Coachlight
Bible Study – Daniel Chapter 3 - The
Golden Image
The ‘Times of the Gentiles’ has begun and is
in full swing. We saw last week, that
God placed ‘His servant’ King Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 27:2-8) on the throne of
Babylon, bringing the remnant of the ‘seed of Abraham’ into captivity under
King Nebuchadnezzar, for the express purpose demonstrating that God is
sovereign. God is setting the stage for
the first Advent of the Messiah. The Lord began by giving Nebuchadnezzar a
dream describing the main events of the ‘Times of the Gentiles’.
The dream demonstrated the present situation of the king, and the fact that the mighty
Part
1 – Events In The Beginning of the Times of the Gentiles
Daniel 3:1 ¶ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an
image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six
cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the
A. Remember what
Nebuchadnezzar said after God revealed his dream?
Daniel 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and
said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings,
and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
B. These events
happened about twenty-three years after the dream
C.
Nebuchadnezzar had built in
1. The ‘
2. The ‘
D. It was made
completely of gold
1. The dream had only the head, (Nebuchadnezzar) of gold.
2. Pride was evident
a. Everybody was to worship him
b.In his eyes, this is “one better” than the dream
E. It was
built on the Plain of Dura – Not
1. He did not want it overshadowed by the
magnificence of
2. He undoubtedly thought he needed a “State Religion” to hold together
a. His Empire from many nations
b. His Empire of many religions
Daniel 3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent
to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces,
to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set
up.
Daniel 3:3 Then the princes, the governors,
and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of
the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the
image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you
it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Daniel 3:5 That at what time ye hear the sound
of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of
musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up:
Daniel 3:6 And whoso falleth not down and
worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace.
Daniel 3:7 Therefore at that time, when all
the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and
all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down
and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
A. All the nations of the earth
that had become subject to
B. They were to send
representatives to the great ceremony
C. Babylon was full of great men,
rulers of the nations and representatives
D. A herald commanded aloud
1. To all people, nations, and languages,
2. When they heard the signal – music
3. They fall down and worship the Image
4. If they do not worship the image
a. In the same hour
b. They will be cast into the midst of a burning 'Fiery Furnace.
E. The result was the vast multitude fell upon their faces - But not
all.
Daniel 3:8 ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and
accused the Jews.
Daniel 3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live
for ever.
Daniel 3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall
hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and
all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Daniel 3:11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should
be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs
of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king,
have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up.
A. Three men, all prominent officials refused to bow the knee
1. They were Jews
2. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
B. Where Was Daniel - We don’t know
1. He may have been ill, or away on State business
2. If he had been there he would have refused to Worship the Image.
3. More on this later
C. Their failure to worship was noticed by
certain Chaldeans
1. Undoubtedly
jealous of the Jews get them out of the way
2. They said
about the three Jews to Nebuchadnezzar
a. Did not
regard the king
b. Don’t serve
your gods
c. Don’t
worship your image
Daniel 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage
and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought
these men before the king.
Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto
them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods,
nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Daniel 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what
time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and
dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I
have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the
midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you
out of my hands?
A. Nebuchadnezzar is furious
1. Insisted that the 3 Jews be brought before him
2. He gave them a second chance
a. Maybe they did’t hear the command to worship?
b. Maybe they misunderstood the command?
B. Nebuchadnezzar Reasoned With them
1. Told them they would be
well if they worshipped
2. They would die in the
furnace if they did not worship
3. Asked them: “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”
Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer
thee in this matter.
Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve
is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us
out of thine hand, O king.
Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee,
O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which
thou hast set up.
A. They were not worried about the situation
B. God was able to deliver them
C. If God didn’t, they would still not worship
the image
D. They would not compromise – even in face of
death
Daniel 3:19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of
fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace
one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Daniel 3:20 And he commanded the most mighty
men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast
them into the burning fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:21 Then these men were bound in their
coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:22 Therefore because the king’s
commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire
slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Daniel 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery
furnace.
A. Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury
B. Commanded that the furnace heated 7 times
hotter than usual
C. The Jews to be bound
D. Thrown into the furnace
E. The heat killed the men who threw them into
the furnace
Daniel 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was
astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did
not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said
unto the king, True, O king.
Daniel 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see
four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and
the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Daniel 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to
the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
Daniel 3:27 And the princes, governors, and
captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men,
upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
A. Nebuchadnezzar was astonished
1. Hadn’t they thrown 3 men into the furnace?
2. He saw 4 men – one was like the Son of God
B. Told the servants of the Most High God to come out of the furnace
C. The fire had no power over them
1. Their hair was not
singed
2. Their coats were the
same as before the fire
3. They had no smell of
fire on them
C. They had been part of the promise in Isaiah – They Trusted God
Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through
the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
D.
Nebuchadnezzar found out what God would deliver them
Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and
language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill:
because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
A. Non Other can deliver like this
B. Anyone that speaks against the true God
1. Will be
cut into pieces
2. House made
a dunghill
Daniel 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in
the
I.
We See Nebuchadnezzar As Type of the antichrist
A. Nebuchadnezzar
Build An Image For The WorldTo Worship - D. He had the 1st Gentile
world Empire - Antichrist will have the last
Revelation 13:7
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
1. The
dimensions of the Image are symbols
a. Height was
60 cubits - its breadth 6 cubits.
1. 6 is the
‘Number of Man’
2. 6 is the number of human
incompleteness
a. Man was
made on the 6th day
b. Man is
appointed 6 days of labor
3. 6 stops short of seven
2. 7 is the ‘Perfect Number’
1. Or the
number of Completeness.
2. The 7th day is the Day of Rest, because God rested on
the 7th
B. The number six reminds us of the number of
the ‘Beast’
Revelation
II. We See The Image A Type Of The Image Of The
Beast
A. Image worship fore-shadows the Image of the
‘False Prophet’
1. An Image that shall be given life, and the
power to speak.
Revelation 13:1 ¶ And I beheld another beast
coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a
dragon.
Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the
power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell
therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders,
so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell
on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the
sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should
make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image
of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as
many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
2. Those that do not worship will be killed
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image
of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as
many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great,
rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in
their foreheads:
3. All who will not worship the Beast will be
beheaded.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they
sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them
that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which
had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ
a thousand years.
4. No one will be able to buy or sell without
the mark, name or number
Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or
sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name.
Revelation
B. The Idolatrous
Religion – A Type of the Harlot
Revelation 17:1 ¶
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked
with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the
great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Revelation 17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Revelation 17:3
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit
upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads
and ten horns.
Revelation
17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple
and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having
a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her
fornication:
Revelation 17:5
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Revelation 17:6
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of
the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
III.
We See The Hebrew Children A Type Of The Remnant
A. Not worshiping the image they foreshadow ‘Jewish
Remnant’ - the 144,000 sealed ones passing unscathed through the
Tribulation
Revelation 7:2
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living
God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to
hurt the earth and the sea,
Revelation 7:3
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed
the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Revelation 7:4
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an
hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of
B. They are
seen later standing on a sea of glass mingled with fire
Revelation
15:1 ¶ And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels
having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Revelation
15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass
mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and
over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on
the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
C. They sing
the new song of "Moses and of the Lamb,"
Revelation 15:
3 And they sing the song of Moses the
servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
D. As the
Hebrew children were delivered and promoted - so the end time remnant will be promoted and
given positions of power and influence in the
Revelation 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and
for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image,
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they
lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
IV.
The Fiery Furnace Is A Type Of The Great Tribulation
A. The
Tribulation In Revelation 6-19
B. Christ said it
will be worse than the world has ever seen
Matthew 24:15
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel
the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Matthew 24:16
Then let them which be in
Matthew 24:17 Let
him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Matthew 24:18
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Matthew 24:19 And
woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Matthew 24:20 But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Matthew 24:21 For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the
world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
V.
We See Daniel Is A Type Of The Church
A. The church
will not be around during The Great Tribulation
B. The Book of
Revelation is in three parts
Revelation 1:19
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things
which shall be hereafter;
1. The word
church or churches is used in Rev elation – Word Study
2. 19 times in
chapters 1-3 – (The things which are)
3. Not again
until Chapter 22:5 – (The things which shall be hereafter)
I Thessalonians 4:13 ¶ But I would not have
you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow
not, even as others which have no hope.
I Thessalonians 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
I Thessalonians 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep.
I Thessalonians 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
I Thessalonians 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord.
I Thessalonians 18 Wherefore comfort one
another with these words
Application: Daniel isn't mentioned
at all in this chapter. He would never have bowed to the image, so we have to conclude
that he wasn't there. In the same way, the Church won't be here when the Great
Tribulation comes upon the earth. We'll view it from heaven, where we will be
with Christ.
The tribulation we face as Christians comes
from Satan and the world under his control. He constantly seeks to attack us
and tear us down. The Great Tribulation predicted in Revelation 6-19 will come
from God as His judgment on the world that has rejected His Son.
|
A Type Of Events In The
Tribulation |
|
|
Daniel Chapter Three |
Tribulation Dispensation |
|
Nebuchadnezzar Is A Type Of The All Worship It Or Die |
Image Of The Beast To Be Set Up In All Worship Him Or Die Revelation 13:13-15; 20:4 |
|
Dimensions Of The Image Point To The Number Of Man |
Number Of The Beast Revelation 13:18 |
|
The Fiery Furnace – A Type Of The Great Tribulation |
The Great Tribulation – Revelation 6-19 Matthew 24:21 |
|
The Three Hebrew Men God Protected In The Furnace – A
Type Of The Remnant |
The 144,000 Remnant Jews God Will Seal And Protect
During The Tribulation. - Revelation 7:3-8; Revelation 12:16 |
|
The Worship Of The Image – A Type Of The Last Days Babylonian
Religion |
Mystery |
|
The Three Hebrew Men Were Promoted In The Kingdom |
The Remnant Will Be Promoted In The Millennial
Reign - Revelation 20:4 |
|
Daniel Is No Where To Be Seen – A Type Of The Church |
The Church Is Raptured - Not Heard From Revelation 4:1-22:16 II Thessalonians 4:13-18 |
Word Study –
Church in Revelation
Revelation
2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the
seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden
candlesticks;
Revelation
2:8 And unto the angel of the church in
Revelation
Revelation
2:18 And unto the angel of the church in
Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto
a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
Revelation
3:1 And unto the angel of the church in
Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the
seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art
dead.
Revelation
3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith
he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that
openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Revelation
Word Study – Churches in Revelation
Revelation
1:4 John to the seven churches which are in
Revelation
1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou
seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto
Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto
Laodicea.
Revelation
Revelation
2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation
Revelation
2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden
manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written,
which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Revelation
Revelation
Revelation
3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation
Revelation
Revelation