be denied
but that this was the law; whether a righteous law or no ought to be
considered. 2. To inform him that these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, had not conformed to this edict, v. 12. It is probable that
Nebuchadnezzar had no particular design to ensnare them in making the law, for
then he would himself have had his eye upon them, and would not have needed
this information; but their enemies, that sought an occasion against them,
laid hold on this, and were forward to accuse them. To aggravate the matter,
and incense the king the more against them, (1.) They put him in mind of the
dignity to which the criminals had been preferred. Though they were Jews,
foreigners, captives, men of a despised nation and religion, yet the king had set
them over the affairs of the province of Babylon. It was therefore very
ungrateful, and an insufferable piece of insolence, for them to disobey the
king's command, when they had shared so much of the king's favour. And,
besides, the high station they were in would make their refusal the more
scandalous; it would be a bad example, and have a bad influence upon others;
and therefore it was necessary that it should be severely animadverted upon.
Thus princes that are incensed enough against innocent people commonly have
but too many about them who do all they can to make them worse. (2.) They
suggest that it was done maliciously, contumaciously, and in contempt of him
and his authority: "They have set no regard upon thee; for they serve
not the gods which thou servest, and which thou requirest them to serve,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
II. These three pious Jews are immediately brought before the king, and
arraigned and examined upon this information. Nebuchadnezzar fell into a great
passion, and in his rage and fury commanded them to be seized, v.
13. How little was it the honour of this mighty prince that he had rule over
so many nations when at the same time he had no rule over his own spirit,
that there were so many who were subjects and captives to him when he was
himself a perfect slave to his own brutish passions and led captive by them!
How unfit was he to rule reasonable men who could not himself be ruled by
reason! It needed not be a surprise to him to hear that these three men did
not now serve his gods, for he knew very well they never had served them, and
that their religion, which they had always adhered to, forbade them to do it.
Nor had he any reason to think that they designed any contempt of his
authority, for they had in all instances shown themselves respectful and
dutiful to him as their prince. But it was especially unseasonable at this
time, when he was in the midst of his devotions, dedicating his golden image,
to be in such a rage and fury, and so much to discompose himself. The discretion
of a man, one would think, should at least have deferred this anger.
True devotion calms the spirit, quiets and meekens it; but superstition, and a
devotion to false gods, inflame men's passions, inspire them with rage, and
fury, and turn them into brutes. The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a
lion; so was the wrath of this king; and yet, when he was in such a heat,
these three men were brought before him, and appeared with an undaunted
courage, and unshaken constancy.
III. The case is laid before them in short, and it is put to them whether they
will comply or no. 1. The king asked them whether it was true that they had
not worshipped the golden image when others did, v. 14. "Is it
of purpose?" so some read it. "Was it designedly and
deliberately done, or was it only through inadvertency, that you have not served
my gods? What! you that I have nourished and brought up, that have been
educated and maintained at my charge, that I have been so kind to and done so
much for, you that have been in such reputation for wisdom, and therefore
should better have known your duty to your prince; what! do not you serve
my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up?" Note, The
faithfulness of God's servants to him has often been the wonder of their
enemies and persecutors, who think it strange that they run not with
them to the same excess of riot. 2. He was willing to admit them to a new
trial; if they did on purpose not do it before, yet, it may be, upon second
thoughts, they will change their minds; it is therefore repeated to them upon
what terms they now stand, v. 15. (1.) The king is willing that music
shall play again, only for their sakes, to soften them into a compliance; and
if they will not, like the deaf adder, stop their ears, but will hearken to
the voice of the charmers and will worship the golden image, well and
good; their former omission shall be pardoned. But, (2.) The king is resolved,
if they persist in their refusal, that they shall immediately be cast into
the fiery furnace, and shall not have so much as an hour's reprieve. Thus
does the matter lie in a little compass--Turn, or burn; and, because he
knew they buoyed themselves up in their refusal with a confidence in their
God, he insolently set him a defiance: "And who is that God that shall
deliver you out of my hands? Let him, if he can." Now he forgot what
he himself once owned, that their God was a God of gods and a Lord
of kings, ch. ii. 47. Proud men are still ready to say, as Pharaoh,
Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? or, as Nebuchadnezzar,
Who is the Lord, that I should fear his power?
IV. They give in their answer, which they all agree in, that they still adhere
to their resolution not to worship the golden image, v. 16-18. We have
here such an instance of fortitude and magnanimity as is scarcely to be
paralleled. We call these the three children (and they were indeed young
men), but we should rather call them the three champions, the first
three of the worthies of God's kingdom among men. They did
not break out into any intemperate heat or passion against those that did
worship the golden image, did not insult or affront them; nor did they rashly
thrust themselves upon the trial, or go out of their way to court martyrdom;
but, when they were duly called to the fiery trial, they acquitted themselves
bravely, with a conduct and courage that became sufferers for so good a cause.
The king was not so daringly bad in making this idol, but they were as
daringly good in witnessing against it. They keep their temper admirably well,
do not call the king a tyrant or an idolater (the cause of God needs not the
wrath of man), but, with an exemplary calmness and sedateness of mind, they
deliberately give in their answer, which they resolve to abide by. Observe,
1. Their gracious and generous contempt of death, and the noble negligence
with which they look upon the dilemma that they are put to: O
Nebuchadnezzar! we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. They do
not in sullenness deny him an answer, nor stand mute; but they tell him that
they are in no care about it. There needs not an answer (so some read
it); they are resolved not to comply, and the king is resolved they shall die
if they do not; the matter therefore is determined, and why should it be
disputed? But it is better read, "We want not an answer for thee,
nor have it to seek, but come prepared." (1.) They needed no time to
deliberate concerning the matter of their answer; for they did not in the
least hesitate whether they should comply or no. It was a matter of life and
death, and one would think they might have considered awhile before they had
resolved; life is desirable, and death is dreadful. But when the sin and duty
that were in the case were immediately determined by the letter of the second
commandment, and no room was left to question what was right, the life and
death that were in the case were not to be considered. Note, Those that would
avoid sin must not parley with temptation. When that which we are allured or
affrighted to is manifestly evil the motion is rather to be rejected with
indignation and abhorrence than reasoned with; stand not to pause about it,
but say, as Christ has taught us, Get thee behind me, Satan. (2.) They
needed no time to contrive how they should word it. While they were
advocates for God, and were called out to witness in his cause, they doubted
not but it should be given them in that same hour what they should speak,
Matt. x. 19. They were not contriving an evasive answer, when a direct answer
was expected from them; no, nor would they seem to court the king not to
insist upon it. Here is nothing in their answer that looks like compliment;
they begin not, as their accusers did, with, O king! live for ever, no
artful insinuation, ad captandam benevolentiam--to put him into a good
humour, but every thing that is plain and downright: O Nebuchadnezzar! we
are not careful to answer thee. Note, Those that make their duty their
main care need not be careful concerning the event.
2. Their believing confidence in God and their dependence upon him, v.
17. It was this that enabled them to look with so much contempt upon death,
death in pomp, death in all its terrors: they trusted in the living God, and
by that faith chose rather to suffer than to sin; they therefore feared not
the wrath of the king, but endured, because by faith they had an eye to him
that is invisible (Heb. xi. 25, 27): "If it be so, if we are
brought to this strait, if we must be thrown into the fiery furnace unless we
serve thy gods, know then," (1.) "That though we worship not thy
gods yet we are not atheists; there is a God whom we can call ours, to
whom we faithfully adhere." (2.) "That we serve this God; we have
devoted ourselves to his honour; we employ ourselves in his work, and depend
upon him to protect us, provide for us, and reward us." (3.) "That
we are well assured that this God is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace; whether he will or no, we are sure that he can either
prevent our being cast into the furnace or rescue us out of it." Note,
The faithful servants of God will find him a Master able to bear them out in
his service, and to control and overrule all the powers that are armed against
them. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst. (4.) "That we have reason to
hope he will deliver us," partly because, in such a vast
appearance of idolaters, it would be very much for the honour of his great
name to deliver them, and partly because Nebuchadnezzar had defied him to do
it--Who is that God that shall deliver you? God sometimes appears
wonderfully for the silencing of the blasphemies of the enemy, as well as for
the answering of the prayers of his people, Ps. lxxiv. 18-22; Deut. xxxii. 27.
"But, if he do not deliver us from the fiery furnace, he will deliver
us out of thy hand." Nebuchadnezzar can but torment and kill the
body, and after that, there is no more that he can do; then they are got out
of his reach, delivered out of his hand. Note, Good thoughts of God, and a
full assurance that he is with us while we are with him, will help very much
to carry us through sufferings; and, if he be for us, we need not fear what
man can do unto us; let him do his worst. God will deliver us either from
death or in death.
3. Their firm resolution to adhere to their principles, whatever might be the
consequence (v. 18): "But, if not, though God should not
think fit to deliver us from the fiery furnace (which yet we know he can do),
if he should suffer us to fall into thy hand, and fall by thy hand, yet
be it known unto thee, O king! we will not serve these gods, though
they are thy gods, nor worship this golden image, though thou thyself
hast set it up." They are neither ashamed nor afraid to own their
religion, and tell the king to his face that they do not fear him, they will
not yield to him; had they consulted with flesh and blood, much might have
been said to bring them to a compliance, especially when there was no other
way of avoiding death, so great a death. (1.) They were not required to
abjure their own God, or to renounce his worship, no, nor by any verbal
profession or declaration to own this golden image to be a god, but only to
bow down before it, which they might do with a secret reserve of their hearts
for the God of Israel, inwardly detesting this idolatry, as Naaman bowed in
the house of Rimmon. (2.) They were not to fall into a course of idolatry; it
was but one single act that was required of them, which would be done in a
minute, and the danger was over, and they might afterwards declare their
sorrow for it. (3.) The king that commanded it had an absolute power; they
were under it, not only as subjects, but as captives; and, if they did it, it
was purely by coercion and duress, which would serve to excuse them. (4.) He
had been their benefactor, had educated and preferred them, and in gratitude
to him they ought to go as far as they could, though it were to strain a
point, a point of conscience. (5.) They were now driven into a strange
country, and to those that were so driven out it was, in effect, said, Go,
and serve other gods, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19. It was taken for granted that in
their disposition they would serve other gods, and it was made a part
of the judgment, Deut. iv. 28. They might be excused if they should go down
the stream, when it is so strong. (6.) Did not their kings, and their princes,
and their fathers, yea, and their priests too, set up idols even in God's
temple, and worship them there, and not only bow down to them, but erect
altars, burn incense, and offer sacrifices, even their own children, to them?
Did not all the ten tribes, for many ages, worship gods of gold at Dan and
Bethel? And shall they be more precise than their fathers? Communis error
facit jus--What all do must be right. (7.) If they should comply,
they would save their lives and keep their places, and so be in a capacity to
do a great deal of service to their brethren in Babylon, and to do it long;
for they were young men, and rising men. But there is enough in that one word
of God wherewith to answer and silence these and many more such like carnal
reasonings: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to any images, nor worship
them. They know they must obey God rather than man; they must rather
suffer than sin, and must not do evil that good may come. And therefore none
of these things move them; they are resolved rather to die in their integrity
than live in their iniquity. While their brethren, who yet remained in their
own land, were worshipping images by choice, they in Babylon would not be
brought to it by constraint, but, as if they were good by antiperistasis,
were most zealous against idolatry in an idolatrous country. And truly, all
things considered, the saving of them from this sinful compliance was as great
a miracle in the kingdom of grace as the saving of them out of the fiery
furnace was in the kingdom of nature. These were those who formerly resolved
not to defile themselves with the king's meat, and now they as bravely
resolve not to defile themselves with his gods. Note, A stedfast self-denying
adherence to God and duty in less instances will qualify and prepare us for
the like in greater. And in this we must be resolute, never, under any
pretence whatsoever, to worship images, or to say "A confederacy"
with those that do so.
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The
Three Hebrews in the Furnace; Deliverance from the Furnace.
B. C. 587.
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19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and
the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: 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 Abednego, 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.
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 Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, 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. 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 Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth,
and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of
the midst of the fire. 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 a hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
In these verses we have,
I. The casting of these three faithful servants of God into the fiery furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar had himself known and owned so much of the true God that, one
would have thought, though his pride and vanity induced him to make this
golden image, and set it up to be worshipped, yet what these young men now
said (whom he had formerly found to be wiser than all his wise men) would
revive his convictions, and at least engage him to excuse them; but it proved
quite otherwise. 1. Instead of being convinced by what they said, he was
exasperated, and made more outrageous, v. 19. It made him full of
fury, and the form of his visage was changed against these men.
Note, Brutish passions the more they are indulged the more violent they grow,
and even change the countenance, to the great reproach of the wisdom and
reason of a man. Nebuchadnezzar, in this heat, exchanged the awful majesty of
a prince upon his throne, or a judge upon the bench, for the frightful fury of
a wild bull in a net. Would men in a passion but view their faces in a
glass, they would blush at their own folly and turn all their displeasure
against themselves. 2. Instead of mitigating their punishment, in
consideration of their quality and the posts of honour they were in, he
ordered it to be heightened, that they should heat the furnace seven times
more than it was wont to be heated for other malefactors, that is, that
they should put seven times more fuel to it, which, though it would not make
their death more grievous, but rather dispatch them sooner, was designed to
signify that the king looked upon their crime as seven times more heinous than
the crimes of others, and so made their death more ignominious. But God
brought glory to himself out of this foolish instance of the tyrant's rage;
for, though it would not have made their death the more grievous, yet it did
make their deliverance much the more illustrious. 3. He ordered them to be
bound in their clothes, and cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace,
which was done accordingly, v. 20, 21. They were bound, that they might
not struggle, or make any resistance, were bound in their clothes, for haste,
or that they might be consumed the more slowly and gradually. But God's
providence ordered it for the increase of the miracle, in that their clothes
were not so much as singed. They were bound in their coats or mantles,
their hosen or breeches, and their hats or turbans, as if, in
detestation of their crime, they would have their clothes to be burnt with
them. What a terrible death was this--to be cast bound into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace! v. 23. It makes one's flesh tremble to think
of it, and horror to take hold on one. It is amazing that the tyrant was so
hard-hearted as to inflict such a punishment, and that the confessors were so
stout-hearted as to submit to it rather than sin against God. But what is this
to the second death, to that furnace into which the tares shall be cast
in bundles, to that lake which burns eternally with fire and brimstone? Let
Nebuchadnezzar heat his furnace as hot as he can, a few minutes will finish
the torment of those who are cast into it; but hell-fire tortures and does not
kill. The pain of damned sinners is more exquisite, and the smoke of their
torment ascends for ever and ever, and those have no rest, no
intermission, no cessation of their pains, who have worshipped the beast
and his image (Rev. xiv. 10, 11), whereas their pain would be soon over
that were cast into this furnace for not worshipping this Babylonian beast and
his image. 4. It was a remarkable providence that the men, the mighty men,
that bound them, and threw them into the furnace, were themselves consumed or
suffocated by the flame, v. 22. The king's commandment was urgent,
that they should dispatch them quickly, and be sure to do it effectually; and
therefore they resolved to go to the very mouth of the furnace, that they
might throw them into the midst of it, but they were in such haste that
they would not take time to arm themselves accordingly. The apocryphal
additions to Daniel say that the flame ascended forty-nine cubits above the
mouth of the furnace. Probably God ordered it so that the wind blew it
directly upon them with such violence that it smothered them. God did thus
immediately plead the cause of his injured servants, and take vengeance for
them on their persecutors, whom he punished, not only in the very act of their
sin, but by it. But these men were only the instruments of cruelty; he that
bade them do it had the greater sin; yet they suffered justly for executing an
unjust decree, and it is very probable that they did it with pleasure and were
glad to be so employed. Nebuchadnezzar himself was reserved for a further
reckoning. There is a day coming when proud tyrants will be punished, not only
for the cruelties they have been guilty of, but for employing those about them
in their cruelties, and so exposing them to the judgments of God.
II. The deliverance of these three faithful servants of God out of the
furnace. When they were cast bound into the midst of that devouring fire we
might well conclude that we should hear no more of them, that their very bones
would be calcined; but, to our amazement, we here find that Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, are yet alive.
1. Nebuchadnezzar finds them walking in the fire. He was astonished, and
rose up in haste, v. 24. Perhaps the slaying of the men that
executed his sentence was that which astonished him, as well it might, for he
had reason to think his own turn would be next; or it was some unaccountable
impression upon his own mind that astonished him, and made him rise up in
haste, and go to the furnace, to see what had become of those he had cast into
it. Note, God can strike those with astonishment whose hearts are most
hardened both against him and against his people. He that made the soul can
make his sword to approach to it, even to that of the greatest tyrant. In his
astonishment he calls his counsellors about him, and appeals to them. Did
we not cast three men bound into the fire? It seems, it was done by order,
not only of the king, but of the council. They durst not but concur with him,
which he forced them to do, that they might share with him in the guilt and
odium? "True, O king!" say they; "we did order such an
execution to be done and it was done." "But now," says the
king, "I have been looking into the furnace, and I see four men,
loose, walking in the midst of the fire," v. 25. (1.) They
were loosed from their bonds. The fire that did not so much as singe their
clothes burnt the cords wherewith they were bound, and set them at liberty;
thus God's people have their hearts enlarged, through the grace of God, by
those very troubles with which their enemies designed to straiten and hamper
them. (2.) They had no hurt, made no complaint, felt no pain or uneasiness in
the least; the flame did not scorch them; the smoke did not stifle them; they
were alive and as well as ever in the midst of the flames. See how God of
nature can, when he pleases, control the powers of nature, to make them serve
his purposes. Now was fulfilled in the letter gracious promise (Isa. xliii.
2), When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither
shall the flame kindle upon thee. By faith they quench the violence of
the fire, quench the fiery darts of the wicked. (3.) They walked in the
midst of the fire. The furnace was large, so that they had room to walk;
they were unhurt, so that they were able to walk; their minds were easy, so
that they were disposed to walk, as in a paradise or garden of pleasure. Can
a man walk upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt? Prov. vi. 28. Yes,
they did it with as much pleasure as the king of Tyrus walked up and down
in the midst of his stones of fire, his precious stones that sparkled as
fire, Ezek. xxviii. 14. They were not striving to get out, finding themselves
unhurt; but, leaving it to that God who preserved them in the fire to bring
them out of it, they walked up and down in the midst of it unconcerned.
One of the apocryphal writings relates at large the prayer which Azariah, one
of the three, prayed in the fire (wherein he laments the calamities and
iniquities of Israel, and entreats God's favour to his people), and the song
of praise which they all three sang in the midst of the flames, in both which
there are remarkable strains of devotion; but we have reason to think, with
Grotius, that they were composed by some Jew of a later age, not as what were
used, but only as what might have been used, on this occasion, and therefore
we justly reject them as no part of holy writ. (4.) There was a fourth seen
with them in the fire, whose form, in Nebuchadnezzar's judgment, was like
the Son of God; he appeared as a divine person, a messenger from heaven,
not as a servant, but as a son. Like an angel (so some); and angels are
called sons of God, Job xxxviii. 7. In the apocryphal narrative of this
story it is said, The angel of the Lord came down into the furnace; and
Nebuchadnezzar here says (v. 28), God sent his angel and delivered
them; and it was an angel that shut the lions' mouths when Daniel was in
the den, ch. vi. 22. But some think it was the eternal Son of God, the
angel of the covenant, and not a created angel. He appeared often in our
nature before he assumed it in his incarnation, and never more seasonable, nor
to give a more proper indication and presage of his great errand into the
world in the fulness of time, than now, when, to deliver his chosen out of the
fire, he came and walked with them in the fire. Note, Those that suffer for
Christ have his gracious presence with them in their sufferings, even in the
fiery furnace, even in the valley of the shadow of death, and therefore even
there they need fear no evil. Hereby Christ showed that what is done
against his people he takes as done against himself; whoever throws them into
the furnace does, in effect, throw him in. I an Jesus, whom thou
persecutest, Isa. lxiii. 9.
2. Nebuchadnezzar calls them out of the furnace (v. 26): He comes
near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and bids them come
forth and come hither. Come forth, come (so some read it); he speaks with
a great deal of tenderness and concern, and stands ready to lend them his hand
and help them out. He is convinced by their miraculous preservation that he
did evil in casting them into the furnace; and therefore he does not thrust
them out privily; no verily, but he will come himself and fetch them out,
Acts xvi. 37. Observe the respectful title that he gives them. When he was in
the heat of his fury and rage against them it is probable that he called them
rebels, and traitors, and all the ill names he could invent; but now he owns
them for the servants of the most high God, a God who now appears able
to deliver them out of his hand. Note, Sooner or later, God will convince
the proudest of men that he is the most high God, and above them, and too hard
for them, even in those things wherein they deal proudly and presumptuously,
Exod. xviii. 11. He will likewise let them know are who his servants, and that
he owns them and will stand by them. Elijah prayed (1 Kings xviii. 36), Let
it be known that thou art God and that I am thy servant. Nebuchadnezzar
now embraces those whom he had abandoned, and is very officious about them,
now that he perceives them to be the favourites of Heaven. Note, What
persecutors have done against God's servants, when God opens their eyes, they
must as far as they can undo again. How the fourth, whose form was
like the Son of God, withdrew, and whether he vanished away or visibly
ascended, we are not told, but of the other three we are informed, (1.) That
they came forth out of the midst of the fire, as Abraham their father
out of Ur (that is, the fire) of the Chaldees, into which, says this
tradition of the Jews, he was cast, for refusing to worship idols, and out of
which he was delivered, as those his three children were. When they had
their discharge they did not tempt God by staying in any longer, but came
forth as brands out of the burning. (2.) That it was made to appear, to the
full satisfaction of all the amazed spectators, that they had not received the
least damage by the fire, v. 27. All the great men came together to
view them, and found that there was not so much as a hair of their head
singed. Here that was true in the letter which our Saviour spoke
figuratively, for an assurance to his suffering servants that they should
sustain no real damage (Luke xxi. 18), There shall not a hair of your head
perish. Their clothes did not so much as change colour, nor smell of fire,
much less were their bodies in the least scorched or blistered; no, the
fire had no power on them. The Chaldeans worshipped the fire, as a sort of
image of the sun, so that, in restraining the fire now, God put contempt, not
only upon their king, but upon their god too, and showed that his voice
divides the flames of fire as well as the floods of water (Ps. xxix. 7),
when he pleases to make a way for his people through the midst of it. It is
our God only that is the consuming fire (Heb. xii. 29); other fire, if
he but speak the word, shall not consume.
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Nebuchadnezzar
Gives Glory to God; Nebuchadnezzar Honours God.
B. C. 587.
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28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said,
Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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 Abednego, 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 Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
The strict observations that were made, super visum corporis--on inspecting
their bodies, by the princes and governors, and all the great men who were
present upon this public occasion, and who could not be supposed partial in
favour of the confessors, contributed much to the clearing of this miracle and
the magnifying of the power and grace of God in it. That indeed a notable
miracle has been done is manifest, and we cannot deny it, Acts iv. 16. Let
us now see what effect it had upon Nebuchadnezzar.
I. He gives glory to the God of Israel as a God able and ready to protect his
worshippers (v. 28): "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego. Let him have the honour both of the faithful allegiance
which his subjects bear to him and the powerful protection he grants to them,
neither of which can be paralleled by any other nation and their gods."
The king does himself acknowledge and adore him, and thinks it is fit that he
should be acknowledged and adored by all. Blessed be thee God of Shadrach.
Note, God can extort confessions of his blessedness even from those that have
been ready to curse him to his face. 1. He gives him the glory of his power,
that he was able to protect his worshippers against the most mighty and malign
ant enemies: There is no other God that can deliver after this sort (v.
29), no, not this golden image which he had set up. For this reason there was
no other god that obliged his worshippers to cleave to him only, and to suffer
death rather than worship any other, as the God of Israel did, for they could
not engage to bear them out in so doing, as he could. If God can work such
deliverance as no other can, he may demand such obedience as no other may. 2.
He gives him the glory of his goodness, that he was ready to do it (v.
28): He has sent his angel and delivered his servants. Bel could not
save his worshippers from being burnt at the mouth of the furnace, but the God
of Israel saved his from being burnt when they were cast into the midst of the
furnace because they refused to worship any other god. By this
Nebuchadnezzar was plainly given to understand that all the great success
which he had had, and should yet have, against the people of Israel, which he
gloried in, as he had therein overpowered the God of Israel, was owing purely to
their sin: if the body of that nation had faithfully adhered to their own
God and the worship of him only, as these three men did, they would all have
been delivered out of his hand as these three men were. And this was a
necessary instruction for him at this time.
II. He applauds the constancy of these three men in their religion, and
describes it to their honour, v. 28. Though he is not himself persuaded
to own their God for his and to worship him, because, if he do so, he knows he
must worship him only and renounce all others, and he calls him the God of
Shadrach, not my God, yet he commends them for cleaving to him, and
not serving nor worshipping any other God but their own. Note, There
are many who are not religious themselves, and yet will own that those are
clearly in the right that are religious and are stedfast in their religion.
Though they are not themselves persuaded to close with it, they will commend
those who, having closed with it, cleave to it. If men have given up their
names to that God who will alone be served, let them keep to their principles,
and serve him only, whatever it cost them. Such a constancy in the true
religion will turn to men's praise, even among those that are without, when
unsteadiness, treachery, and double dealing, are what all men will cry shame
on. He commends them that they did this, 1. With a generous contempt of their
lives, which they valued not, in comparison with the favour of God and the
testimony of a good conscience. The yielded their own bodies to
be cast into the fiery furnace rather than they would not only not forsake
their God, but not affront him, by once paying that homage to any other which
is due to him alone. Note, Those shall have their praise, if not of men, yet
of God, who prefer their souls before their bodies, and will rather lose their
lives than forsake their God. Those know not the worth and value of religion
who do not think it worth suffering for. 2. They did it with a glorious
contradiction to their prince: They changed the king's word, that is,
they were contrary to it, and thereby put contempt upon both his precepts and
threatenings, and made him repent and revoke both. Note, Even kings themselves
must own that, when their commands are contrary to the commands of God, he is
to be obeyed and not they. (3.) They did it with a gracious confidence in
their God. They trusted in him that he would stand by them in what they
did, that he would either bring them out of the fiery furnace back to their
place on earth or lead them through the fiery furnace forward to their place
in heaven; and in this confidence they became fearless of the king's wrath and
regardless of their own lives. Note, A stedfast faith in God will produce a
stedfast faithfulness to God. Now this honourable testimony, thus publicly
borne by the king himself to these servants of God, we may well think, would
have a good influence upon the rest of the Jews that were, or should be,
captives in Babylon. Their neighbours could not with any confidence urge them
to do that, nor could they for shame do that, which their brethren were so
highly applauded by the king himself for not doing. Nay, and what God did for
these his servants would help not only to keep the Jews close to their
religion while they were in captivity, but to cure them of their inclination
to idolatry, for which end they were sent into captivity; and, when it had had
that blessed effect upon them, they might be assured that God would deliver
them out of that furnace, as now he delivered their brethren out of this.
III. He issues a royal edict, strictly forbidding any to speak evil of the God
of Israel, v. 29. We have reason to think that both the sins and the
troubles of Israel had given great occasion, though no just occasion, to the
Chaldeans to blaspheme the God of Israel, and, it is likely, Nebuchadnezzar
himself had encouraged it; but now, though he is no true convert, nor is
wrought upon to worship him, yet he resolves never to speak ill of him again,
nor to suffer others to do so: "Whoever shall speak any thing amiss,
any error (so some), or rather any reproach or blasphemy, whoever shall
speak with contempt of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they
shall be counted the worst of malefactors, and dealt with accordingly, they
shall be cut in pieces, as Agag was by the sword of Samuel, and their
houses shall be demolished and made a dunghill." The miracle now
wrought by the power of this God in defence of his worshippers, publicly in
the sight of the thousands of Babylon, was a sufficient justification of this
edict. And it would contribute much to the ease of the Jews in their captivity
to be by this law screened from the fiery darts of reproach and blasphemy,
with which otherwise they would have been continually annoyed. Note, It is a
great mercy to the church, and a good point gained, when its enemies though
they have not their hearts turned, yet have their mouths stopped and their
tongues tied. If a heathen prince laid such a restraint upon the proud lips of
blasphemers, much more should Christian princes do it; nay, in this thing, one
would think that men should be a law to themselves, and that those who have so
little love to God that they care not to speak well of him, yet could never
find in their hearts, for we are sure they could never find cause, to speak
any thing amiss of him.
IV. He not only reverses the attainder of these three men, but restores them
to their places in the government (makes them to prosper, so the word
is), and prefers them to greater and more advantageous trusts than they had
been in before: He promoted them in the province of Babylon, which was
much to their honour and the comfort of their brethren in captivity there.
Note, It is the wisdom of princes to prefer and employ men of stedfastness in
religion; for those are most likely to be faithful to them who are faithful to
God, and it is likely to be well with them when God's favourites are made
theirs.
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