Daniel Chapter 3 Discussion Page 4

I think God was demonstrating his power, proving his existence, trying to prepare us for the future, and show us to prepare for end times.

Sometimes you just have to �Let it Burn�. Fire has a property called �Radiant Heat� which means if you don�t cool things down around it they will burn too. This is evident by the men carrying the (3) to throw them into the furnace died while trying. God being ALL Powerful could have sent a strong wind and blew out the fire as easily as we blow out a match, or sent a drowning rain; but these things could have and most likely would have been attributed to �Natural Causes�. The FIRE had to BURN. The people standing around had to see for themselves the threat was REAL!!! There was no fake or Shake there. Just like in our lives today. There are those who do not like us for reasons unknown, and they do all they can to make our lives miserable. They get JOY at seeing us suffer, or at least what they perceive as suffering. As we sit back and pray for their deliverance, they giggle with glee. GLORY HALLILUJA!!! Think about what exactly happened that day. Men died, but not the ones that were expected to die. A man who called �himself� a king realized he was nothing. The men in the fire had the Faith of a Saint. Which is what kept them safe (in my opinion). Imagine them sticking their hands into the fire allowing their bonds to be burned off, while not suffering any burns to their bodies. Walking around, possibly in amazement, themselves seeing the walls of flames all around them and feeling no affect. Kind of like our enemies seeking to still our joy, with God�s Grace and Mercy we feel No Affect. Actually, that fire did serve more than one purpose; it set the Hebrews free literally and Spiritually too. All they did was walk around and marvel � not a worry at all. When the king did not hear that expected YELP!!! Their outcry of agony he could not comprehend �Why Not�. Just like those who seek our demise; they can�t understand why we are not in misery. We have to let it burn. Jesus said �Do good to those who would do evil to you�� When someone wants to see you suffer, there is nothing more devastating to them than not to see you suffer. The only suffering seen that day was the men who died trying to obey the king. When it was seen how the properties of �Fire� had been changed that day. EVERYONE was convinced God was God. The king made a proclamation to all, He WAS GOD, and no one was to serve any other God. The Fire might be burning around someone right now; co-workers might be dogging your every step. Your Boss might be doing all he or she can to make your job almost undoable, Bill collectors might be on your phone(s) day and night. Even folks in your churches might put your name(s) in the mud. BUT! Let it burn!!! The future might seem as if there is absolutely NO HOPE, but you have to let it Burn!!! Your children, the one(s) you mothers carried for (9) months and delivered into this world may be causing you heart aches beyond belief, but you got to �Let it burn�!!!! It might seem; the harder you try to get ahead, the further behind it seems you get, But, �Let it Burn� There may be times you think to yourself �Where is God�? Why is He allowing me to go through so much? Those Hebrew Boys were not only a Testimony to the Power of their God; they turned a whole kingdom around. Just like you will, when those fires of your enemies are put to non-affect. All you got to do is �Let them Burn�, God�s got you and they will bring no harm to you either.

In verse 15, the king said "who is that God who is able to deliver you (3 Hebrews) from my hand?" Then in verse 26 after the king saw that the boys were not burnt, he went to the mouth of the furnace and called out saying "you servants of the most High God". From this account we see that after this the king was no longer pagan. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of God, the Hebrew boys preached God's word to the king and the king saw God's miracles in the lives the Hebrew boys, therefore, the king later believed in the true God. Let us emulate the Hebrew boys and make a positive impact wherever we are and win lost souls.

I agree with Jen's and Lucretia's views. The king had experience of both satanic powers (through his magicians, etc..) and the true power of God (through the four Hebrews boys). Therefore he knew exactly what he was talking about in Daniel 3, because he was able to distinguish between the two powers. Jesus had appeared on earth many times before He was born, like in Exodus, He was the Rock... Jesus said before Moses I AM... Thomas is right in saying the king was pagan but he the king came to know the only true God through Daniel and friends, that's why after this the king repented, stopped following Satan and his demons and turned to Jehovah the only true God and commanded all nations under the sun to stop worshiping the devil and start worshiping Jehovah, Daniel's God.

@Thomas,
If the king thought that the fourth man was the son of the gods that he worshiped, then why did he start worshiping the Real True God? I stand by what is written here.

I believe everything written in the chapters of Daniel is for a lesson/warning to the people alive during the end of days tribulation. I believe God allowed events to occur in the past that reflect end time events. Chapter 3 is describing the United States (the new Babylon) after the World War 3 peace treaty is signed. The simple gold image that is set up is for Muslim worship when one hears the musical call to prayer in the US cities. I think Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego represent 3 military leaders in the US that disagree with Wahhabi Muslim law and want the constitution upheld and Christianity allowed in the United States. They will be ordered to go into the worst part of the fighting that erupts after the peace treaty is signed. The purpose is to kill them without a human rights issue being raised in other countries. The "ruler" will want entail from the 3 military leaders as to who would "save" (who opposes Muslim law) them from certain death. They answer that God can save them if it is his will, but they would oppose the new Muslim laws even if it means their death. The ruler puts Muslim compliant military men in charge of these 3 US military leaders and together they go into the "fiery furnace" of a fierce World War 3 battle. The other military men escorting are killed and the 3 military leaders are shot down yet survive the battle with no harm at all. I believe that the..."and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" represents a Christian backed military that participates in this eventful battle that defeats the Muslims (perhaps the last battle before Meddigo when Jesus returns to destroy the opposing remnant). The ruler of the US will call back these 3 military men and declare the removal of Muslim law in the US and reinstates Christianity.

I see true faith in GOD from 3 Men who believed in the living GOD, we all need that kind of faith.

@Lucretia,
I think that because of who Jesus is--whether a person has never seen him before or not, He is known--to those whom God will reveal Him too. Remember how in the very beginning of the book of Matthew in the New Testament, in chapter 17, how Peter, James and John all recognized Moses and Elias. I doubt that they'd had portraits or images drawn up of them back then--seems not Godly--so that was supernatural, the revelation of who Moses and Elias were when they appeared with Jesus. Only the Pharisees, Sadducees, and others did not know who Jesus was. So if they knew who Moses and Elias where, how much more Jesus. Remember how the devils knew who Jesus was, and obeyed and feared Him, when Jesus cast them out of men (Example Matthew chapter 8 verses 28-29 and also verses 31 through 32). Thank you for pointing out that verse. It ALWAYS struck me as AWESOME, that that king IMMEDIATELY knew who Jesus Christ was. There was NO OTHER WAY for the king to know who Jesus Christ was, other than the fact that Jesus Christ was and IS EXACTLY who He said He was. He IS God's Son, and our Savior--our ONLY chance into Heaven is through Him and obeying His Father's word, which He preached. I also love that Jesus calls God OUR Father (ex. Matthew chapter 5 verse 48 and especially in Matthew chapter 7 verses 9 through 11)--even though most of us are like me, and not ANYWHERE NEAR being who God, through Jesus, commands us to be. This verse IS AWESOME!!! Helps to reinforce faith in Jesus Christ and His/Our Father's word!!! Awesome!!!

Here is King Nebuchanezzar witnessing the power of God a second time. In Daniel Chapter 2, Daniel/Belteshazzar converses with the king and introduces him to \"a God in heaven that revealeth secrets.\" Daniel must have told him much more about God and it is very possible too that Daniel could have spoken about God\'s son at that same time why the king could have declared in Chapter 3, \"the fourth one looks like the son of God.\" It is important to note that Daniel was the only one who interpreted the king\'s dream, and the king boldly declared \"of a truth, it is true that your God is a God of gods.\" Meaning the great God is more powerful than all other gods. This simple says that the gods of the magicians, astrologers, socerers, chaldeans who depended on science and their gods to save their necks as the king said he would destroy them all, could not in any way tell the king what he dreamt neither what it meant, only the great God whom Daniel worshiped was able to help Daniel interpret the dream. In Daniel Chapter 3, the King again throws Daniel\'s friends into the furnace when in Chapter 1 he found them more favorable in all wisdom and understanding and ten times better than his magicians and astrologers, Daniel 1:19,20. The king alludes to this in Dan. 1:17 saying that God gave them knowledge, skill in learning and wisdom. Here the king is not refering to \"gods\" as those very \"gods\" failed the magicians, astrologers and socerers. Daniel is not mentioned in Chapter 3 but his three friends. It must be remembered that all four young men won the king\'s favor the very first time they entered the palace, therefore, all four worshiped the one and only true God so that with the absence of Daniel in the account in Chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not afraid to face the furnace. The king in chapter 2 witnessed the power of God through Daniel. It was God who through Daniel interpreted his dream not \"gods\" or an ordinary god now he sees the power of the same God in the person of His Son in saving Daniel\'s three friends. It is not surprising then for the king to declare that the fourth person in the fire looks like the Son of God. The king could only have come to that realization because Daniel and perhaps his friends told him about God and His son and secondly, because he saw the power of God in making known his dream to Daniel and now he again sees his power in the person of His Son. Thank God for wisdom and understanding of His word!

i have heard it preached that jesus was in the
furnace along with daniel and the others.did the
original writer mean to say this or even imply
this.the answer is no!!.think about it, this is
a pagan king who worships many gods so would it
make sense for him to say "the fourth looks like
the son of God" of course not.the original
reading is "the fourth looks like a son of the
Gods (plural)Most of us are unaware of the many
misquotes and mistranslations in our bible.in
this case you can see how ONE letter can change
everything

Every authorities in this world has its limit but that of God not

Jodie because that was Michael the archangel . Read verse28. Michael has been working with god though out the old testament. When u see the Angel or the lord that's Michael. The angel of the true god.

I think its something how the King saw 4 men and one looked like the son of God,that would be Jesus,so how could this be when Jesus had not been born yet?

Lord help us trust You all the time
Regardless of what comes our way,
Accepting from Your goodness that
You always have the final say.

LIFE IS HARD,BUT GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

This is proof that God will deliver you and on time! - Praise God!

I like this chapter because it tells how the king realized there was and is a true God, this story tells also how beliving in God and not worshiping images, images aren't any kind of God or Gods. There is only one God and he's in Heaven.

Let God be God and he will set you free. This is a true blessing.

Faith at its utmost best expression...this is the faith we need today...what if not...do you still keep your faith? in God? Try God and He will give you a crisis like this to come closer to Him and get promoted...Halleluyah