Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Daniel 3:28

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, &c. — Here is a noble testimony from a heathen. And what produced it? The intrepidly pious conduct of these three noble Jews. Had they been time-servers, the name of the true God had not been known in Babylon. What honour does the Lord put on them that are steadfast in the faith!

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Saved from the fiery furnace (3:1-30)

Within Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom were people of many races, languages and religions. In a plan to create greater unity among these people, Nebuchadnezzar made a huge image as a national religious symbol, and demanded that all citizens, great and small, bow before it. He set up the image in open plain country where it could be seen from afar, then called all the leading officials from the country areas to a dedication ceremony (3:1-3). He gave instructions concerning the ritual to be followed in worshipping the image, and laid down the penalty for any who disobeyed (4-7).
Some Babylonian officials were jealous of the three Jews who had been recently appointed as provincial administrators. When they saw that the Jews refused to bow to the image, they were pleased to have an opportunity to bring accusations against them before Nebuchadnezzar (8-12). The king found it difficult to believe that people he had recently honoured would be so ungrateful and rebellious. Although he was furious with them, he gave them another chance, warning them that no God could save them once they were thrown into a fiery furnace (13-15).
The three men again refused to obey. They had no doubt that if the sentence against them was carried out, God could save them if he so chose. Whether he would save them, they were not sure. Either way, they were determined not to worship the king’s image and were prepared to accept the consequences (16-18).
Nebuchadnezzar, now in a rage, had the men bound and thrown into a fiery furnace (19-23). His rage quickly turned to fear when he saw that God sent his heavenly messenger to save them (24-25). The whole experience humbled Nebuchadnezzar. He praised the Jews’ God, and issued a decree that gave the Jews religious freedom and protected them from further persecution. He also gave the three men higher positions in his government (26-30).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other god that is able to deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon."

THE RESULTS OF THE MIRACLE

What a blessing this decree of Nebuchadnezzar must have been to the Jews throughout their captivity! Right here is the secret of why they were able to return; and the absence of such a wonder upon behalf of the Northern Israel who went captive into Assyria is exactly why they were never able to go back to Jerusalem. Thus this great miracle was a vital link in the long chain of God's dealings with the apostate human race, and also a very necessary one, in the achievement of God's purpose of redemption.

The Septuagint (LXX) adds the following to this last verse: "and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom."Footnote is not available This additional information does not appear in our text; but there would appear to be no grounds for not believing the truth of it. Adam Clarke accepted these words as valid; because, as he said, "It was more likely that the Jews would have been set over other Jews than over the Chaldeans."Footnote is not available

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach ... - On the characteristic of mind thus evinced by this monarch, see the notes and practical remarks at Daniel 2:46-47.

Who hath sent his angel - This proves that the king regarded this mysterious fourth personage as an angel, and that he used the phrase Daniel 3:25 “is like the son of God” only in that sense. That an angel should be employed on an embassage of this kind, we have seen, is in accordance with the current statements of the Scriptures. Compare “Excursus I.” to Prof. Stuart “on the Apocalypse.” See also Luke 1:11-20, Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:20-21; Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19-20; Matthew 4:11; Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:7-15; Gen 32:1-2; 2 Kings 6:17; Exodus 14:19; Exodus 23:20; Exodus 33:2; Numbers 20:16; Joshua 5:13; Isaiah 63:9; Daniel 10:5-13, Daniel 10:20-21; Daniel 12:1.

And have changed the king’s word - That is, his purpose or command. Their conduct, and the Divine protection in consequence of their conduct, had had the effect wholly to change his purpose toward them. He had resolved to destroy them; he now resolved to honor them. This is referred to by the monarch himself as a remarkable result, as indeed it was - that an Eastern despot, who had resolved on the signal punishment of any of his subjects, should be so entirety changed in his purposes toward them.

And yielded their bodies - The Greek adds here εἰς πῦρ eis pur - “to the fire.” So the Arabic. This is doubtless the sense of the passage. The meaning is, that rather than bow clown to worship gods which they regarded as no gods; rather than violate their consciences, and do wrong, they had preferred to be cast into the flames, committing themselves to the protection of God. It is implied here that they had done this voluntarily, and that they might easily have avoided it if they had chosen to obey the king. He had given them time to deliberate on the subject Daniel 3:14-15, and he knew that they had resolved to pursue the course which they did from principle, no matter what might be the results Daniel 3:16-18. This strength of principle - this obedience to the dictates of conscience - this determination not to do wrong at any hazard - he could not but respect; and this is a remarkable instance to show that a firm and steady course in doing what is right will command the respect of even wicked men. This monarch, with all his pride, and haughtiness, and tyranny, had not a few generous qualities, and some of the finest illustrations of human nature were furnished by him.

That they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God - They gave up their bodies to the flame rather than do this.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

This, indeed, is no common confession, but the event proved how suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar was acted on by impulse, without having, the living root of the fear of God in his heart. And I repeat this again, to shew that repentance does not consist in one or two works, but in perseverance, as Paul says, —

“If ye live in the Spirit, walk also in the Spirit.”
(Galatians 5:25.)

Here he requires constancy in the faithful, by which they may shew themselves to be truly born again of God’s Spirit. Nebuchadnezzar celebrated the God of Israel as if inspired by an enthusiasm, but at the same time he mingled his idols with the true God, so that there was no sincerity in him. So when the impious feel God’s power, they do not dare to proceed with obstinacy against him, but wish to appease him by a false repentance, without putting off their natural disposition. Thus we readily conclude Nebuchadnazzar to be always the same, although God extracted from him this confession, — Blessed, says he, be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego! Why does he not rather speak of him as his own God? This may be excused, had he really devoted himself to the God of Israel, and abjured his former superstitions. As he does not act thus, his confession is worthless; not because he wished to obtain men’s favor or good opinion by what he said, but he deceived himself after the manner of hypocrites. He pronounces the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to be blessed if he really felt this, he must at the same time curse his idols, for the glory of the one true God cannot be extolled without all idols being reduced to nothing. For how can God’s praise exist without his being solely conspicuous? If any other deity is opposed to him, his majesty is already buried in complete obscurity. Hence we may collect that Nebuchadnezzar was not touched with true repentance when he blessed the God of Israel. He adds, Who sent his angel, and delivered his servants. Here Daniel shews more clearly the absence of conversion in Nebuchadnezzar, and his failure to embrace the God of Israel, and worship him with sound and complete surrender of his affections. Why so? Because piety is always founded upon the knowledge of the true God, and this requires instruction. Nebuchadnezzar knew the God of Israel to be majestic from the display of his power, for he had such a spectacle presented to him as he could not despise, if he wished. Here he confesses that Israel’s God was mighty, since he was taught it by a miracle; but this, as I have reminded you, is not sufficient for solid piety, unless instruction is added, and occupies the first place. I allow, indeed, that miracles prepare men to believe, but if miracles only occurred without the knowledge of God being added from his Word, faith will vanish away — as the example sufficiently remarkable here sets before us. We term the faith of Nebuchadnezzar to be but momentary, because while his senses were fixed upon the miracle, he was content with the spectacle, without inquiring into the character of the God of Israel, and the bearing of his law. He was not anxious about a Mediator; hence he neglected the chief point of piety, and rashly seized upon one part of it only. We clearly observe this in many profane men, for God often humbles them, to induce them suppliantly to fly to him for safety; but meanwhile, they remain perplexed by their own senses; they do not deny their own superstitions, nor regard the true worship of God. To prove our obedience to God, we must, uphold this principle — nothing pleases him which does not spring from faith. (Romans 14:23.) But faith cannot be acquired by any miracle, or any perception of the Divine power; it requires instruction also. The miracles avail only to the preparation for piety or for its confirmation; they cannot by themselves bring men to worship the true God. This is surprising indeed, when a profane king says the angel was sent by God

It is sufficiently evident from heathen writings that something was always known about angels. This was, as it were, a kind of anticipation and previous persuasion, since all people are persuaded that angels exist, so that they had some idea of angels, although but a partial one. For, when a short time ago Daniel said the fourth appearance in the furnace was called by the king of Babylon “a son of a god,” then, as I have explained it, Nebuchadnezzar professed some belief in angels. He now says more expressly, God sent his angel As angels afford supplies to the elect and the faithful, I treat the subject here but shortly, since I am not in the habit of dwelling upon ordinary passages. It is enough for the present passage to shew how the impious, who have learnt nothing from either God himself or from piety at large, were yet imbued with these principles, since God is accustomed to use the assistance of angels to preserve his people. For this reason Nebuchadnezzar now says; the angel was sent by God to deliver his servants He next adds, who trusted in him; and this is worthy of notice, since it is added as a reason why these three men were so wonderfully preserved, through reposing all their hopes on God. Although Nebuchadnezzar was very like a log or a stone with relation to the doctrine of faith, yet God wished by means of this stone and log to instruct us, to inspire us with shame, and to reprove us of incredulity, since we are unable to conform our lives to his will, and to approach all dangers boldly, whenever it becomes necessary. For if we are thoroughly persuaded that God is the guardian of our life, surely no threats, nor terrors, nor death itself, should hinder us from persevering in our duty. But distrust is the cause of slothfulness, and wherever we deflect from a straightforward course, we deprive God of his honor, by becoming backsliders, while some want of faith betrays itself and is palpably apparent. Hence let us learn, if we wish our life to be protected by God’s hand, to commit ourselves entirely to him, since he will never disappoint us when we confide in him. We saw how doubtful about the event Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were; but their doubt did not diminish their hope and confidence. They were placed in this alternative — either God will take us from rite furnace, or, if we must die, he will preserve us for some better state, and gather us into his kingdom. Although they dared not persuade themselves that he would notice them yet they reposed their lives in the hand and care of God. Hence they are deservedly complimented by Nebuchadnezzar, when he said, — They trusted in their God, and afterwards, they changed the king’s edict, that is, reduced it to nothing, and abrogated it, because they were endued with greater power. For whoever rests in God, easily despises all mankind, and whatever is lofty and magnificent in the world. And this context is worthy of observation, since faith ought to be put as a foundation, and then fortitude and constancy must be added, with which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were endowed; because any one who reposes upon God can never be moved aside from the discharge of his duty; and however numerous the impediments which may occur, he will be borne aloft on the wings of his confidence. He who knows God to be on his side, will be superior to the whole world, and will neither wonder at the scepter and diadems of kings, nor dread their power, but rather surpass all the majesty of the earth which may oppose him, and never to turn aside from this course.

He afterwards adds, they delivered up their bodies instead of worshipping or adoring any god except their own God. That very thing which the king is compelled to praise in these three men, at this day many who boast themselves to be Christians wish to escape. For they fancy their faith to be buried in their hearths, and bring forth no fruit of their profession. There is no doubt God wished these things to be related by his Prophet, to shew the detestable cunning of those who wish to defraud God of his lawful honor, and at the same time shelter themselves from his gaze, lest he should notice their insult. Such as these are unworthy of being convinced by the word of God, but Nebuchadnezzar is here appointed their master, censor, and judge. And we must diligently remark this, — Nebuchadnezzar praises these three, because they refused to worship any other god except their own. Why then did he mingle together a great multitude of deities? For he did not depart from his own errors and give himself up entirely to the God of Israel, and embrace his worship in its purity. Why then does he praise in others what he does not imitate? But this is far too common; for we see virtue praised and yet frozen to death, as in this instance, for many are willing to offer him lip-service. (Juvenal, Sat. 1.) Although Nebuchadnezzar seemed here to speak seriously, yet he did not consider himself; but he took away all pretext for excuse, since he could not afterwards pretend ignorance and error, after asserting with his own mouth that no other god ought to be worshipped. Hence he may cause those who now wish to be called Christians to be ashamed, unless they depart far away from all superstitions, and consecrate themselves entirely to God, and retain his worship in its sincerity. We must remember then how King Nebuchadnezzar does not simply praise the constancy of these three men, because he does not acknowledge any god, for he does reckon the God of Israel to be a true deity. Hence it follows, that all others were fictitious and utterly vain. But he spoke to no purpose, because God did not thereby touch his heart, as he usually works in his elect when he regenerates them. It follows, —

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 3

Now in chapter 3 we find Nebuchadnezzar defying the revelation of God. Remember in his dream he saw the image with the head of gold, "thou art the head of gold," but it had a chest of silver for the Babylonian Empire was to be replaced by an inferior empire, the Medo-Persian Empire.

But Nebuchadnezzar [in defiance of God and the revelation of God] made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits [or sixty cubits], and the breath thereof was six cubits ( Daniel 3:1 ):

You're getting into the sixty-sixes here.

and he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all of the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, the captains, and all, gathered together. And a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That whatever time you hear the sound of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbut, the psaltery, the dulcimer, and all kinds of music, that you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up: And whoso will not fall down and worship the same hour will be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace ( Daniel 3:1-6 ).

So Nebuchadnezzar's not to be messed with. You have your choice; either bow down to it, or be cast into the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, in the nations, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up ( Daniel 3:7 ).

Now, Nebuchadnezzar becomes in scripture what we call a type of the antichrist, who we read in Revelation, chapter 13, makes an image. And he gives power unto this beast or this image to speak. And he demands that the whole world worship this image that is been given power to speak.

We've been reading a lot about the advancement of our science and especially of the capacities of computers. There is even talk of creating computers that will be smarter than men and will perhaps one day rule over man because of their wisdom. Within computers there is already developed the capacity of chips, voice chips, so that they have little calculators that you can buy and as you punch the numbers it will give you the number, but then it will speak the answer as well as display it. Already in dialing wrong numbers, you get the operator that says, "What number did you dial?" And you tell them the number and then you hear, "The number 6 4 6 2 5 7 5 has been changed to... " and it gives you the new number and it's the computer that is a voice computer. Power to speak.

Now up until just, you know, the last few years it seemed to be a totally impossible thing to make some kind of an image and give that image the capacity to think and to speak. It could very well be, I don't say that it is, but it could very well be that the image that has been created by this man of sin that is going to arise, will be a highly sophisticated computer which will be used to govern the world.

Nebuchadnezzar made an image, sixty cubits high, six cubits broad, and demanded that everyone worshipped that image. And anyone who refuses to worship the image would be put to death. The man of sin, the beast, that arises out of the sea. In Revelation 13 , makes an image and demands that everyone worship the image, and if anyone refuses the image he has power to put to death.

We see an interesting parallel. There were three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego who refused to bow to the image, but God miraculously preserved through the fire. In the book of Revelation we read of 144,000 that God is going to seal and take safely through the Great Tribulation, the fiery judgment of God that is coming upon the earth.

Now, the big question, here when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were reported to Nebuchadnezzar that they did not bow and worship the image, the question: what about Daniel? Do you think that Daniel bowed to the image? I think not. Daniel had purpose in his heart. He would not defile himself with the king's meat. His commitment to God was so complete. I am certain that Daniel did not bow. Then why wasn't Daniel reported with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego? Obviously, Daniel must not have been there. He was probably away on business of the affairs of state. For had he been there, he surely would not have bowed. That, of course, becomes extremely interesting in that Daniel is a type of the church. And when the Great Tribulation, the fiery judgment comes, when the antichrist is demanding that people bow down and worship the image that he has created, the church won't be there. It's gone; it won't go through the fiery furnace. It's been delivered, caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and forever with the Lord. And thus will not be here when the antichrist makes the scene and creates the image and demands that the image be worshipped. The church, Daniel is out of the picture. But it is the faithful remnant of the Jews who turned to Christ after the rapture of the church that God will seal as the three Hebrew children and take them through the fire. So a very beautiful typology in this story in Daniel.

Now, in verse Daniel 3:8 , chapter 3,

At the certain time the Chaldeans came near, and they accused the Jews. They spake and said unto the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. Thou, king, had made a decree, that every man when he hears the sound of the cornets, and the music and so forth, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso does not fall down and worship, that he would be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Now there are certain Jews whom thou has set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. Then [old hothead] Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and in his fury he commanded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and they brought these men to the king ( Daniel 3:8-13 ).

This guy is always in a rage.

And Nebuchadnezzar spake unto them and said, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if you're ready that at the time you hear the sound of the music, you will fall down and worship the image which I have made; then all will be well: but if you do not worship, you will 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? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we're not even careful to answer you in this matter. 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 your hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up ( Daniel 3:14-18 ).

"Now God is able, the God that we serve can deliver us out of your burning fiery furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand. And even if He doesn't, we're still not going to serve your gods; we're still not going to bow down to your image. Now we're not even careful how we answer you in this. This is a set matter with us. We're just not going to do it." These guys had such commitment. Such commitment to God that, "God is able if He wants to deliver us, if He doesn't want we're still not going to bow. Our lives are in God's hands. He can do with us whatever He wants, but we're going to be faithful to God and true to God and God will be faithful to us. And whatever God does with us is fine. We're not worried, we're not concerned, Nebuchadnezzar, about your decrees or your threats and all. You don't scare us Nebuchadnezzar. You don't move us because our trust is in God, the God that we serve is able to deliver us. And if He doesn't, we're still not going to bow."

Then [old] Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed ( Daniel 3:19 )

I mean, his whole attitude towards these three fellows was changed completed. And he spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was ever heated before.

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. And these men were bound in their coats, their hose, their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the burning fiery furnace ( Daniel 3:20-21 ).

In Israel today you see these various orthodox Jews. And there are some of them that have these little black hats, and their black coats and black hosiery. They wear sort of knickers with black hosiery, and they have long curls. They're the Hasidics, and they have these long curls down the sides of their heads here. And when he describes binding them with their hats, and their coats, and their hosiery and all, I get a picture of some of these Hasidic Jews that you see over in Israel. Probably didn't look like that, but that's the mental picture that I get. As he binds them with their hats, and their hose, and their coats and cast them into the midst of the burning-fiery furnace.

Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men fell down in the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste, and he spoke, and he said to his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? And they said unto the king, True. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, and they're 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 3:22-25 ).

What a marvelous exciting experience. "The hand of God, the God that we serve is able to deliver us out of your burning fiery furnace." And so here they are, walking around in the midst of the fire.

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and he spoke, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, come on out. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth from the midst of the fire. And the princes, and the governors, and the captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their heads singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire have passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and has changed the king's word, and yielded the bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God ( Daniel 3:26-28 ).

You see Nebuchadnezzar making another proclamation here.

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, language, would speak anything 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. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon ( Daniel 3:29-30 ).

So old Nebuchadnezzar, quite an interesting character, in his wrath and in his decrees. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Nebuchadnezzar’s acknowledgment of Yahweh’s superior power was an advance upon his earlier tribute to Yahweh’s ability to reveal mysteries (Daniel 2:47). The pagans believed that the gods used messengers to carry out their will. Evidently the king viewed the fourth person in the furnace as a messenger from Yahweh. This deliverance made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego’s God superior to all others in Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes. He had to acknowledge Yahweh’s sovereignty over his own god, Nebo, in this respect. Therefore he issued a decree ordering everyone to respect Yahweh and to say nothing against Him.

Nebuchadnezzar’s ability to cancel one of his laws and replace it with another is an evidence of the might of his personal power. Rulers of the Medo-Persian Empire, which replaced the Babylonian Empire (cf. Daniel 2:38-39), could not do this; it was impossible for them to override a previously written law (cf. Daniel 6:8; Daniel 6:12; Daniel 6:15; Esther 1:19). Nebuchadnezzar made Judaism a recognized religion with rights to toleration and respect. [Note: Goldingay, p. 75.] His edict may have been responsible in part for the fairly comfortable conditions under which the Israelites lived in Babylonian exile.

This chapter began with Nebuchadnezzar intending to unite his kingdom under one religion (Daniel 3:5), but it ends with him acknowledging Yahweh’s sovereignty and permitting His worship. This does not necessarily mean, of course, that Nebuchadnezzar abandoned his pagan polytheism and cast himself wholly on Yahweh in saving faith, though some interpreters have concluded that he did come into a saving relationship with Yahweh. [Note: E.g., Dyer, in The Old . . ., p. 709.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

6. The consequences of God’s deliverance 3:28-30

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said,.... In the presence of his princes and prime ministers of state, and made the following confession, to the praise and glory of the true God; which was extorted from him at this time through the force of conviction; for it does not appear to be a thorough conversion; nor did he relinquish his gods, and the worship of them:

blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; he does not call him his God, but theirs, as he had called him the God of Daniel before, Daniel 2:47:

who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him; the fourth man he saw in the furnace he now calls an angel of God; for the Heathens had notions of some being the messengers of the gods: this seems to favour the sense of those who think an angel is designed by the fourth person; though it does not follow that a created one must be meant; for it may be understood of the Angel of God's presence, the uncreated Angel, Jesus Christ; who, being sent by his divine Father; came and delivered these three persons from being consumed in the fire, who had in so strong a manner expressed their confidence in God, which the king now remembers and observes; see Daniel 3:17:

and have changed the king's word; made it null and void, refused to obey it, knowing it was their duty to obey God rather than man; so that the king was forced to change his word, and, instead of obliging them to worship his image, blesses their God:

and yielded their bodies; freely gave them up, without any resistance, into the hands of those who were ordered by the king to take and bind them, and cast them into the furnace, to which also they readily yielded themselves: so the Septuagint and Arabic versions add, "to the fire",

that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God; they chose rather to deliver up themselves to death, to be burnt in a furnace, than to serve any other god than the God of Israel; such was their constancy and firmness of mind; such their attachment to the true God, and their faithfulness to him.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.   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.   30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

      The strict observations that were made, super visum corporis--on inspecting their bodies, by the princes and governors, and all the great men who were present upon this public occasion, and who could not be supposed partial in favour of the confessors, contributed much to the clearing of this miracle and the magnifying of the power and grace of God in it. That indeed a notable miracle has been done is manifest, and we cannot deny it,Acts 4:16. Let us now see what effect it had upon Nebuchadnezzar.

      I. He gives glory to the God of Israel as a God able and ready to protect his worshippers (Daniel 3:28; Daniel 3:28): "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Let him have the honour both of the faithful allegiance which his subjects bear to him and the powerful protection he grants to them, neither of which can be paralleled by any other nation and their gods." The king does himself acknowledge and adore him, and thinks it is fit that he should be acknowledged and adored by all. Blessed be thee God of Shadrach. Note, God can extort confessions of his blessedness even from those that have been ready to curse him to his face. 1. He gives him the glory of his power, that he was able to protect his worshippers against the most mighty and malignant enemies: There is no other God that can deliver after this sort (Daniel 3:29; Daniel 3:29), no, not this golden image which he had set up. For this reason there was no other god that obliged his worshippers to cleave to him only, and to suffer death rather than worship any other, as the God of Israel did, for they could not engage to bear them out in so doing, as he could. If God can work such deliverance as no other can, he may demand such obedience as no other may. 2. He gives him the glory of his goodness, that he was ready to do it (Daniel 3:28; Daniel 3:28): He has sent his angel and delivered his servants. Bel could not save his worshippers from being burnt at the mouth of the furnace, but the God of Israel saved his from being burnt when they were cast into the midst of the furnace because they refused to worship any other god. By this Nebuchadnezzar was plainly given to understand that all the great success which he had had, and should yet have, against the people of Israel, which he gloried in, as he had therein overpowered the God of Israel, was owing purely to their sin: if the body of that nation had faithfully adhered to their own God and the worship of him only, as these three men did, they would all have been delivered out of his hand as these three men were. And this was a necessary instruction for him at this time.

      II. He applauds the constancy of these three men in their religion, and describes it to their honour, Daniel 3:28; Daniel 3:28. Though he is not himself persuaded to own their God for his and to worship him, because, if he do so, he knows he must worship him only and renounce all others, and he calls him the God of Shadrach, not my God, yet he commends them for cleaving to him, and not serving nor worshipping any other God but their own. Note, There are many who are not religious themselves, and yet will own that those are clearly in the right that are religious and are stedfast in their religion. Though they are not themselves persuaded to close with it, they will commend those who, having closed with it, cleave to it. If men have given up their names to that God who will alone be served, let them keep to their principles, and serve him only, whatever it cost them. Such a constancy in the true religion will turn to men's praise, even among those that are without, when unsteadiness, treachery, and double dealing, are what all men will cry shame on. He commends them that they did this, 1. With a generous contempt of their lives, which they valued not, in comparison with the favour of God and the testimony of a good conscience. The yielded their own bodies to be cast into the fiery furnace rather than they would not only not forsake their God, but not affront him, by once paying that homage to any other which is due to him alone. Note, Those shall have their praise, if not of men, yet of God, who prefer their souls before their bodies, and will rather lose their lives than forsake their God. Those know not the worth and value of religion who do not think it worth suffering for. 2. They did it with a glorious contradiction to their prince: They changed the king's word, that is, they were contrary to it, and thereby put contempt upon both his precepts and threatenings, and made him repent and revoke both. Note, Even kings themselves must own that, when their commands are contrary to the commands of God, he is to be obeyed and not they. (3.) They did it with a gracious confidence in their God. They trusted in him that he would stand by them in what they did, that he would either bring them out of the fiery furnace back to their place on earth or lead them through the fiery furnace forward to their place in heaven; and in this confidence they became fearless of the king's wrath and regardless of their own lives. Note, A stedfast faith in God will produce a stedfast faithfulness to God. Now this honourable testimony, thus publicly borne by the king himself to these servants of God, we may well think, would have a good influence upon the rest of the Jews that were, or should be, captives in Babylon. Their neighbours could not with any confidence urge them to do that, nor could they for shame do that, which their brethren were so highly applauded by the king himself for not doing. Nay, and what God did for these his servants would help not only to keep the Jews close to their religion while they were in captivity, but to cure them of their inclination to idolatry, for which end they were sent into captivity; and, when it had had that blessed effect upon them, they might be assured that God would deliver them out of that furnace, as now he delivered their brethren out of this.

      III. He issues a royal edict, strictly forbidding any to speak evil of the God of Israel, Daniel 3:29; Daniel 3:29. We have reason to think that both the sins and the troubles of Israel had given great occasion, though no just occasion, to the Chaldeans to blaspheme the God of Israel, and, it is likely, Nebuchadnezzar himself had encouraged it; but now, though he is no true convert, nor is wrought upon to worship him, yet he resolves never to speak ill of him again, nor to suffer others to do so: "Whoever shall speak any thing amiss, any error (so some), or rather any reproach or blasphemy, whoever shall speak with contempt of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they shall be counted the worst of malefactors, and dealt with accordingly, they shall be cut in pieces, as Agag was by the sword of Samuel, and their houses shall be demolished and made a dunghill." The miracle now wrought by the power of this God in defence of his worshippers, publicly in the sight of the thousands of Babylon, was a sufficient justification of this edict. And it would contribute much to the ease of the Jews in their captivity to be by this law screened from the fiery darts of reproach and blasphemy, with which otherwise they would have been continually annoyed. Note, It is a great mercy to the church, and a good point gained, when its enemies though they have not their hearts turned, yet have their mouths stopped and their tongues tied. If a heathen prince laid such a restraint upon the proud lips of blasphemers, much more should Christian princes do it; nay, in this thing, one would think that men should be a law to themselves, and that those who have so little love to God that they care not to speak well of him, yet could never find in their hearts, for we are sure they could never find cause, to speak any thing amiss of him.

      IV. He not only reverses the attainder of these three men, but restores them to their places in the government (makes them to prosper, so the word is), and prefers them to greater and more advantageous trusts than they had been in before: He promoted them in the province of Babylon, which was much to their honour and the comfort of their brethren in captivity there. Note, It is the wisdom of princes to prefer and employ men of stedfastness in religion; for those are most likely to be faithful to them who are faithful to God, and it is likely to be well with them when God's favourites are made theirs.