Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

A sad reality of which most of us would probably concur is that we too often cave to external pressure.

As we consider , we will quickly see that the vast majority of people (including most, if not all, of the other Jews) yielded to the intense pressure placed upon them.

This same pressure is as well present today.

The pressure doesn’t have to be nearly as intense and still most people will cave to the pressure.

Standing for truth is challenging in and of itself and it is often intensified by having to stand alone.

This is the second time, in Daniel, God revealed His power in the midst of a situation where men acknowledged the inability of any man or god to do the specific task.

In chapter 2 the wise men say that no man on earth could know and interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and yet God reveals the dream and the interpretation through Daniel.

Here in chapter 3, verse 15, Nebuchadnezzar says “and who is the God who will deliver you out or my hands.”

Obviously he is implying that there is no god that can deliver them out of his powerful hands.

And yet by the end of the chapter (3:28-29) Nebuchadnezzar admits, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego . . .

there is no other God who is able to rescue in this way.”

Two test.

This chapter is a test of allegiance on two fronts.

While the story of a fiery furnace involves Nebuchadnezzar’s test of loyalty or allegiance to his rule, the true test of allegiance ends up being Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s allegiance and devotion to God.

While they may have failed Nebuchadnezzar’s test, they did not fail God’s test which was far more important.

Two perspectives.

We will as well look at two different perspectives in these tests.

We will learn of and benefit from SMA’s perspective and observe a wonderful example of commitment and faithfulness to God, but we will as well consider an even more important perspective – that being God’s perspective in this story.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Test of Allegiance

“King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold.”

It’s dimensions seem a bit off.

The image was 9 feet wide by 90 feet tall which probably included a base which the image sat on.

The image itself was most likely a wooden or earthen structure that was covered in gold.

It’s not likely that they would have had enough gold to make an entirely golden image.

His Purpose.

Nebuchadnezzar desired to test his people’s loyalty to his rule.

While we can only speculate as to why he felt the need to do this, there are some ancient text that may offer a reason.

The Babylonian Chronicles[1] indicate that there was a revolt in the Babylonian Empire between 595 and 594, nearly 10 years after the beginning of Judah’s Babylonian Captivity.

Potentially due to this uprising, Nebuchadnezzar sensed the need to confirm his subjects’ commitment to his rule.

Whether or not his decision to build an image was dependent on this insurrection is subjective and somewhat irrelevant.

As well it is likely that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream from chapter 2 in which he was the head of gold was the framework for his building of a gigantic golden statue.

We as well can’t know that for certain.

We can know with certainty that he did in fact build an image and then demand that everyone “fall down and worship the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.” Any awe Nebuchadnezzar may have had of Daniel’s God following the events of seems to be lost.

His Motivation.

Nebuchadnezzar was driven by pride.

It is this pride that God is going to directly confront in .

His pride is displayed through a number of means.

First, the statement “that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up” seems to point to some kind of infatuation.

Have you ever accomplished a significant task and wanted other people to take note of it – usually with the hope that you’ll get a few, “Wow!

That’s amazing.”

Kids do this with their drawings that you end up hanging on the fridge.

Adults do it with the antlers they hang on the wall following hunting season or the presentation they nailed at work and have to show all their fellow employees and maybe even their spouse at home.

At these moments we all desire the response to be some kind of amazement or at least positive acknowledgement.

We hate indifference – whatever, meh.

Nebuchadnezzar comes off as an incredibly insecure artist needing everyone’s affirmation.

Nine times in the first 18 verses the point that Nebuchadnezzar set up this image is stated.

Everyone is commanded to come to the dedication of “the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”

All the officials of the land gather for the dedication of “the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”

The herald proclaims that everyone must fall down and worship “the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”

The Chaldeans are irate that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t bow to “the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up” and they go tell on them.

Nebuchadnezzar is enraged and asked them why they didn’t bow down to the “image that I have set up.”

He then offers them one more opportunity to fall down and worship “the image that I have made.”

Their response is nothing short of “whatever.”

He offers them one more chance and they tell him they don’t need any time to think about it.

They aren’t going to fall down and worship “the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”

An already enraged Nebuchadnezzar becomes even more enraged and is “filled with fury” (3:19).

He demands that the burning fiery furnace be heated up seven times hotter and that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be thrown in.

His pride is potentially even more clearly seen in his taunt to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

“If you do not worship you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace and who is the God who will deliver you out of my hands [emphasis mine]” ().

The Chaldeans Pass Neb’s Test.

Some Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.

(vs 8-12).

They as well implied disloyalty to the king.

It’s possible that these Chaldeans were responsible for watching out for anyone who may be stupid enough to not fall down and worship.

Maybe they were just doing their job, but the way the passage reads seems to indicate that there was bitterness and prejudice in their actions.

The fact that they were Chaldeans probably means that such a menial task as looking out for offenders was below them.

Instead they were probably racists.

This comes out in their statement, “there are certain Jews,” as if it mattered whether they were Jews or not.

Their bias probably goes even a little deeper.

They were Jews “who you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon,” almost as if to throw the responsibility back on to Nebuchadnezzar.

These are the guys you foolishly placed in positions of power.

They go on.

“These men, O King, pay no attention to you.

They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” ().

They’re the kids on the playground that tell on everyone who does anything to bother them.

They’re the adults who at work feel compelled to inform management of any infraction.

They’re the sibling who is constantly telling her parents on the mean, older sibling.

They’re probably the people nearly everyone else didn’t really care for and only tolerated.

What’s important here is that from their perspective they were loyal to the King and they passed his test.

Other Jews passed Neb’s test.

It is quite safe to say that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not the only Jews present during this test of loyalty.

Both the Jerusalem Chronicle and inform us that King Zedekiah was in Babylon during this time and likely present for this event.

As well, due to nearly 10,000 Jews being sent into Babylonian captivity during 597 BC, it is most probable that there were a great number of other Jews in attendance at this event.

We can’t say definitively that there were other Jews present or that those Jews, if present, fell down and worshiped the image.

But, it seems incredibly likely.

It appears highly probable that there were other Jews present and by the fact that the story doesn’t mention any of them being brought forward, the safe implication is that they all bowed.

I’m quite certain that there were a host of Jews that while they bowed low and worshiped the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had built were offering creative justifications for doing so.

After all, they weren’t being told to give up their worship of YHWH.

They just had to bow to show allegiance this one time to Nebuchadnezzar.

After all, they had been given a fairly decent life in captivity.

Why not just play along?

Couldn’t they just take care of it later?

Couldn’t they just ask for forgiveness later?

They passed Nebuchadnezzar’s test.

They lived through that day!

Shoo!

God’s Test of Allegiance