The Lord Demonstrates His Power | Daniel 3:19-30
Story Element #1: The Lord delivers his people
Story Element #1: The Lord delivers his people
Story Element #2: The Lord destroys human pride
Story Element #1: The Lord delivers his people
Story Element #2: The Lord destroys human pride
The Means for Both: The Lord demonstrates his power
Daniel 3:19-30 – An Outline
The King’s Rage (3:19-23)
The King’s Revelation (3:24-27)
The King’s Response (3:28-30)
What It Means For Us
Daniel 3:19-30 – An Outline
The King’s Rage (3:19-23)
The King’s Revelation (3:24-27)
The King’s Response (3:28-30)
What It Means For Us
Daniel 3:18
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:19-23
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[a] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
The Lord Delivers His People
Daniel 3:19-23
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[a] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
The Lord Destroys Human Pride
Daniel 3:19-23
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[a] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
“[Nebuchadnezzar] lost his temper! That is always the mark of a little man. His furnace was hot, but he himself got hotter! And when a man gets full of fury, he gets full of folly. There is no fool on earth like a man who has lost his temper.” - John Walvoord
Daniel 3:15
And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Daniel 3:19-30 – An Outline
The King’s Rage (3:19-23)
The King’s Revelation (3:24-27)
The King’s Response (3:28-30)
What It Means For Us
Daniel 3:24-27
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
The Lord Delivers His People
Daniel 3:24-27
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
Exodus 3:2-4
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
The Lord Delivers His People
Daniel 3:24-27
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
The Lord Destroys Human Pride
Daniel 3:24-27
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
Daniel 3:19-30 – An Outline
The King’s Rage (3:19-23)
The King’s Revelation (3:24-27)
The King’s Response (3:28-30)
What It Means For Us
Daniel 3:28-30
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[a] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
The Lord Delivers His People
Daniel 3:28-30
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[a] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Describing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
They trusted in their God
They set aside the king’s command
They yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship and god except their own God
Describing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
They trusted in their God
They set aside the king’s command
They yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship and god except their own God
= LOVE
The Lord Destroys Human Pride
Daniel 3:28-30
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[a] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Progression
Chapter 1: Saw God indirectly through Daniel and friends
Chapter 2: Saw God’s wisdom through his own dream and its interpretation
Chapter 3: Saw God’s power with his own (awake) eyes
Chapter 4: Stay tuned!
Story Element #1: The Lord delivers his people
Story Element #2: The Lord destroys human pride
The Means for Both: The Lord demonstrates his power
Daniel 3:19-30 – An Outline
The King’s Rage (3:19-23)
The King’s Revelation (3:24-27)
The King’s Response (3:28-30)
What It Means For Us
4 Takeaways For Us
4 Takeaways For Us
An invitation to humble ourselves in view of God’s supreme power
NOT: “Who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
BUT: “There is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
4 Takeaways For Us
An invitation to humble ourselves in view of God’s supreme power
An invitation to complete love and trust in God
Daniel 3:17-18
17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.[a] 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:26
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.
4 Takeaways For Us
An invitation to humble ourselves in view of God’s supreme power
An invitation to complete love and trust in God
An invitation to be comforted by God’s presence in our trials
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12)
Before Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are delivered FROM the fire, they are delivered IN the fire.
1 Corinthians 1:18
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
4 Takeaways For Us
An invitation to humble ourselves in view of God’s supreme power
An invitation to complete love and trust in God
An invitation to be comforted by God’s presence in our trials
An invitation to be assured in our ultimate deliverance from death
Matthew 10:28
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[a]