Year 0, Day 3: Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar’s True Colors Shine Through

Daniel 3 is one of my long-time favorite stories.  I remember this story as one of the first ones my parents taught me.  Actually, the introduction they gave me to Daniel was with the story of the Lion’s Den, but I was so fascinated by Daniel that this story was a quick second one told.  It has always been my favorites.

Let’s look at the players here.  Nebuchadnezzar, who praised God in Daniel 2, is back to his old ways.  Rather, let’s say that he did not come so far as we would like to believe upon reading chapter 2.  King Nebuchadnezzar learned an appreciation for God, but he was not yet convinced to give himself up to God.  He still wanted people to worship him. 

On the surface, phrased that way it sounds so despicable.  But here am I – born again of the Holy Spirit for at least 27 years and an ordained pastor for 5 of those years – and do I not occasionally still enjoy being the center of attention?  I may not make golden images, but does that mean I am free of the desire to step into the place in my life where only God is righteous enough to dwell?  I know logically that only God can be at the center.  Only He can handle the pressure and the attention and do it righteously.  Yet, do I not occasionally enjoy the spotlight?  Am I really so different from Nebuchadnezzar in this passage?

But here’s the grace.  Yes, God is gracious to Nebuchadnezzar.  Although Nebuchadnezzar still fights with God for the center of the attention in his life, God is not finished with Nebuchadnezzar yet.  By the end of the story, God has not condemned Nebuchadnezzar but instead given Nebuchadnezzar another reason to consider worshipping Him more than he desires to worship himself. 

Isn’t that really the whole crux of life?  Do we worship God or ourselves more? This isn’t to say that Nebuchadnezzar arrives in faith completely even after this story; but God certainly uses this story to move Nebuchadnezzar in the right direction.  God can take the proud and work with them.  He can both humble them and draw them close to Him – if they are willing to admit the mistakes of their pride as Nebuchadnezzar does here in this chapter.  That’s grace if I’ve ever heard it!

I’ll be honest and confess that I’ve never read Daniel before with such an emphasis on Nebuchadnezzar before.  I’ve always focused on Daniel, but it seems that God would have me see His hand in fashioning Nebuchadnezzar this time through the book.  So, praise be to God whenever scripture is opened anew.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

But so far I’ve ignored Daniel and his friends completely.    Again they stand up to be God’s appointed human champions.  Not that God needs champions, mind you.  But certainly Daniel’s friends’ stance pleases God.  In spite of the words against the Jews about how they are taking seriously God’s edict in the 10 Commandments to have no other gods before him, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego still stand bold.  They accept the thought of death.  They humbly accept God’s ability to provide the preservation of their own lives.

Now there’s a scary point.  Look here at the words of Daniel’s friends.  Daniel 3:18 gives us a look at sinful humanity being fully suppressed gloriously by the divine new creation that God is creating within them.  Daniel says, “But if not, know to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”  Wow.  Yes, they believe God can save them.  But even if God should not see it fit to spare them, they are prepared to accept death over serving another God.

Whoa.  Stop and let that sink in just a bit.  Voluntary martyrdom for God’s sake?  Now that’s faith – it’s a kind of faith I don’t see all that often in our “me culture” of today.  When’s the last time that you saw someone consistently turn down the “gods” that the world offers us to worship – even at the risk of life and limb?  There are many gods out there that our culture is so skilled at worshipping: TV, movies, sporting events, social media, money, clothing, cars, our own bodies, etc.  What would it be like for a sub-culture to begin to rise up and say: “No more, culture.  You cannot have my worship.  God is the center of my life; not that which you desire me to worship.”  I’d like to know the people around me that desire to make that claim.

God demonstrates to us what we can expect when we make that claim against the world. 

In fact, I believe there are two consequences to making that stand.  First, we can expect rejection by the culture.  In fact, we can expect persecution.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into a fiery furnace on account of their stand!

However, there is a second expectation in which we can hope.  King Nebuchadnezzar actually fills us in on God’s promise.  When we make that claim against what the world wants us to worship, we can expect that we will be joined by one whose appearance is “like a son of the gods.”  If that statement isn’t laden with New Testament imagery I don’t know what is!  Stand by God, and a Son of God comes to your midst!

In King Nebuchadnezzar’s words we hear a pre-echo of Jesus words in Matthew 18:20.  “For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” In these words I also hear the promise of the Eucharist.  Take and eat, this is my body.  Take and drink, this is my blood.  Christ is also with us when we come to His holy supper and acknowledge it isn’t about us, but rather about God’s saving work on the cross. 

What a glorious passage!  Nebuchadnezzar finds grace in his pride.  Daniel’s friends find power and one whose appearance is like a son of the gods.  Here is a story that we can take with us and bind to our hearts.  God is with us, whether we are strong in Him or weak in a moment of our self-serving pride!