Daniel Chapter 3 Series

Daniel Survey

Chapter 3 Outline

Rev. Bruce A. Shields

First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan

www.TawasBaptist.org

Defying the Death Decree

We are living in the end times now.

The stories from Daniel’s days parallel the events in the book of Revelation.

This is why it’s important to examine Daniel before studying Revelation.

The prophecies in Daniel reveal the epics of history just before the coming of Jesus.

The stories deal with prayer, faith and character qualities that prepare us for the coming of the Lord.

Chapter 2 of Daniel – God the prophet or revealer.

Chapter 3 of Daniel – God the priest (savior) or redeemer.

Chapter 4 of Daniel – God the king or ruler.

In Chapter 2 of Daniel God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream with an image.

This image represented kingdoms to come.

In Chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar creates his own image which was in defiance of God.

We know this because the WHOLE image was gold, which represents the kingdom of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar was making the statement that, contrary to what God said, Babylon would exist for ever.

Chapter 2 = true history, image created by God, future of kingdoms.

Chapter 3 = counterfeit history, image created by man, future as Nebuchadnezzar wanted it.

The dimensions of the statue were 60 & 6, or between 8 and 9 stories tall.

The number 6 is symbolic in the bible of imperfection, lawlessness and disobedience.

Just as the number 7 = perfection.

Vs. 2 – All are commanded to worship the image.

This image represented a monument to Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar’s greatness.

He is saying, “My way is better than God’s way.”

Vs. 6 – Furnace fire to those who will not worship the image.

So in Daniel Chapter 3 we see;

A powerful world leader

A Counterfeit image

Commandments to worship the image

World leaders unite

Death penalty for those who do not worship

We see a parallel in Daniel Chapter 3 to Revelation Chapter 13

Issues in Daniel address the end times.

Revelation 13:12

Beast = King or Kingdom in the Bible

In Revelation we see the parallel to Daniel Chapter 3

Daniel 3

Nebuchadnezzar Parallel

Powerful World Ruler Revelation 13

The Beast

Leaders unite in the plains Leaders unite Church and State unite

Decree to worship image Compelled to Worship Decree to worship image

Golden statue represented Babylon Image is counterfeit of God Image, sign and mark represent authority of church/state

Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego Death Defying Faith

Unwavering Loyalty to God Faith like that of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego

3:8 – When music plays, worship image.

3:9-10 – The Jews were accused by the nation’s wise men.

3:14 – Nebuchadnezzar questioned them.

3:15 – the King gives them another chance.

3:16 – They stood their ground because they had purposed in their hearts.

3:17 – They confessed God.

3:18 – They denied the image.

FAITH

Faith does not deliver you from the fire. It takes you through the fire.

Christianity is not a good luck charm to make things good, it’s faith and belief in God when things get bad.

3:19-25

3 men were cast in.

but 4 men where in there.

4th man looked like the son of gods (Christ).

Literal Hebrew

|7299| And the look

|1768| of

|7244| the fourth

|1821| is like

|1247| a son of

|0426| {the} gods!

When you go through the flames of your life and you are depressed and feel like you can’t go on, hurt, broken hearted, crying in bed, whatever your fiery furnace, the flames of your life, Christ is there.

God grew them (and us) through their refining fire or difficulty.

Every life experiences heart ache, and sorrow, the fire.

We don’t have to do it alone, we have Jesus.

The evil King saw the Son of God.

Christ with His people.

He saw they had a savior he longed for.

Because of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s testimony and faith, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God.