Daniel and three other Hebrew boys were taken captive to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar ransacked Jerusalem. They refused to eat the king's food due to Jewish dietary laws. Later, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to a golden idol and were thrown into a fiery furnace as punishment. However, God protected the three and they walked out of the furnace unharmed, causing the king to praise God. The book highlights the faithfulness of Daniel and his friends even in the face of persecution.
2. Background of 1st Story
• Babylon + Nebuchadnezzar (1:1-4)
• Transferred :
1} Precious sacred vessels used in the
temple of Jerusalem
2} Large number of Jewish people
• Chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained as
advisors to the Babylonian court as royal pages
3. 4 Youth selected (1:5-7)
Hannaniah = Yahweh has been
Gracious
Misheal = Who is like God
Azariah = God has helped
Daniel = God is my Judge
Chief Eunuch Training in-charge
changed their names to Shadrach,
Meshach, Abednego & Belteshazzar
4. Food test
• Daniel refused to eat Royal food
(1:8)
• Reason = forbidden by Jewish laws
• Not defile himself
5. • (1:11-16) They managed to
convince the appointed person
in charge of them
• Reward of Faithfulness
(1:17 & 20)
• Highly prized – Interpreting
Dreams
6. Conclusion
• Faithfulness to the Law
• Faithful at all times
• After all whom are we serving
(Deuteronomy 7:9)-
Know therefore that the LORD your
God is God, the faithful God who
keeps covenant and steadfast love
with those who love him and keep
his commandments, to a thousand
generations
7. Faithfulness in the furnace
• Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego:
provincial administrators (2:49)
• Read Daniel 3:1-7
• Today's Idol for which some make
others bow
• Difference between true religion & False
religion
8. • Read Daniel 3:8-12
• Complain regarding the 3 jewish youth
to the king
• Disobedience of the royal edict
aggravated even more as they were
government officials
• Read 3:13 -18
• Mathew 27:41-42 = Daniel 3:15
9. Reply of the youth
• (Daniel 3:16)
• Their Obedience was ultimately to God
& not to any human king. As they were
accountable to God.
• Righteous living does not require an
oral defense.
• The Jewish heroes are saying that this is
not time to argue the matter, action will
be the reply to the king
• Virtues are caught not taught
10. • (Daniel 3:17)
• Their faith gave them confidence
that their God would deliver them
from the fiery furnace
• But even if their God would not
deliver them they would not sin by
committing idolatry (Daniel 3:18)
• Faith means to accept God’s will for
us regardless of the result
11. • The youth were cast into the
furnace (3:19-23)
• Prayer & Praise in the furnace –
Short praise hymns (3:24-90)
12. Youth were protected by God (3:91-94)
• Three men were still alive amidst the fire
• Like a son of God – Angelic being
• Author wants to convey: 3 men were
protected by God in whom they had
trusted
• Main essence: Surrender + allow God to
work out his plan & not Vice versa
13. • Read 3:95-97
• King praising God of the Jews
• The king changed his edict
• Knowing this would strengthen
the faith of the persecuted Jews
Among the Jewish exiles the King ordered young men be selected with no physical defect, Handsome in appearance, super intelligence & competent to serve as royal pages. They underwent 3 three years of training after which they were presented to the king.
Hebrew names changed as their names represented Jewish Gods changed to pagan Babylonian gods. Shadrach possibly is derived from Shudur Aku "Command of the moon god”. Meshach is probably a variation of Mi•sha•aku, meaning "Who is what Aku is?", and may have been an alteration of his Hebrew name Mishael Abednego is either a corrupted or deliberate use of Abednebo, "servant of Nebo/Nabu," or Abednergo, a variation of Abednergal, "servant of the god Nergal"
Such Skill was highly prized in the ancient world.
Common practise for ancient kings to set up coloccal images, deties, or sometimes themselves. Similar to Antiochus IV Epiphanes Power, positon, prestige – Idols False religion use power of external compulsion whether physical, psychological or spiritual. But True religion depends on love not force. God draws his people to himself by persuading not pressurizing; by inviting not intimidating Cross reference 1 Mac 1:54
Govt official so they ought to have been 1 st to be obedient to the royal edict Similarity of the scene at the xcruxifixion when the enemies of Jesus taunted him with similar words.
V 16 Righteous living does not require an oral defense. The Jewish heroes are saying that this is not time to argue the matter, action will be the reply to the king
