Sunday School Lesson

1. Daniel
Chapters 2-3
RISK EVERYTHING FOR GOD
They wouldn’t bend, They wouldn’t bow,
They wouldn’t burn!
August 3, 2014
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
USA

2. August Memory Verse
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord.

3. THE BOOK OF DANIEL
• Theological Theme: God’s Sovereignty
Daniel 5:21
… the Most High God is sovereign over all
kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he
wishes.
God controls the destinies of both pagan empires
and His exiled people.

4. REFERENCES
Where God Was Born by Bruce Feiler, Harper
Collins, 2005.
Daniel: God’s Pattern For The Future, A Study
Guide by Charles R. Swindoll, 1992
Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy by
Beth Moore, 2006

5. Daniel – Chapter 1 Summary
• Nebuchadnezzar: King of Babylon 605 BC
• Daniel & 3 friends deported to Babylon
• They resolve not to defile themselves
• Successful 10 day test of no royal food &
wine
• Spend 3 years in “Babylon University”
• Entered the king’s service
• God blessed their resolve to serve Him

6. Daniel 2:1-2
1 In the second year of his reign,
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was
troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king
summoned the magicians, enchanters,
sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he
had dreamed. When they came in and stood
before the king,

7. Daniel 2:3-5
3 he said to them, "I have had a dream that
troubles me and I want to know what it
means." 4 Then the astrologers answered the
king, "May the king live forever! Tell your
servants the dream, and we will interpret it." 5
The king replied to the astrologers, "This is
what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell
me what my dream was and interpret it, I will
have you cut into pieces and your houses
turned into piles of rubble.

8. Summary of Daniel 2:6-23
• Nebuchadnezzar orders all wise men killed
• Daniel asks for time to interpret dream
• Daniel & friends prayed: “plead for mercy
from God concerning this mystery…….”
• God reveals the dream to Daniel that night.
• Daniel praises the God of heaven

9. Daniel 2:27-28
27 Daniel replied(to Nebuchadnezzar), "No wise
man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain
to the king the mystery he has asked about,
28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals
mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar
what will happen in days to come. Your dream
and the visions that passed through your mind
as you were lying in bed are these:

10. Daniel 2:31-33
31 "Your Majesty looked, and there before you
stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling
statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of
the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and
arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,
33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and
partly of baked clay.

11. Daniel 2:34-35
34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out,
but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its
feet of iron and clay and smashed them.
35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and
the gold were all broken to pieces and became like
chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind
swept them away without leaving a trace. But the
rock that struck the statue became a huge
mountain and filled the whole earth.

12. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

13. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

14. Meaning of the Dream Statue

15. Daniel 2:44-45
44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven
will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,
nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all
those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it
will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of
the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but
not by human hands —a rock that broke the iron,
the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to
pieces. "The great God has shown the king what
will take place in the future. The dream is true and
its interpretation is trustworthy."

16. Daniel 2:46-47
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate
before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered
that an offering and incense be presented to
him. 47 The king said to Daniel, "Surely your
God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings
and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able
to reveal this mystery."

17. Daniel 2:48-49
(Setting for Daniel 3)
48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position
and lavished many gifts on him. He made him
ruler over the entire province of Babylon and
placed him in charge of all its wise men.
49 Moreover, at Daniel's request the king
appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
administrators over the province of Babylon,
while Daniel himself remained at the royal
court.

18. Daniel 3:1-2
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold,
sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it
up on the plain of Dura in the province of
Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps,
prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers,
judges, magistrates and all the other provincial
officials to come to the dedication of the image
he had set up.

19. Daniel 3:4-6
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "Nations
and peoples of every language, this is what you
are commanded to do: 5 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. 6 Whoever does
not fall down and worship will immediately be
thrown into a blazing furnace."

20. Daniel 3 Background
• The other advisors to Nebuchadnezzar are
jealous of Daniel & friends because of their
wisdom & authority over them.
• These advisors were setting a trap
• Advisors probably appealed to the king’s ego
to build a statue from the dream
• Advisors knew that these Jewish men would
not worship the golden idol.

21. Image of Gold

22. 3 Do Not Fall Down & Worship

23. 3 Do Not Fall Down & Worship

24. To Bow Down
• Outward sign of reverence for God
• Implies submission, reverence, obedience, humility,
respect
Exodus 4:29-31
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of
the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the
Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs
before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they
heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had
seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

25. Bowing in Heaven
Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest
place and gave him the name that is above
every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue
acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.

26. Revelation 4:9-11
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and
thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for
ever and ever, 10 the twenty- four elders fall down
before him who sits on the throne and worship him who
lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the
throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."

27. Angels are NOT to be Worshiped
Revelation 22:8-9
8 “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these
things. And when I had heard and seen them, I
fell down to worship at the feet of the angel
who had been showing them to me. 9 But he
said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow
servant with you and with your fellow prophets
and with all who keep the words of this scroll.
Worship God!"

28. Summary of Daniel 3:7-15
• Advisors tell Nebuchadnezzar about Jewish
administrators who “do not serve your gods
nor worship the image of gold you have set
up.”
• Nebuchadnezzar is furious with rage!
• He gives them another chance, but they
refuse
• “What god will be able to rescue you?”

29. Daniel 3:16-17
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to
him, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to
defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If
we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the
God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and
he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand.

30. Daniel 3:18
18 But even if he does not, we want you to
know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your
gods or worship the image of gold you have set
up."

31. Lessons in Daniel 3:16-18
• You cannot negotiate or compromise with evil
– God will honor your faithfulness
• You do not always know how or if God will
rescue
– God knows the plan, even when you don’t
• Keep your faith fully resigned to God’s will
– God may be more glorified by how you handle a
failure or set-back, than people seeing your success

32. Daniel 3:19-21
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his
attitude toward them changed. He ordered the
furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers
in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego and throw them into the blazing
furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes,
trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound
and thrown into the blazing furnace.

33. Daniel 3:22-24
22 The king's command was so urgent and the
furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed
the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly
tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King
Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in
amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't
there three men that we tied up and threw into
the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, Your
Majesty."

34. Daniel 3:25
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking
around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,
and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
• Who was the fourth person?
• What happened to the ropes that bound
them?

37. Theophany
• Theophany = Physical appearance or personal
manifestation of a god to a person.
– In human form, visions, Angel of the Lord, Not in
human form, As the name of the Lord
• Christophany = Physical appearance of pre-
incarnate Christ to a person.
– Incarnate Christ: The deity and humanity were
joined for the time on earth & then all eternity

38. Daniel 3:26- 27
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening
of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most
High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,
27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal
advisers crowded around them. They saw that the
fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of
their heads singed; their robes were not scorched,
and there was no smell of fire on them.

39. Isaiah 43:1-2 (Prophecy)
1 But now, this is what the Lord says—he who
created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When
you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will
not sweep over you. When you walk through
the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will
not set you ablaze.

40. Daniel 3:28-29
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the
God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who
has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They
trusted in him and defied the king's command and
were willing to give up their lives rather than serve
or worship any god except their own God.
29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation
or language who say anything against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into
pieces and their houses be turned into piles of
rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

41. Lesson From The Fiery Furnace
How many are always present in the fiery
furnace of a suffering Christian?

42. Lesson From The Fiery Furnace
• How many are always present in the fiery
furnace of a suffering Christian?
– 4
– Suffering Christian + Holy Trinity (Father, Son,
Holy Spirit)
– You are flanked by the power and presence of
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

43. The Lingering Question
• Where was Daniel during this time??
– The Bible does not say
• Out of the country on the King’s business
(removed from the situation)-
• Exempted from worshipping statue - NO
• Yielded to the mandate - NO

44. 3 Scenarios When We Face Fires
1. We can be delivered from the fire.
- Our faith is built.
- Conclusion of today’s lesson
Daniel 3:30
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego in the province of Babylon.

45. 3 Scenarios When We Face Fires
1. We can be delivered from the fire.
- Our faith is built.
2. We can be delivered through the fire.
- Our faith is refined.
- Paul’s thorn in the flesh
2 Corinthians 12:8-9
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away
from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.“

46. 3 Scenarios When We Face Fires
1. We can be delivered from the fire.
2. We can be delivered through the fire.
3. We can be delivered by the fire into His arms.
- Our faith is perfected.
- Stoning death of Stephen
Acts 7:59-60
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees
and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
When he had said this, he fell asleep.

47. 3 Scenarios When We Face Fires
1. We can be delivered from the fire.
- Our faith is built.
2. We can be delivered through the fire.
- Our faith is refined.
3. We can be delivered by the fire into His
arms.
- Our faith is perfected.

48. “We Believe” by Newsboys
Words by David Mullen
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life!
We believe in the crucifixion!
We believe that He conquered death!
We believe in the resurrection!
And He’s coming back again!
We believe!

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
Death in this life (the first death) is 100%. Even
Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died
in this life to pay the penalty for our sins. The death
referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death
explained in Revelation 21:8.

50. Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.

51. Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I
will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to accept Jesus
as our Savior.

52. Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
and believe in your heart that God has raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the
heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall
be saved.”

53. If you have questions or would like to know more.
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at
601-979-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/