Dan 3: Might Men of God

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Daniel 3 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the WALLED plain [of Dura], in the province of Babylon . 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces , to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages ,5 “ that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezza r has set up ;6 “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar , “O king, live forever!10 “You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music , shall fall down and worship the gold image;11 “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace .12 “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego ; these men , O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up .” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego . So they brought these men before the king.14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “ Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego , that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up ? 15 “Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music , and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good ! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace . And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands? ” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.17 “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace , and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.18 “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up .” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego . He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace .21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace .22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego .23 And these three men , Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego , fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace . 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego , servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here .” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected , and the smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word , and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!29 “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon . Questions from Daniel 3 for Young Hearers 1. The first ____ commandments form a unit. 2. Who in Genesis was patient towards God? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 3. Who in Genesis was unkind to his brother? ___ ___ ___ ___ 4. Who in Genesis was holy? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___4 5. Chapter 1 of Daniel is about ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 6. Chapter 2 of Daniel is about the ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 7. Chapter 3 of Daniel is about ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 8. Who is named in Genesis 10:8-10 as a mighty man, whose kingdom began at Babel in the land of Shinar ? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 9. Nebuchadnezzar set up a false ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 10. The Chaldeans were filled with ___ ___ ___ ___ towards God’s men. 11. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego would not ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ the image. 12. Who was with God’s men in the furnace? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 13. When gold is heated, it gets ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 14. When God takes us through hard times, we get ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 15. Who looked like mighty men in this story? Who were the real mighty men? 16. List some traits of mighty men that you want to develop. Daniel 3 Mighty Men of God Sermon Outline for September 12, 2004 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri 10 Commandment Overview of Daniel Short Form of 10 Commandments - The First 4 Hebrews Intro (1) I. Daniel and Three Friends Faithful to THE God (1) No other gods Aramaic Sections (2-7) II. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Daniel’s interpretation (2) No False Images III. Daniel’s Three Friends saved from Furnace (3) Full Witness of Yahweh IV. Neb ’s Insanity and Salvation (4 ) Enthronement, Rest in Yahweh Father-Son-Spirit-Enthronement; Patience, Kindness, Holiness; Adam/Abraham; Cain/Jacob; Sethites/Joseph V. Belshazzar’s Feast (5) Honor Father and Mother as True Son VI. Daniel saved from Lions (6) Don’t Murder VII. Vision of four kingdoms (7) Spiritual Adultery Hebrew Section (8-12) VIII. Vision of two kingdoms (8) Don’t Steal IX. Vision of seventy weeks (9) Faithful, not False, witness X. Vision of two Kingdoms (10-12) Horrors of Coveting The Text: A. Introduction: Nebuchadnezzar Sets Up False Worship vv. 1-7 B. Old Decree: Enemies Speak Against Mighty Men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) vv. 8-12 C. Might Men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) Thrown Into Furnace vv. 13-23 D. Climax: Mighty Men Unharmed, Nebuchadnezzar Astonished vv. 24,25 C’. Mighty Men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) Brought Out of Furnace vv. 26,27 B’. New Decree: Nebuchadnezzar Praises the God of the Mighty Men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) vv. 28,29 A’. Conclusion: Nebuchadnezzar Promotes Mighty Men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) v. 30 Major Lessons: 1. Mighty men of God are faithful to Him in school, state and church. 2. Mighty men of God are attacked by envious members of the old order. 3. Mighty men of God are more concerned with God’s glory than their own well-being. They are not “ritual control freaks” and adapt to God’s unexpected actions in history. 4. Mighty men of God have union and communion with the Mighty Man, Jesus Christ. 5. Mighty men of God are world-changers, purified through tribulation to shine the brig