A considerable period, variously estimated, but probably from twenty to twenty-five, years, had passed since the education that Daniel and his companions had received in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar. If they were fifteen or sixteen years old at the time that they requested the change of diet, they had reached, at the date of this lesson, near or quite forty years of age, and were in the prime of life. All held important offices in the land of exile. Daniel's explanation of the wonderful dream of the king, in which he had seen the image with head of gold, breast and arms of silver, middle parts of brass, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay mingled, and which was finally broken in pieces by the stone cut out without hands, had secured him the highest favor and caused his exaltation to the position of governor over the province of Babylon, and to be placed at the head of the ministers of the king, the second instance of a Hebrew exile being exalted to so lofty a dignity in a country to which he was carried as a captive. The modern instance of the Jew, Disraeli, becoming the prime minister of Great Britain, causes an association of his name, from similarity of fortunes, with Joseph and Daniel. At the request of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were given important trusts under him in the direction of the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel himself was stationed in the royal palace as the king's chief counsellor.

      Some years after the exaltation of Daniel, how many we do not know, the king determined to require all his officers to worship a golden image, probably of his chief god, that he had set up in the plain of Dura. It is not likely that he expected any opposition from any source. He was a polytheist and recognized Jehovah as being one of the gods. He was so far from comprehending the monotheism of the Hebrews that it did not seem inconsistent to him for them to bow the knee to his god as well as to worship Jehovah. Had he consulted Daniel about the matter he would have learned better, but oriental despotic kings were not wont to ask advice when a caprice entered their minds.

      In what follows some surprise is expressed that Daniel was not involved in the same fate as his three friends. It must be borne in mind that Daniel's place was in the palace, not in the plain of Dura, that the others were employed elsewhere, and with other subordinates were marshalled to worship the image [40] and their refusal was instantly detected. Had Daniel been called to the plain of Dura, the result in his case would have been the same.

      The student must keep in mind that the Hebrew race was now in exile in the country where our lesson is located. Since the date of the last lesson the final overthrow of Jerusalem and the temple had taken place, the beloved city was now a howling ruin, and the children of Israel were weeping by the "rivers of Babylon." It is by such heroic deeds and glorious deliverances, as that of the fiery furnace that they were taught to eschew idolatry forever.

      16. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered. The king had erected a golden image, probably to represent his chief god in the plain of Dura, and had summoned the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, sheriffs, counsellors and rulers to assemble at the dedication. Then a herald commanded all, at a given signal indicated by musical instruments, to fall down and worship the image under pain of being burned to death in the fiery furnace. All present fell down save certain Jewish officers, and immediately afterwards certain Chaldeans came and accused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to the king. It might be that these were personal enemies of the three Hebrews, or it might be that they sought for the king's favor in this way. At once the monarch was filled with rage. He was an Eastern despot, and to dispute his will was high treason. From all accounts Nebuchadnezzar was a man of consummate ability, a great general and ruler, a religious man in his way, but imperious, passionate and cruel to those who provoked his displeasure. At once the three disobedient men were sent for. The language of the king seems to imply that he thought there was some mistake; therefore he gave them a second opportunity. If, when the signal was given a second time by music, they did not fall to the earth, they should endure the penalty. To this threat the answer was given. We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. This means that they had no defense to offer. They could not obey and had made up their minds to suffer the consequences. Nor had they anxiety about the result, as they had committed all to God.

      17. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us. The king had said: "Ye shall be cast into the burning, fiery furnace, and who is that God who will be able to deliver you out of my hand?" This is their answer: "Jehovah is able, if he thinks best to deliver us from the furnace." We do not take this to mean that they expected God to deliver them, but it is a declaration, in answer to the king, that God could deliver them. Into the hands of such a mighty God they were willing to commit their cause. If he chose to have them die they were content; if he chose to deliver them, it would be well. The answer shows their entire confidence in God. [41]

      18. But if not, be it known unto thee. Whether God will deliver them from the impending death or not, their minds are the same. They will not disobey him in order to obey the king. Like the apostles before the Jewish Sanhedrim, they judged it to be right to obey God rather than man. Hence, they declared positively, We will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image. The law of Israel forbade them to bow down to any graven image, or to worship any gods but Jehovah. They could not obey the king without treachery to the true God.

      19. Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury. Such a point blank refusal to obey his arbitrary edict was something that he had not before encountered since he had been a king. The greatest monarch of his age, the greatest conqueror then known to history, was held to be worthy of almost divine honors, and was accustomed to the most slavish obedience. His will was the law of his empire. Now, when these three men, captives whom he had spared, and whom his favor had exalted to places of trust, stubbornly defied him, his fury knew no bounds. Always imperious and passionate, he was completely carried away now by his transport of rage. The form of his visage changed. As the face usually does when men become excited by anger. Before, his face was calm, and it might be that it expressed some tenderness, but it now became flushed and dark with passion, and his eyes sparkled with rage. He commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more. Seven was the perfect number. Beyond it nothing could be done. Hence, its use implies that it was to be heated just as hot as possible. The material existed right at hand of securing a terrible degree of heat. Bitumen was one of the most common articles and naptha abounded. The command to heat the furnace so hot shows the heat of his rage. He did not stop to reflect that such a degree of heat would end sufferings much sooner than a slow fire.

      20. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army. The margin says that he commanded men "mighty in strength." This is the meaning of the original. Such men were chosen because he fancied that they might resist. These bound them hand and foot, preparatory to the dreadful fate in store for them. To cast them into the burning, fiery furnace. We know from other sources that the burning furnace was a method of capital punishment in vogue in this part of the world. It is referred to in Jeremiah 29:22 as an evil that would be [42] suffered by the Israelites in captivity. It is also alluded to in Hosea 7:7, and in the apocryphal 2d Macc. 7:6. The ancient Persians employed it, and a traveler in Persia during the Middle Ages, Chardin, speaks of two ovens that were kept ready heated a whole month to burn corn dealers who raised the price of corn during famine. The furnace was a kind of large oven, made of masonry, probably resembling a modern lime kiln, or coke oven, which was filled with burning material, and into which the condemned were then thrown, at the top, from whence, also, the smoke and flames belched forth.

      21. These men were bound in their coats, their hosen and their hats. The language shows that their dress was Babylonian, rather than Jewish. The "coat" was a kind of mantle, as stated in the margin; the "hosen" were not socks, but drawers or trousers, the entire covering of the lower limbs; the "hats" were turbans, or tiarias, such as are now worn in the same country. The margin has "turban." They were bound in the clothing that they had worn, taken just as they were, without change, no time being given for preparation of any kind.

      22. The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, etc. If the furnace was so intensely heated as the king commanded, with such inflammable materials as would be likely to be used, the flames would rush forth from its open mouth with great fury, making it dangerous to approach near. Yet no one could be thrown in unless the very rim was reached. The king's command was imperious and it was death to disobey; hence, the men charged with the duty rushed up into the surging flame with their victims and hurled them in; before they could escape they were overcome by the heat and flame so that they died.

      Those who think it improbable that men would obey an order at such peril, know little of the customs of absolute countries. To mention one or two illustrations, in the reign of Peter the Great, of Russia, he had visited with an ambassador the top of a lofty tower. Something was said about the obedience of his subjects, and turning to an attendant, the Czar bade him leap down. Without a word and without hesitation, he leaped to certain death. A similar instance is recorded of a potentate of Western Asia, during the Middle Ages, known as the Prince of the Assassins. In order to impress a visitor with the danger encountered by those who displeased him, he ordered an attendant to stab himself to the heart, which was done at once.

      23. These three men . . . fell bound into the midst, of the burning, fiery furnace. They were thrown in, bound, and fell down bound into the midst of the furnace. [43]

      24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished. He saw as he gazed into the furnace that which astonished him, so much that he rose in haste and asked a question to relieve his amazement. He saw four persons within the flames, no longer bound, though probably chains or fetters proof against fire had been used.

      25. Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire. No wonder the king was astonished. It was wonderful that the men were not consumed at once, but freed from their fetters, they walked unhurt in the flame, and there was a fourth one there, of a beauty and stature that was more than mortal, so surpassing that the king at once declared: He hath a form like a son of the gods. Such is the original. Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge whatever of the Son, but he thought the fourth was superhuman, and must be of divine origin. Hence he declared him to look like a son of a god. In verse 28 he declares that Jehovah sent his angel. This indicates his idea. It was a messenger, a divine one, that was sent. Nor are we justified in concluding more. The Accepted Version would lead us astray.

      26. Ye servants of the most high God, come forth. The marvelous sight had wrought a complete change in the king. Coming near he called the three by name and bade them come forth. They had declared they would obey Jehovah alone. He now pronounces them the servants of the most high God. He does not declare that he is the only God, but such a deliverer must be above all other gods. He saw it was vain to fight against one so mighty and hence called to them to come forth.

      27. Upon whose bodies the fire had no power. They had been completely protected against the fire. God had been a wall around them. Not only were they unhurt [44] but there was not even the smell of fire on their garments. This was noted by the great company of the king's officers.

      28. Then the king blessed the God of Shadrach, etc. Offered him adoration. It is what we might have expected. He was a religious king. There was no doubt, now that Jehovah was a powerful God. Hence he worshiped him, along with his own gods and decreed that no one should speak against him.

      1. Worship, to be effectual, must be heartfelt and voluntary. Decrees to make men worship have always failed to accomplish their object.

      2. Men cannot be made to worship alike by any human law. It has been tried many times by Popes, Inquisitions, Catholic kings, and other rulers who had the same spirit. The rack, the wheel, the thumbscrew and the flames of Auto de Fes have never made all bow to the same image.

      3. It is right to obey rulers, but the highest of all rulers is God. He is the King of kings. When earthly kings command us to disobey him they must be disobeyed. It is right to obey God rather than men.

      4. Earthly rulers, or earthly companions, may frown if we obey God. "All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." We may not be sent to prison, or burned, or even fined, but if we are devout and apostolic we will be sneered at and called fanatics. Whatever we may have to suffer, even should it be as in the days of martyrs, we should be as firm as a rock for the right.

      5. God will suffer his children to sometimes fall into the fiery furnace, it may be of persecution, or of affliction, but if they trust fully in him not a hair of their head shall be harmed. He will walk with them and deliver them. He encourages us, when we are called to suffer, by declaring:

      6. The triumph of the faith calls for witnesses. The triumphant death of Stephen was followed by a great growth of the church. The age of godly martyrs has always been an age of growth. The heroic trial of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, had much to do with the formation of the inflexible hatred of idolatry in the exiled Hebrew race.

      7. The Church is like the burning bush which Moses saw, all aflame, but unconsumed. It is like the three men in Nebuchadnezzar's furnace, all unharmed because the Son of God was with them. Like Venus, it born from the foam of an ocean of opposition; like Hercules, it had to strangle the serpents which assailed it even in its cradle.--P. [45]

[CLC01 40-45]