Thoughts On Daniel 3
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
Daniel 3:5-6 NIV
The propensity of rulers to displace the rule of God dates back as we see the example of Nebuchadnezzar in today’s reading. This conquering king placed himself beyond God by presuming he could set up gods for men to worship.
This is the same man who at the end of chapter 2, fell to the ground and confessed that the God of Daniel is “God of gods and Lord of kings.” But as quickly as he made that declaration, by chapter 3, his posture was different. In the form of a question, he boasts that there is no god capable of freeing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, presuming no man can stop him.
Unfortunately he didn’t consider his threat as a direct challenge to the God of these three. On their part, the three showed an exemplary faithfulness despite the King’s threat.
Nebuchadnezzar did not acknowledge that God gave him the victory over Judah and Jerusalem (Dan 1:1-2)but chose to mock God. Forgetting that whatever strength he had over these exiles was God-given. But just like many leaders like him today, he did not acknowledge the one that sets up and remove kings.
The Ruler of kings therefore showed Nebuchadnezzar that He will not abandon His own. He showed up as the fourth person in the fiery furnace. We are therefore comforted that our oppressors will not have the last word in our lives.
