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“TheImageOfGoldAndTheFieryFurnace”Daniel3:1-30

MessagebyMichaelJ.Barnard January31,2016Teaching Aim: To examine the story of three youngmen who remained faithful to God in spite oftremendous persecution from King Nebuchadnezzar. To see how God blessed and protected them,evenaftertheyhadbeenthrownintoafieryfurnace.TorealizeGodwilldeliverHispeopleeitherfromdeathorthroughdeath,butthegoodnewsisintheendwewin!

DIGGINGDEEPERINTOGOD’SWORD(BIBLESTUDY)PartI:Nebuchadnezzarbuildsamassiveimageofgoldandcommandsitbeworshiped(Dan.3:1-7)1. InDanielchapter2describesKingNebuchadnezzarashavingarecurringdreamofagiganticstatueof

amanmadeoutof differentmetals;Daniel informed the king that theheadof gold representedhim.WhatdowefindKingNebuchadnezzardoinginDan.3:1?Howhighandwidewasthisimageinfeet?

2. Accordingtoverses2&3,whodidKingNebuchadnezzar invitetoattendthisdedication? Wasthis

really an invitation or was it compulsory? What was the king’s purpose in having thesegovernmentalofficialspresentatthededication?HowaretheactionsofNebuchadnezzarsimilartothoseoftheAntichristinthelastdays?(SeeRev.13:14-17)

3. Howwouldthepeopleknowwhentobeginworshiping(vv.4&5)?Isworshipstillbeingintroduced

bymusic today? What four instrumentsarementioned inverse5? Whatdoweknowaboutthe“lyre”and“psaltery”? (SeeDictionary) Wasworshipingthis imageoptionalforthosepresent(vs.6)?Whatwouldhappeniftheydidn’tworshiptheimage?AccordingtoJer.29:21-22,wasburningpeoplealiveacommonpracticeoftheBabylonians? Isthispracticestillbeingcarriedout inthatpartoftheworldtoday?Ifso,bywhom?

4. What did all the people but three do when the music began to play (vs. 7)? Why would it be

advantageousforNebuchadnezzartohaveallofhissubjectsworshipingthesamegod?HowcouldtheworshipofthisimagecalmdissensionthroughouttheEmpire?HowwillAntichristuseasimilartacticinthelastdays?

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PartII:Shadrach,Meshach,andAbed-Negodisobeytheking(Dan.3:8-18)1. Inwhattwowaysdowefindtheterm“Chaldeans”beingusedinScripture(vs.8)?Whichwaydoes

Danielusethetermhere?Accordingtoverse8,whodidn’tbowtothe90foottall image?Why?(SeeExod.20:4-5a)Wouldyouhaveboweddown?

2. Doyouthinkthesorcerers,magiciansandwisemenwerelyinginwaitfortheJewsnottobowsothey

couldturnthemintotheking(vv.8-12)? Ifso,why?(SeeDan.2:46-49) DidtheChaldeansturntheminoutofloveofthekingoroutoftheirhatredfortheJews?TheJewswerehatedinthedaysofNebuchadnezzar,aretheystillhatedtoday?Ifso,why?

3. HowdoesKingNebuchadnezzarrespondtothechargeoftheChaldeansinverse13?Thekingcould

havehadShadrach,Meshach,andAbed-Negostruckdownonthespot,whatsurprisingmovedidhemakeinverses14&15?WhydoyouthinkKingNebuchadnezzarofferedthemasecondchance?

4. WhatarrogantstatementdoesNebuchadnezzarmakeattheendofverse15?Whatisthekingsaying

inessence?HowdoShadrach,Meshach,andAbed-Negorespondtothisarrogance(vs.16)?Werethethreeyoungmenwillingtocompromisetheirfaithandsavetheir lives,orweretheywillingtodie if that’s what it took to remain faithful to God? What are some ways that you’vecompromisedyourfaithinthepast?(See1John1:9)

5. OneofthegreateststatementsoffaithintheBibleisfoundinverses17&18,whatisit?Whatcan

we learn about the faithof Shadrach,Meshach, andAbed-Nego from this statement? Howdoestheirfaithcomparetoyourtoday?

PartIII:Thefieryfurnaceandamiraculousdelivery(Dan.3:19-30)1. Howdid KingNebuchadnezzar respond to the stand Shadrach,Meshach, andAbed-Nego took (vs.

19)?WhydoyouthinkthekingbecamesoenragedwhenhelearnedthethreeJewshadn’tobeyedhim?Howmightpridehaveplayedapartintheking’sreaction?(SeeProv.16:18)Doyoustrugglewithpride?Ifso,how?

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2. Inhis angerKingNebuchadnezzarobviouslywasn’t thinking clearly (vs. 19). Ifhe reallywanted tomake the men suffer, would he have heated the furnace seven times (an idiom for “as hot aspossible”),orwouldhehavecooleditdownalittle?Why?

3. WhatdoweknowaboutthesoldierswhothrewShadrach,Meshach,andAbed-Negointothefurnace

(vs. 20)? Usually prisoners being prepared for execution were stripped of their clothing. Whathappenedinthiscase(vs.21)?Why?

4. Intheking’sanger,thefirewasheatedsohotthattheheatkilledsomeofhisbestsoldiers(vs.22).

WhataresomesimilaritiesbetweenNebuchadnezzarandthecomingAntichrist?DoesSatanvaluehisfollowersordoesheusethemastoolstofulfillhispurposesandthenseesthemasexpendable?HowisthisdifferentfromthewayGodseesandtreatsHisfollowers?(SeeGen.1:26;John10:27-30;17:12)

5. Someof the king’sbestmendiedbecauseof the intenseheat, but Shadrach,Meshach, andAbed-

Negofelldowntheshootandlivedunharmed(vs.23). Whatwastheking’sreactionashelookedintothefurnace(vs.24)?Why(vs.25)?

6. Thethreeyoungmenhadbeendroppedontothered-hotburningcoalsatthebottomofthefurnace.

Whattwosightsdescribedinverse25shockedtheking?Whatdidthefourthpersoninthefurnacelooklikeaccordingtotheking?Whatarethethreemostpopularexplanationsforwhothisfourthpersonwas?

7. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were in the furnace because they had disobeyed the king’s

orders;dotheyobeyhisordersinverse26?Why?

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8. The king and thosewithhimhadwitnessed an incrediblemiracle. Who gatheredwith the king aswitnessestothemiraclewhenthethreemencameoutofthefire(vs.27)? Wheredidthefourthman[theheavenlybeing]go?WhatdidthepeopleexaminingtheyoungJewishmennotice?Howdifficultisittogetridofthesmellofsmokeafteritgetsintoourclothing?Whatcanwelearnaboutthecompletenessofthismiraclefromtheconditionofthemenwhentheycameout?

9. How does King Nebuchadnezzar respond to the miracle in verse 28? Who did Nebuchadnezzar

believethefourthpersonwas?IsthereanyindicationthatNebuchadnezzarwasstillangrywiththemeninverse28?

10. What violent decree doesKingNebuchadnezzarmake afterwitnessing thismiracle first hand (vs.

29)? Do you think this miracle took the steam out of Nebuchadnezzar’s dedication of hismagnificent90-foottallgoldenimage?Ifso,how?WhatbecamethepenaltyforspeakingagainsttheGodof Shadrach,Meshach, andAbed-Nego? (Notice: Once againGodprotected the Jewishpeople.)

11. Howarethecircumstancesinverse30similartothoseinDan.2:46-49?Haveyoufoundthatwhen

youareobedientGodHeblessesyou?Whathappenswhenyouaredisobedient?Onascaleof1-10,howwouldyourateyourfaithfulnesstoGodatthemoment?

12. WhataresomepracticalapplicationsyoucantakewithyoufromDanielchapter3? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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MINER’SCORNER~Mannatoliveby!• ChildrenofGodarenottoworshipidolsorimagesofanykind.• InsomewaysNebuchadnezzar’sactionsforeshadowthoseofthecomingAntichrist.• EachchildofGodmustdecidedailyifheorshewillfollowGodorman?• AnyonewhofollowstheLordispromisedpersecutioninthislife.• Satanseeshisfollowersastoolstobeusedforhispurpose,andthenexpendable.• GodseeseachofHisfollowersaspreciousandvaluableinHissight.(Gen.1:26)• Ifyouhavetogothroughthefire,Godpromisestowalkthroughitwithyou!• TheBookofDanielchapter3willbeofspecialencouragementtothosewhohavetogothroughthe

GreatTribulationandfacetheAntichrist.