Daniel 3:1–18

Introduction

Daniel 3:1–18: King Nebuchadnezzar builds a large gold statue and orders his officials to worship it. Daniel’s three Jewish friends who are fellow members of the royal court—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—refuse. When the king threatens to throw them into a blazing furnace, they remain firm and state their belief that God will save them even from the furnace.

Today’s Key Verse: Daniel 3:15b GNT

[King Nebuchadnezzar said:] “Do you think there is any god who can save you?”

Read

¹ King Nebuchadnezzar had a gold statue made, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and he had it set up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then the king gave orders for all his officials to come together—the princes, governors, lieutenant governors, commissioners, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces. They were to attend the dedication of the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ When all these officials gathered for the dedication and stood in front of the statue, ⁴ a herald announced in a loud voice, “People of all nations, races, and languages! ⁵ You will hear the sound of the trumpets, followed by the playing of oboes, lyres, zithers, and harps; and then all the other instruments will join in. As soon as the music starts, you are to bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ Anyone who does not bow down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” ⁷ And so, as soon as they heard the sound of the instruments, the people of all the nations, races, and languages bowed down and worshiped the gold statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.⁸ It was then that some Babylonians took the opportunity to denounce the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May Your Majesty live forever! ¹⁰ Your Majesty has issued an order that as soon as the music starts, everyone is to bow down and worship the gold statue, ¹¹ and that anyone who does not bow down and worship it is to be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² There are some Jews whom you put in charge of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who are disobeying Your Majesty’s orders. They do not worship your god or bow down to the statue you set up.”¹³ At that, the king flew into a rage and ordered the three men to be brought before him. ¹⁴ He said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you refuse to worship my god and to bow down to the gold statue I have set up? ¹⁵ Now then, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, oboes, lyres, zithers, harps, and all the other instruments, bow down and worship the statue. If you do not, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Do you think there is any god who can save you?”¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, “Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. ¹⁷ If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.”

Reflect

Reread verse 15. What question does the king ask the three friends? Today’s reading presents the conflict as a battle between a false god and the true God. What are the three friends prepared to do if God does not save them (verse 18)? Have you faced situations where obeying God was very costly? What was the outcome?

Pray

Lord God, our lives are in your hands. You call us to your service and care for us always, remaining with us in our darkest hours. Grant us strength to bear trials in your name and deliver us from our afflictions, that we may persevere and be witnesses to your glory. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Daniel 3:19–30: God saves Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the blazing furnace.