Scary Stories in the Bible
Havasu Christian Church
October 2, 2022
The Fiery furnace
Daniel 3:1–30
Bravery in the face of evil
INTRO: As many of you know, I’m fascinated by fire. We are often fascinated by things that deep down, we are afraid of. Does anyone like to get burned?
Is fire alive??? Of course not! But when we look at “The Seven Characteristics of Living Things” the answer isn’t so clear.
Feeding ... All living organisms need to take substances from their environment to obtain energy, to grow and to stay healthy.
Movement… All living organisms show movement of one kind or another. All living organisms have internal movement, which means that they have the ability of moving substances from one part of their body to another. Some living organisms show external movement as well - they can move from place to place by walking, flying or swimming.
Breathing or Respiration ... All living things exchange gases with their environment. Animals take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
Excretion ... Excretion is the removal of waste from the body. If this waste was allowed to remain in the body it could be poisonous. Humans produce a liquid waste called urine. We also excrete waste when we breathe out. All living things need to remove waste from their bodies.
Growth… When living things feed they gain energy. Some of this energy is used in growth. Living things become larger and more complicated as they grow.
Sensitivity ... Living things react to changes around them. We react to touch, light, heat, cold and sound, as do other living things.
Reproduction ... All living things produce young. Humans make babies, cats produce kittens and pigeons lay eggs. Plants also reproduce. Many make seeds which can germinate and grow into new plants.
By these 7criteria, isn’t fire alive???
Today’s Scary Story from the Bible has fire as a big part of it. It’s not the main thing, but it is important!
(I) King Nebuchadnezzar makes a scary proclamation!
Daniel 3:1–11 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”
Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! “You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
a. EVERYONE is ordered to bow down!
i. This seems to be as much a loyalty test as it does an actual act of worship…
1. Will you do what I tell you to do?
a. I doubt that Nebuchadnezzar really cares what’s going through their minds as they bow. It’s all about following orders.
ii. Golden statue, 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide.
1. Even if it’s just gold leaf, there’s a lot of expense and effort that goes into a 90 foot tall statue.
iii. A band with lots of crazy musical instruments plays.
1. A mix of wind instruments and strings.
a. You have to wonder how it sounded…
iv. People had every reason to be scared.
1. Kings in those days had absolute power.
a. The newly minted King Charles doesn’t wield that kind of power. Neither did his mother the queen.
2. When the proclamation says “whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire,” he absolutely meant it!
(II) In spite of the danger, the 3 men were Bravely Disobedience!
Daniel 3:12-18 “There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? “Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
a. The king is FURIOUS!
i. Who is he furious with?
1. The tattle tails?
2. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego?
3. Maybe he’s mad at both!
ii. He offers the 3 men a second chance!
1. I wonder why?
a. He wanted to be seen as a forgiving kind of guy?
b. They had proven their value?
i. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been a practical man when it came to using the abilities of those he had conquered.
iii. He also throws down a challenge…
1. “what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”
a. He has a point… No “g” god is going to be able to save them. He doesn’t understand that there is a “G” GOD!
b. In spite of knowing with absolute certainty that the king would not hesitate to carry out his threat, the 3 men stood firm!
i. There is no trying to “find a way around” this.
1. “We could “take a knee.” Would that be enough to satisfy you?”
2. “What if we just leave for a while everyone else hangs out and bows some more?”
ii. The men boldly tell the king 2 things.
1. our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
a. We trust out God!
2. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
a. We trust our God to decide what is best for us!
(III) The King orders the men thrown into the fire.
Daniel 3:19-23 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
a. The furnace is heated well beyond the normal.
i. COULD they make it 7 times hotter?
1. I’m sure they made it as hot as they could!
b. The 3 men our bound.
i. They are thrown in the fire
1. They are still wearing all their clothes. (This matters later!)
2. The men who throw them into the fire all die in the process.
a. Either their fear of Nebuchadnezzar is greater than their fear of the fire, or their devotion to their duty compels them.
i. I suspect the latter, since they are described as “Valiant warriors!
(IV) God absolutely makes Himself known!
Daniel 3:24-30 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.
“Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
a. Nebuchadnezzar takes a look at his handiwork.
i. There are 4 men, not 3 in the fire
1. They are loose and walking around.
2. They are unharmed.
3. The fourth one is “like a son of the gods!”
a. Nebuchadnezzar can tell this isn’t an ordinary man! (Apparently, no wings)
b. Some have interpreted this comment, “son of the gods” to mean it’s a “preview of Jesus. (Preincarnation)
i. I personally think this is simply the inspired record of what an uninspired man said.
1. When we read what Satan said in the garden, it doesn’t make it true.
a. Same for the boasts of Goliath
b. The lies that Samson told Delilah.
c. The accusations made by Job’s 3 “friends.” And many, many others.
ii. I think God has sent an Angel..
1. To protect the men, yes!
a. But God could have done this without the visible presence of an Angel.
2. To SHOW His power in a visible way to Nebuchadnezzer.
b. Nebuchadnezzar calls to the men to come out.
i. The three men come out. Where did the Angel go? He left like he came. POOF!
ii. Nebuchadnezzar calls them “You servants of the most high God”
1. He recognizes that what he said earlier was true. No “g” god could have saved them.
iii. Many witnesses see them not only alive, but unharmed.
1. They don’t have any hairs singed.
2. Even their clothes are unharmed
3. They and don’t even smell like smoke!
c. Nebuchadnezzar has an “aha moment!”
i. He recognizes that God has protected these men from his harm.
ii. He recognizes that these men were not going to bow to any “g” god. Only to the “One, True, Living, God!
iii. He recognizes that these men were correct to defy him in this way.
iv. He makes a decree that no one is to even defame the name of their God!
1. This is punishable by your death by dismemberment and your house being turned into a garbage dump!
What do we take away from this “Scary Story?”
* If the Bible is true, God is a God of ABSOLUTE POWER!
God’s Word IS correct! Over & Over we see the Bible proven true!
If it’s true everywhere else, it must be true here as well! Otherwise, “Just how powerful is God?”
* God has no trouble protecting those He chooses to protect from harm.
But sometimes He doesn’t! Why not?
Being a Christian isn’t a means of bypassing all trouble in your life. Often it is quite the opposite.
Following God sometimes means you stay standing when everybody else is bowing down!
* It all boils down to trusting God for the final outcome!
God sees both sides of life and death. We are called to trust Him with both sides.
* How we live, or how we die, is a testament to the God we love and serve!
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
I’m sure these men were afraid! But they lived fearlessly!
DO THE SAME!
