“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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” (Daniel 3:16-18).

The very remarkable incident concerning the erection of Nebuchadnezzar’s great image of gold on the plain of Dura is explained by most writers to have occurred some years after Daniel had interpreted and made known the dream of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in the preceding chapter. The time, however, is not mentioned anywhere in the book, and there seems to be no authority either Scriptural or secular for fixing the date some sixteen years or more after Daniel interpreted the dream, as many have tried to do. Mr. Barnes, who expresses the thought of a number of writers, has said that it is impossible to determine the time with certainty, and that it is necessary to allow a period of sufficient length between the interpretation of the dream and the erection of his statue in order to account for what he thinks was a fact, namely the effacing from the mind of Nebuchadnezzar the favorable impression of the true God that was made by the dream. For this reason he says that when reading Chapters Two and Three we should bear the thought in mind that such an interval had elapsed, in order to get the right impression on this point.

Different views are also held respecting what this great golden image was designed by Nebuchadnezzar to represent. Some maintain that it was a statue of his father, and its erection and dedication expressed his desire that honor and worship be given to him. Others hold that it represented Nebuchadnezzar himself. Most writers have held that it was an image of the great idol god, Baal, and that the decree of Nebuchadnezzar was designed to compel his many subjects to worship this great idol deity. If this be the true interpretation of what Nebuchadnezzar had in mind, it surely would indicate that the favorable impression of the true God made upon him by Daniel’s interpretation of the dream, was entirely effaced.

In order to appreciate the view held by these writers we will need to recall that when Daniel interpreted the dream, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged Jehovah to be “a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,” and that he furthermore manifested his reverence for Him, and his desire to do Him honor, by falling upon his face before Daniel, and commanding that oblation and sweet odors should be offered to him (Daniel 2:46-48). All these writers are agreed that the erection of the golden image or statue by Nebuchadnezzar, and his worship of it, was an act of idolatry, and from this standpoint was a sure evidence that the impressions produced upon his mind concerning the true God had been lost and that he had relapsed entirely into heathenism.

We cannot but ask, Why is it necessary to believe this, especially since there is nothing whatever presented in the record that enables us to determine to whom this image was erected or what it was designed to commemorate? As the record is silent about the matter, it will be proper to inquire whether it may not be that there is another, and a more reasonable view, and one that is in harmony with other statements in the Book of Daniel indicating that Nebuchadnezzar’s reverence for the God of the Hebrews had not changed. In order to determine the facts it will be necessary to have an understanding of the Babylonian religion itself, the attitude of the Babylonians toward other religions, and the extent to which Nebuchadnezzar gave up his heathen ideas and accorded to Jehovah, the God of Daniel, honor and worship, on account of the dream.

Concerning these matters it will be sufficient to say that while the Babylonians were heathen idolaters, worshipers of many gods, they were not persecutors of others in religious matters. One, well able to express the truth concerning this matter, has said, “The universal maxim was that the gods of all nations were to be respected, and hence foreign gods might be introduced for worship, and respect paid to them, without in any degree detracting from the honor which was due to their own.” There is no reason to suppose that Nebuchadnezzar was converted from heathenism, or the worshipping of many gods, through the display of Jehovah’s power in making known his dream and its interpretation through Daniel. The truth of the matter is, he was led to acknowledge that among the many gods there existed the God of the Hebrews, and at the time, at least, he was convinced that the God of the Hebrews was superior to all other gods.

Having before our minds these facts, and considering also that there is nothing in the narrative that fixes the time of its occurrence, nothing that even intimates that this image was erected in honor of Nebuchadnezzar, of his father, or even of Baal, we are led to believe that there is a more plausible interpretation of this incident, an interpretation that gives us a more reasonable, correct, and Scriptural understanding of Nebuchadnezzar as a man. While he was an absolute, despotic monarch, and a heathen idolater, yet he had many superior traits of character for which writers generally fail to give him credit. When all the facts stated in the Scriptures about him are carefully considered, the following description of this great world monarch by an eminent writer will be admitted to be a fair and just statement of his character:

“I take Nebuchadnezzar to have been a man of a deeper, broader, and nobler nature than Napoleon Bonaparte. He was as great a warrior, and much greater emperor. He was a man of larger intelligence, of less selfishness, and of a much more generous and earnest mind. He was impulsive and hasty betimes, and even harsh, but his impulses were not mere passions, and were generally founded upon correct reasonings. He was quick in forming conclusions, and very firm in carrying them into effect. He mostly did his own thinking, and spoke and acted officially according to his own convictions, no matter against whom or what they went. He was a heathen potentate, absolute in his authority, but he had a deep religious sense, and was greatly influenced by it, and came the nearest to being a true servant of God of all the heathen kings of whom we have any account. When he beheld evidences of the presence and power of God, he noted them, acknowledged them, and fashioned his actions accordingly. He had a conscience, and a strong perception of honor, duty, and right.   When he beheld sham and falsehood, he was severe upon it. When he saw the Divine Hand, he bowed before it, and used his royal place and prerogatives to give others the benefit of what he himself knew and felt. When convinced that messengers of the Most High were before him, he honored them and gave glory to the God of heaven, and was not ashamed to make confession before all men of what his heart believed. He sometimes [as we shall see later] forgot himself in the midst of his greatness and glory, and took to himself honors which evinced an overweening pride; but when punished for it, he frankly confessed it, and proclaimed it to the whole empire, that men might know and fear the God of heaven. [See Chapter Four.] He never entirely let go the idolatry in which he was reared, but he never failed to hold and confess the infinite superiority of one God, even the God of heaven, over all the idol gods of his kingdom. He was not a saint, but he was nearer to being one than some who profess the true religion and have greater opportunities and fewer hindrances than he possessed.”

We now come to the consideration of what constitutes a reasonable, as well as a Scriptural explanation of what seems to have been in Nebuchadnezzar’s mind in the erection of this great golden image or statue, and the grandeur of the imposing ceremonies held in connection with its unveiling and dedication. The uppermost thought, it would seem, in the mind of the great monarch was to give honor to the God of heaven. He felt his indebtedness to Him, not only in connection with the dream and its interpretation, but also in connection with the fact which the dream had revealed — that the great God of heaven had honored him by giving him his vast empire.

That it was his desire to give honor to Daniel’s God, and that others of his great empire should do the same, is expressed by him in his own words in the preceding chapter, as we read: “Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.” The words that follow show that he ascribed the greatest possible honor to Daniel’s God, Jehovah, that could be expected of one of his heathen persuasion, as we read: “The king answered unto Daniel and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.” It would seem then that this incident of the erection of the golden image is closely associated with the event, indeed is the natural outcome of the great monarch’s dream and its interpretation.

There is nothing in the narrative that connects the unveiling of this image or statue with the worship of Baal, or any other of the Chaldean deities. The design, the erection, and the ceremonies associated with the dedication of this statue seem to have originated in Nebuchadnezzar’s own mind, and not in the minds of the Chaldean priests. Whatever it represented or whatever it was designed to honor, was evidently something altogether new to even the heathen worshipers. If it was designed, as in all probability it was, to give honor to a deity, that deity was a new, a wiser, a more sublime and powerful one than any of those known to him before.

The ceremonial worship connected with the unveiling of this golden image is clearly distinguished from the worship of the generally acknowledged deities of the Babylonians. The Chaldeans who made accusation of the three Hebrews, certainly make a distinction between whatever may be represented by this golden image and the other acknowledged deities, as we read: “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.” Nebuchadnezzar himself and likewise the three Hebrews make the same distinction (see verses 14,18). Furthermore, in connection with the worship of Baal and the other supposed deities of the Babylonians, there were special priests whose duties were to conduct the ceremonies associated with the worship, but there are none mentioned in the narrative as having anything to do with the novel ceremony of the unveiling of this golden image or statue.

A National Memorialization to the King of Heaven

The eminent writer already quoted has with good reason offered the following solution:

“As I read the narrative, this ‘image of gold’ and the extraordinary manner of its dedication, are vitally connected with the king’s vision, and related far more to the one Almighty God of Daniel than to any Chaldean deity. It was Nebuchadnezzar’s own original thought, suggested by the revelation that was vouchsafed to him from Jehovah, and meant to be an official and national memorialization of that Lord of kings, and revealer of secrets who had thus shown him the character, succession, and fate of all earthly empire. So far from being the result of a change in his mind and feelings, or an obliteration of his convictions as described in the preceding chapter, this whole business was the direct fruit of those convictions, and the way his heathen mind took to express and materialize what impressed him so profoundly. God had shown him a great, bright, and terrible image. He had learned from God’s unmistakable Prophet that it was a Divine symbol of God’s wisdom, power, and providence in the world, from his own empire to the end of time. It was so remarkable in itself, and so sublimely sacred in all its connections, relations, and impressiveness, that it was impossible that he should forget it, or that he should not think of making some memorial of it, particularly as it related, first of all, to himself and his own empire. He had felt it right and due that he should prostrate himself before that spirit of Almightiness which showed itself in his dream, and in the Prophet who had recovered and expounded that dream; and why should not all the heads of his kingdom be summoned to do the same? The thing was all mixed up with what we would expect in a vigorous heathen mind under such experiences and convictions; but it was a most natural outcome of a great, honest, and original thinker under the circumstances.  The figure he set up was not that God, but it was the materialization of the wonderful image which that God had shown him, and which was that God’s own symbol of His great power and administrations on the earth. Heathen as he was, how could he better memorialize this Jehovah-power than in Jehovah’s own picture of it, of which picture he himself and his empire were divinely said to be the golden head? And with the Jehovah-power thus memorialized after the fashion of its own showing to him in the dream what more natural than that all his empire, through its constituted representatives, ‘the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces,’ should be officially convened to witness the unveiling of the figure, and to go through the ceremony of falling down before it in lowly homage, as he himself had bowed before the spirit of that Jehovah-power in Daniel?

“This view of the case fully explains every particular in the record, and serves to show, not a debased and oblivious apostasy on the part of the honest-minded king, but that the impression the revelation made upon him became a living power in his soul, which set his great and original genius to work to bring his whole empire into some sort of official accord with it. It was neither the work of a fanatical zealot of Bel-Merodach, nor of a tool of envious idolaters, nor of an arbitrary despot capriciously bent on changing the religion of his empire, nor of a tyrannical and self-deifying egotist, nor of a weakling in the hands of a set of grasping Chaldean priests. On the contrary, it was the work of a great, deep-thinking, honest-minded, self-poised, and noble-meaning, imperial man, who had had a true, sublime, and unmistakable revelation from the God of heaven, and who, under the devout and powerful impulses which it engendered, yet not entirely released from his heathen methods of thinking, laid hold upon his vast authority and riches to give what he regarded as a due and fitting national acknowledgment and memorial of the great Jehovah-power which had thus communicated with him. Hence this gigantic image of gold set up in a plain quite apart from the Chaldean temples. Hence the special, peculiar, and intensely national character of its dedication. Hence the novel ceremonies of the occasion, and the imperial decree that at the appointed signal every office-bearer in the realm should fall down in lowly adoration before it.

And hence, also, the very severe penalty fore-announced to come upon any one who should refuse to acknowledge and adore that Jehovah-power under the symbol which that Power had shown him in the vision.

“In this view of the matter we are not only obliged to modify our judgment of the king’s character, so as to give him far higher credit than that which results from the current representations, but the same goes a great way toward his justification in the severity he used in enforcing obedience to his decree.

“Under the clear and full light of revelation and the Divine institutes, which Nebuchadnezzar did not have, it is very plain that he made a great mistake, which can by no means be justified or excused on Biblical grounds; but the mistake was in the methods and not in the motives. It was the mistake of defective education, not of intent. He meant it honestly, to acknowledge and glorify that very God of heaven, who had so remarkably communicated with him. He intended that his empire, through all its assembled representatives, should thus acknowledge that God in a tangible copy of the image given in the dream. All the depths of his religious nature, experiences, and convictions would thus rise up to insist upon the duty and propriety of compliance with what he had so devoutly and honestly arranged and commanded. Was not the God over all gods and the Lord over all kings, who had so fully demonstrated His living power and purposes, to be reverently confessed by all lords and rulers? Was not that image the very likeness of that in which Jehovah had symbolized His Divine power and providence? Had not the king had ample proof that this God is God of gods and Lord of kings? Was it not right therefore, that every officer of the realm should be required to give this token of reverent acknowledgment to Him?

“Besides, taking this figure as the materialization of the great image of the king’s inspired dream, there was to him a very sacred identification of himself and his dominion with it. According to the Prophet’s explanation of the vision, that gold represented Nebuchadnezzar, and his divinely authenticated rule and authority. To refuse obedience to his commands concerning it therefore took on something of the element of treason and rebellion, not only to Nebuchadnezzar’s authority, but likewise to that very Divinity which had so marvelously endorsed his sovereignty as given of God, who, by His own Divine presentations, had inseparably connected it with the image the king had thus materialized. Not to obey his solemn and devoutly intended command would thus necessarily present itself to him as a very great wickedness — a stab at divinely authenticated sovereignty — a setting at naught of the very golden head of all divinely invested kings — a casting of contempt upon the most serious and sacredly founded undertakings of his life, as well as a criminal light-making of all the sacred experiences, convictions, and devout intentions of his Imperial Highness. Under such circumstances the man would not have been a man, or at all up to the requirements of the situation, or entitled to the ordinary credit of sincerity and sensibility as an administrator of the government, if he had affixed no stern penalties to a disregard of his orders, or only connived at the transgression of them. If his foundation was wrong, his reasoning was right. Even our own free government permits no man to take office under it without oath on the Holy Testaments of God or solemn affirmation and appeal to the Almighty Lord of all, and annexes very rigid penalties to the violation of the same. From Nebuchadnezzar’s standpoint it was but right, and no tyrannical harshness, that he should insist on punishing capitally whosoever should refuse the homage which he exacted. The fault was not in the exaction, but in the heathen error of undertaking to materialize Divine things” (Joseph Seiss).

Nebuchadnezzar and the Three Hebrew Worthies

The day came at length when the ceremonies associated with the dedication of Nebuchadnezzar’s great image, column, or statue, were due to take place. That it was a most important day to the king is apparent from the fact that he summoned by proclamation his subordinate rulers, great and small, from every part of his vast empire. Indeed, it would seem that it was one of the great events connected with his career as a world monarch. Among those who came in obedience to the summons were the three young Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the same ones who had been honored by Nebuchadnezzar on the occasion of the interpretation of his dream, by being appointed to positions of trust in connection with the administration of the empire.

The question very naturally arises, Where was Daniel at this time? The record is altogether silent about this matter. We are very sure, however, that had he been present and been placed under the same circumstances, he would have stood firmly and unflinchingly beside his three companions. It would not have been consistent with his character for him to have done otherwise.

While it would seem, as we have endeavored to show, that the erection and dedication of the great statue was not designed to give honor to any of the gods of the Chaldeans, but rather to give honor to what would be considered by Nebuchadnezzar a new god, even the God of the Hebrews, nevertheless, all the ceremonies associated with the dedication would most naturally be observed according to the prevailing idolatrous heathen customs. Since the great monarch himself was a heathen idolater, it would be reasonable to suppose that all the ceremonies would be conducted in harmony with his religion. It had been announced by an appointed herald that when the bands of music should begin to sound their instruments, all the many thousands assembled should immediately prostrate themselves in worship before the great statue. This was Nebuchadnezzar’s way, and the heathen way of having all his subject rulers, the representatives of all his subjects, give honor to the new god. It may also have been designed by Nebuchadnezzar to impress upon the subjects of his empire that which was a fact — that he had been given this world-wide authority by the God of heaven, as expressed in the words of Daniel: “The God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all” (Daniel 2:37, 38).

On the part of the Babylonians there could be no religious scruples against a prompt compliance with the imperial edict. They believed in many gods, and it was their custom to make images to them, and bow down and worship before these various images and statues. The falling down before this new image was therefore not a matter of serious account to them, since it did not involve an abandonment of the gods they were already accustomed to worship. Even in Nebuchadnezzar’s case, from his heathen viewpoint it meant only the giving of honor to another god.

However this was not the case with the three Hebrews. From the standpoint of the law of Jehovah it was a very serious matter. The law of their God not only forbade them bowing down and worshipping any god but Jehovah, but also prohibited their making any image or likeness to Him; indeed, they were not allowed to make and bow down to any image or likeness of anything in heaven above or earth beneath. It would therefore be disobeying the plain command of Jehovah, to thus prostrate themselves before the golden image. To obey the edict of the king would be going against their own enlightened consciences. Even though the great monarch intended the whole ceremony to be in honor of the Hebrews’ God, and a public acknowledgment of the Jehovah-power, they still would be false to their religious principles if they should prostrate themselves before this great statue. A true Hebrew, faithful to his God, could no more bow down to an image erected to honor his own God, than he could bow down to the image of Baal or any other of the gods of the heathen. How then could it be otherwise than that when all the others of the assembled nobles and officeholders of the kingdom prostrated themselves adoringly before the great image-statue of gold, these three Hebrews remained standing? “They did not serve the false gods of their conquerors, and they would not now debauch themselves with a false worship, even of their own God.”

The temptation that was placed before these three young Hebrews, although not intended to be such by Nebuchadnezzar, was a very severe one; indeed more than severe — it was an extremely subtle one; and particularly was this so, since the great world monarch meant in this great dedication ceremonial, as it would seem, to do honor to the Jehovah-power as exhibited to him in making known and interpreting his dream. It was certainly a most remarkable concession, as well as an evidence of appreciation on the part of Nebuchadnezzar, to make an image or statue in honor of the God whom they served. It was an instance most rare in the annals of history.

If we are correct in thus interpreting this incident, it is very apparent that these three Hebrew worthies could not fail to see that from Nebuchadnezzar’s viewpoint this great festive occasion was a credit to them and their nation. On the part of the great monarch it would be simply giving expression, in his heathen way (and what more could be expected), of his recognition of that God who had made known to him his dream, and informed him, through the Prophet, that his power as a king was given to him by the God of Daniel — indeed that he himself was represented as the “head of gold.” Nebuchadnezzar had been very kind and generous to these three Hebrews. He had placed them in prominent places in his kingdom. From them surely he would expect nothing less than a glad obedience to his request.

It is hardly possible to overestimate how severe, how peculiar, how trying, and how subtle was the temptation to these Hebrews. We may be sure that they had an earnest desire to please the king. They could not be men, if it were otherwise. What then were they to do? How easy would it have been for them to have reasoned that no harm could be done by their going through the form of worship that the others of the great throng did! Why be so conspicuous? They might direct their thoughts while bowing down before the great image, to the God of heaven. They would not be idolaters, as were the others; and besides, think of what it meant to them to disobey the king’s decree. It could mean nothing less than a terrible death, unless their God would interpose. If they saved their lives, they might in the future be of some help to their brethren in captivity, as in all probability they had been in the past. Their refusal to obey Nebuchadnezzar would only have the effect of prejudicing him against their nation. It certainly was a trying position in which these young Hebrews found themselves. It seems very evident, however, that they had made up their minds what they should do, before they came, in obedience to the summons of the king to be present at the dedication services.

There were present in that vast assembly, certain envious Chaldeans who noted the conduct of the young Hebrews, and who doubtless were glad to have an opportunity to take advantage of their disobedience to the king’s decree, in order to give vent to their hatred and jealousy. It would seem proper to say that if these Chaldeans had been truly devoted to their own religion, they would have found no time to observe the attitude of these three Hebrews. These men were doubtless watching very closely the conduct of the young men, and were not surprised at their refusal to bow down before the great golden image. Under the cloak of a superior piety they went to Nebuchadnezzar and informed him of the refusal of the young men to obey his decree: “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.” We read that “Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.”

Some, without considering the matter carefully, would think it strange that Nebuchadnezzar could be so enraged against these young Hebrews under such peculiar circumstances. It should be kept in mind, however, that while Nebuchadnezzar was susceptible to deep religious impressions, he was a man of violent passions, easily excited to anger; and truly there was much in this particular case from his heathen viewpoint to arouse his anger. As a man and a monarch who was accustomed to having even his slightest command obeyed without a question, it is nothing to be wondered at that his wrath was kindled against these men. Had he not done them a great favor? Had he not honored them in the sight of all the noted men of his great empire? Was he not, in the very matter in which they manifested their disobedience, giving honor to their God? How, under such circumstances, could they refuse to comply with his command?

How strange their conduct must have seemed to him! It was a complete surprise. There was not in his mind the slightest thought but that they would gladly obey him — be pleased and delighted to engage in all the services, and enter fully into the spirit of the occasion, because of his design to give honor to their God. He would scarcely have given any thought to the matter if it had been any of his own people, any of the Babylonians who refused to bow down to the great image-statue. In such an event the whole matter would have been dismissed from his mind and they would not have been called before him. He would have left it with his officers to enforce the penalty, and cast the disobedient ones immediately into the furnace of fire.

That which is most remarkable is that he did not order these disobedient Hebrews to be cast at once, into the furnace. It will be remembered that in the case of the magicians who were unable to make known to him his dream, he ordered them at once to be slain. In the case of these Hebrews, however, it was different. He would know the reason for such strange conduct; he would inquire into it. And so he summoned them before his presence, and gave them an opportunity to reconsider their decision. His very first words to them give expression to his surprise at their conduct, and describe the state of mind that he was in: “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?”

These words show that Nebuchadnezzar had some respect for these men, and that he was willing to hear their reasons for refusing to obey his command. The Common Version translation does not convey the full meaning of his words. The margin renders them, “Is it of purpose,” that is, have you done this intentionally? Wintle’s translation renders the words, “Is it insultingly.” According to Mr. Barnes, Jacchiades, another translator, says that the word rendered “true” is used to denote wonder, as if the king could not believe it possible that they could so disregard his plain command. Theodotion and Saadias render it as it is in the margin, “Have you done this of set purpose and design?” as if the king had regarded it as possible that there had been a misunderstanding, and as if he was not unwilling to find that they could make an apology for their conduct. One has said:

“It would seem probable from this that the ceremonies of the consecration of the image were prolonged for a considerable period, so that there was still an opportunity for them to unite in t©he service if they would. The supposition that such services would be continued through several days, is altogether probable, and accords with what was usual on festival occasions. It is remarkable that the king was willing to give them another trial to see whether they were disposed or not to worship the golden image. To this he might have been led by the apprehension that they had not understood the order, or that they had not duly considered the subject; and possibly by respect for them as faithful officers, and for their countryman, Daniel. There seems, moreover, to have been in the bosom of the monarch, with all his pride and passion, a readiness to do justice, and to furnish an opportunity of a fair trial before he proceeded to extremities” (Albert Barnes).

However, if the young Hebrews had any thought that they would be exempt from the performance of this act of worship, their minds were disabused as they listened to the stern, harsh words of the great monarch:

“Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet 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?”

The reply of these young Hebrews was calm, though firm and unflinching:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful² 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.”

It should be kept in mind that these words were spoken to an absolute monarch, one of that class of rulers who would very rarely listen in such a case to any kind of excuse that might be made. However, Nebuchadnezzar had deigned to stoop from his lofty height to reason with these men and give them a chance to save themselves from this terrible punishment. It was utterly impossible for him to understand that there could be any reason whatever for such an act of disobedience. These young followers of Jehovah were aware of this, and knew that it would be impossible for them to make clear their position in the eyes of the great king.

“Quenched the Violence of Fire”

It should be remembered in this connection that the accusation made by the Chaldeans against them was a double one. Not only had they refused to prostrate themselves before the image, but in addition to this they were not worshipers of Nebuchadnezzar’s own gods. While the latter was no part of the offense committed by the young Hebrews on this particular occasion, nevertheless it had the effect of magnifying their offense in the eyes of the king. According to the prevailing views among the ancient heathen nations, all the gods of the nations were tolerated and even respected; but if any one should maintain, as the Hebrews did, that all the heathen gods were false, it would be a serious offense against the State. On this account the three Hebrews would understand that it was useless to make any explanation of their position. Therefore, they did not attempt to do so, but committed their cases to the One who had said: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.”

It cannot be wondered at, that Nebuchadnezzar, who was disposed to listen to any excuse they might have to make, and to give them another opportunity to obey his decree, became incensed at their answer. The words that follow show that when he heard their words, his patience and leniency toward them ceased altogether:

“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.”

Then were the three faithful witnesses of Jehovah bound hand and foot, and cast into the furnace of fire. They had demonstrated to their God their loyalty to Him, even at the cost of their lives. They had committed their lives into the hands of Him whom they served. It was a matter for Him to decide what disposition would be made of that which they had committed into His care. They had given a faithful testimony to the one true God before the greatest monarch of the world, in the very presence of the assembled multitudes of his retainers. The whole matter, so far as this present life is concerned, might have ended here. This might have been the will of their God. Indeed, we may safely say that this has been the usual way God has dealt with His faithful witnesses who have committed their lives into His hands under similar circumstances. In this particular case, however, the will of God was different. It was His will to give to Nebuchadnezzar, and to the assembled thousands, another display of His almighty power.

The record informs us that so intense was the heat of the great furnace that those employed to cast them into it were burned to death. It was observed that the cords that bound these intrepid young men were in an instant burned. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been the first one to note this; and he spake to his counselors: “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” The answer was, “True, O king.” Then Nebuchadnezzar, who evidently had been greatly moved from the first by the whole procedure, 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.” The king then came near to the mouth of the furnace, and “spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.” Then the three young men came forth from the midst of the fire. “And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors, 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.”

A great and wonderful miracle had been wrought by the God of the Hebrews. It was witnessed not alone by the great heathen monarch, but by all that immense host that had been summoned by Nebuchadnezzar to witness the dedication of the golden image, as he supposed, but, as God intended, to witness the display of His great power.

“Skeptical criticism has railed out against all this, as showing too much of the wonderful to be believed. But with the Almighty, one thing is no harder than another. He can make a blazing sun in the heavens with as much ease, as make a daisy in the meadow. Some have urged that it was unfitting the Deity to show such wonders here. But who can decide what is and what is not becoming to a Being whose thoughts no man can fathom?”

It is not difficult for the reverent mind to see the wisdom and necessity for such a display of the great Jehovah’s power at this particular time. Thousands of His chosen people were in servitude in this great empire. They had been sent there as an act of chastisement by their God, mainly to purge them of their idolatries, and the usual ministries to this were denied them in their captivity. Then too a vast number of people who knew not the true God, and who were without any appointed aid to assist them to an acquaintance with the superior power and majesty of the Most High, also lived here. Evidently in the Divine providence an immense concourse of people from all parts of the empire were gathered, and were made to see this remarkable exhibition of His almighty power.

Taking into consideration all these conditions and circumstances, we see a special reason why the great Jehovah should on this occasion give a testimony of Himself as the true and only God. It is generally true that men judge of the wisdom and necessity of a thing by the effects produced. This great miracle served to send forth over the world a testimony of the true God at a time when nearly all the world was plunged in the gross evils associated with the various forms of idolatry. Indeed it is here recorded that the monarch, to whom had been committed the dominion of the whole world, gave a testimony on this very occasion in which he acknowledged a second time, that the God of the Hebrews was the great God of all. On witnessing this wonderful miracle Nebuchadnezzar thus addressed the vast assembly: “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.”

Furthermore, the great world monarch issued a decree, and sent it all over his empire, “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. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.”

It is not to be supposed that Nebuchadnezzar was caused to believe that there was only one true God. He had not yet reached that conclusion. His testimony was to the effect that there was no other god who had equal power with the God of the Hebrews. He was honest, and his honesty was shown in his willingness to admit that in the power he had seen exhibited, there was no god like that of the Hebrews.

There are many lessons which this record teaches. A noted writer has said:

“On the whole front of it there flames in letters of blazing gold that there is an almighty, living, and independent God, unbound by Nature’s laws and unlimited to natural forces, whose word is written in His Book, whose eye is upon His confiding servants, and who will never leave nor forsake them that put their trust in Him

“From the innermost spirit of it there comes the proclamation that if any kings or dignitaries or commands of church or state go against Jehovah’s laws, or demand obedience against His Word, or undertake to keep conscience for the human soul, no true man of God dare obey them, nor shall he be the loser for his fidelity, no matter what penalties he may incur!

“Around it, and on all sides of it, there sounds the admonition to every right meaning young man, however prosperous he may be, to prepare for fiery times. The world is under an erring rule — a rule which often makes the greatest blunders when it means the best. Envious and malicious eyes are watching you, and eager to show their superior devotion by accusing you and bringing you into trouble. The way of faithfulness often lies through the fiery furnace, heated seven fold to consume you. Therefore prepare for fiery times, and think it not strange when they come.

“And in the whole make-up of it there stands memorialized for ever that the only true expediency is inflexible principle. It matters not for immediate consequences. God will make all right in the end to them that stand fast to truth and duty. They are, after all, the true heroes, and shall not fail of their rewards” (Joseph Seiss).

Valiant for the Truth

Unfurl the Christian Standard, and follow through the strife
The noble army who have won the martyr’s crown of life;
Our ancestors could die for Truth, could brave the deadly glow,
And shall we let the standard fall, and yield it to the foe?

But if ye dare not hold it fast, yours only is the loss,
For it shall be victorious, this Standard of the Cross!
It shall not suffer, though ye rest beneath your sheltering trees,
And cast away the victor’s crown for love of timid ease.

The Lord of Hosts, in whom alone our weakness shall be strong,
Shall lead us on to conquest with a mighty battle song;
And soon the warfare shall be past, the glorious triumph won,
The kingdoms of this world shall be the kingdoms of His Son!

(2) The word rendered “careful” means, according to Gesenius, to be needed or necessary.