Category: Daniel

Daniel 3:28a Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!  

Bless Nebuchadnezzar’s heart. He was enraged that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t bow down to his idols, so he threw them into the furnace. He was amazed when they came out unscathed, so he….threatens annihilation for anyone who says anything about their God.

Daniel 3:26b …They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 

Hmmm…It doesn’t look like he learned much from this experience. He doesn’t embrace their God. He simply changes his threat from If you don’t bow down to my idol, I will kill you to If you say anything bad about their God (whom I still don’t believe in), I will kill you and burn down your home. Not much growth there.

Daniel 3:29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” 

Precious Savior, It is frustrating to read about the miracle you performed right in front of Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes and to see that not even that turned his heart to You (though there is some growth. He stops threatening to kill them at least). My job isn’t to change hearts, Lord. That’s Your job. Help me remember that all I can do is shine Your light. You will do the rest. Amen.

Daniel 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:26b …So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,  

What started as rage has become amazement. What started as faith has become belief. But I always stumble in this tale with the fire metaphor. I want to take it literally, and my factual mind cannot comprehend no damage, not even a singed hair, from the inferno.

Daniel 3:27a and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed;

I know the fire is metaphorical. But even metaphorical fires can burn. Though I am well acquainted with the strength that can come from those crucibles, there always seems to be collateral damage.

Daniel 3:27b …their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Precious Savior, Forgive me if my mind is trying to make more of this passage than needs to be made. I do believe that you use the conflagrations of life to burn away our impurities. But I am so very grateful that You walk through those fires with us, shielding us, protecting us, strengthening us. Thank You. Amen.

Daniel 3:28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:24a Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

Much of this chapter has found Nebuchadnezzar enraged, yet today’s scripture finds him in amazement. He cannot believe what he is seeing. Three men were bound and thrown in the fire, yet there are “four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” That’s God. Literally.

Daniel 3:24b …They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

God turned Nebuchadnezzar’s rage into amazement. God turned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s faith into enough. God showed up. God showed out. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were willing to praise God even if He chose not to save them, have so many reasons to praise Him now.

Daniel 3:25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Precious Savior, I know that You can and will and do use all things for our good and Your glory. Forgive me when I doubt and fear. Help me to have the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Help me to praise You always, no matter my circumstances. Amen.

Daniel 3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 

It is easy to judge Nebuchadnezzar for allowing his emotions to cloud his judgment. I’m pretty sure we’ve all been there–so angry, so enraged that we are determined to show the other person our wrath, no matter the cost to either of us.

Daniel 3:20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.  

And it just occurred to me that that type of scenario is what Jesus’s sacrifice saved us from. We are sinful by nature, sometimes willfully sinful. God has every right to be so enraged with our behaviors that He is determined to show us His wrath, no matter the cost. But He sent His son to redeem us and allow us a restored relationship with Him.

Daniel 3:21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the wisdom and insight You allow me as I sit at Your feet and read Your word each morning. Thank You for reminding me of the destructive nature of anger and rage. Thank You for Your sacrifice, which saved me from God’s wrath and gave me a path to right relationship with Him. Thank You. Amen.

Daniel 3:22-23 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

Oh the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. God CAN. He WILL. But EVEN IF He does not, we will praise Him.

Daniel 3:17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

I know that God CAN do all things. I know that He WILL use all things for my good and His glory. I try to praise Him always. But there is a time in there where I question and doubt: Why God? Why me? Why this? Why now?

Daniel 3:18a But even if he does not,

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your sovereign, compassionate, fierce love. Thank You for being big enough to handle my feelings of fear, doubt, anger, and bitterness. Thank You for Your strength and love, even if, even when. Help me to praise You always. Amen.

Daniel 3:18b …we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,

Verse 13 begins, “Furious with rage….” The king should stop right there. Anything that begins “Furious with rage,” is not going to end well. Strong emotions can be overwhelming and can short circuit rational thought.

Daniel 3:14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?

I once heard it said, “God is bigger than our feelings.” As someone who feels everything deeply, this expression really struck me. My emotions are strong, but God is so much stronger. I am NOT a prisoner to my emotions.

Daniel 3:15a Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good.

Precious Savior, Thank You for allowing me to feel emotions deeply. Thank you also for being bigger than those emotions. When my emotions threaten to overwhelm me, thank You that I can cling to You. Amen.

Daniel 3:25b But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 

I wonder about the thought process of these astrologers. Is there any universe where they were trying to do something positive or was this as petty and spiteful as it seemed? Did they really care about the king and think he was being disrespected? Were they really trying to see if he would follow through on his threat?

Daniel 3:9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 

Were they firm respecters of the need for rules and earnestly wanted to be sure rules were obeyed? Were they upset because they were following the rules and doing what they should and the Jews were not? Does it even matter what their motives were since God is able to use all things for our good and His glory?

Daniel 3:10-11 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

Precious Savior, The motives of the astrologers bother me–in part because I simply don’t understand, in part because, in some small way, I could see myself acting as both the astrologers–protecting the rules–and the Jews–refusing to do something that goes against my beliefs. Thank You that You can work in any and all situations, regardless of people’s motives. Thank You that You can and will and do work all things for my good and Your glory. Amen.

Daniel 3:12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 

One of the things that I have always admired about this chapter of Daniel is the resolve of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The entire country is bowing to this golden image, but not them. They will not be moved.

Daniel 3:2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 

I feel like I used to be like that with my positive spirit. The world’s negativity was not going to bring me down. And I’m not sure if I’m just in a tough place or if the world has finally gotten to me, but here lately, I feel like I default to the negative more and more instead of staying positive, of sharing positivity. I don’t like it. I want it to stop.

Daniel 3:3a So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, 

Precious Savior, I believe that You created me to be an encourager, to lift others, to shine Your light and highlight Your hope. I don’t like this negativity that seems to infuse my spirit of late. I don’t want to be that person. Help me to be the person You designed me to be. Help me. Amen.

Daniel 3:3b …and they stood before it.

Have a blessed day.

Daniel 12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

Chapters like this make me incredibly uncomfortable. They are so different, so beyond comprehension for me. Even Daniel, who was the only one capable of interpreting the dreams early on cannot understand. The angel Michael’s response brings me comfort. He basically tells Daniel that this prophecy is beyond what he needs to know right now, that he has a job to do, and he needs to just keep on keeping on.

Daniel 12:9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.”

There is so much in life that I don’t understand. And I crave understanding, sometimes to the point that I stop doing in order to search for understanding. Michael’s advice applies to me, too: I’m not meant to understand everything, but I do have a job to do, and I need to keep doing that job, regardless of what I don’t understand.

Daniel 12:10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

Lord, Thank You for the example of Daniel. Thank You for this new understanding of the things that confuse and trouble me. Help me know when to keep seeking understanding and when to let it go so I can keep doing the job You have for me. Thank You, Lord, for meeting me here each morning and for helping me to understand You more. Amen.

Daniel 12:13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

Have a blessed day.