SERMON: “Protected through the Fire” (Dan. 3:19–30)
“Protected through the Fire” (Dan.
3:19–30)
Series: “Daniel:
God’s Sovereign Plans” #9 Text: Daniel 3:19–30
By: Shaun
Marksbury Date: August 10, 2025
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
I.
Introduction
Despite what some of the health and wealth peddlers say, God
doesn’t promise believers an easy life free from trials. Rather, God’s Word prepares us for the
reality of suffering in this life. As
Peter said (perhaps even with this account in mind), “Beloved, do not be
surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Pet. 4:12). Paul also said, “For to you it has been
granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for
His sake” (Philip. 1:29). We must think
through the possibility that our faith will be tested.
Yet, that doesn’t mean that we go through this alone. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to
you, so that in Me you may have peace. In
the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John
16:33). We can draw strength from the
Lord in times of hardship and persecution, and we can know that He is near.
This is what Daniel’s friends learned in the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego faced a
literal fiery trial, yet discovered the presence of the Lord in the furnace. As one commentary notes, their story isn’t a
blueprint guaranteeing God’s miraculous deliverance in every case, but a token
of how Christ preserves His people; the “Fourth Man can always find his
people.”[1]
This evening, we’re considering how the sovereign Lord is in
control and with us. First, the Lord’s
servants will be persecuted (vv. 19–23).
Second, the Lord will comfort his servants (vv. 24–27). Third, the Lord will provide for his servants
(vv. 28–30). Let’s consider the first of
these.
II.
First, the Lord’s Servants will be Persecuted
(vv. 19–23)
Then
Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered
toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than
it was usually heated. He commanded
certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their
trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into
the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace
had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried
up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. But
these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the
furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
Last time, we saw the bold stand from these men. They could not have known what was about to
happen. They hoped that the Lord would
have delivered them in that moment.
However, they also had said that they would not bow to the idol
regardless of God’s divine intervention.
Now, it looks like the worst is happening.
The Hebrews can literally see their fate in the face of the
king. The text tells us of Nebuchadnezzar’s
intense anger, suggesting he is consumed with rage at this point (more intensely
than before in v. 13). Such a wrath
would appear in a person’s face (LSB — “the image of his face changed”), and the king is now
driven by his emotional state. As
Matthew Henry notes, “Brutish passions the more they are indulged the more
violent they grow, and even change the countenance, to the great reproach of
the wisdom and reason of a man.”[2] Proud rulers like Nebuchadnezzar cannot
tolerate disobedience, [3]
especially when it challenges their authority before their court.
His wrath is fierce, and he orders for a most immediate and
spectacular death for them. We read that
the furnace was to be heated “seven times more.” The number seven, as the MacArthur Study Bible
explains, is figurative, denoting completeness, not a literal measurement of
temperature.[4] It is a way of saying “as hot as possible.”[5] One commentary notes that, had he been
thinking rationally, he would have wanted to decrease the fire to increase the
suffering in the execution;[6] yet,
in his wrath, the king wanted their swift destruction as a testament to any who
would defy him.
This furnace, likely used for baking bricks or smelting ore,
had a large opening at the top for fuel and a side door for retrieving metal.[7] This, in turn, will be the entrance into which
he wants these men cast. He calls “certain
valiant warriors,” certain “mighty
men” (LSB), to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Perhaps these were his personal bodyguards,[8] as
though the Jews were a perceived threat.
There was no delay.
In typical executions, victims were stripped, adding to the moment shame
of losing a position and the covering of nakedness. However, in this case, Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath
is so great that they were bound fully clothed, with trousers or leggings, coats
or cloaks, and caps or turbans.[9] They were to go into the fire in their official
attire, in other words. This detail,
however, sets the stage for the miracle to come, as their clothing will remain
untouched by the fire.
The men working for Nebuchadnezzar must have felt the heat
of his anger more than that of the furnace.
The workers quickly raised the temperature of the furnace as high as
they could without concern of personal safety, and the guard brought the three
Jews close, perhaps terrified that they would also be cast into the fire if
they showed any sign of delay. The irony
in v. 22, however, is that “the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.” As one
commentator notes, “The price of Nebuchadnezzar’s rage was the loss of capable
men.”[10] God is subtly already showing Him, bringing judgment
on those who oppose His servants, as the very fire meant to destroy the
faithful consumes the executioners instead.
Still, the three did not know what would come next. Perhaps the slaying of the mighty men caused
them to stumble, and as they were bound, they could not catch themselves. Whatever the case, v. 23 tells us that they “fell
into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.” They had been resolute until this point, but
we can only imagine the emotion they experienced as they plunged into what
seemed to be their certain deaths. Yet,
perhaps Isaiah 43:2 flashed into their minds brighter than the flames: “When
you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn
you.”
Believers, we must prepare for persecution. The world, like Nebuchadnezzar, may rage
against our faithfulness, demanding conformity to its idols — whether
ideologies, cultural norms, or personal ambitions. Yet, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
demonstrate, our trust must remain in God, who is sovereign even in the fire. Let us now see how He comforts His servants.
III.
Second, the Lord will Comfort His Servants (vv.
24–27)
Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his
high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the
fire?” They replied to the king,
“Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I
see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm,
and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of
the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out
of the midst of the fire. The satraps,
the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and
saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these
men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor
had the smell of fire even come upon them.
Nebuchadnezzar, of course, was not near enough the flames
for them to harm him. He was seated at a
safe distance with a view into the furnace.
There was typically a place to peer into a furnace to see if the fire is
baking bricks or smelting metal as it should; this one must have been a large
enough opening for the king to look through from his position.[11]
Yet, something strange catches his eye — the
impossible. We read he was “astounded
and stood up in haste.” The heat should
have killed anyone instantly like his men; at the very least, the three Hebrews
should have been writhing on the ground for a moment or two before
perishing. Yet, he was shocked to see
figures walking through the flames.
And, there was something else disturbing. He asked his officials, “Was it not three men
we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” He didn’t need their confirmation, of course,
but they were probably just as astounded.
He testifies in v. 25 that there is a fourth man in the fire,
and all of them are walking freely through the flames. That furnace was, of course, large enough to bake
large bricks and could accommodate them, as Babylonian kilns were designed for
such scale.[12] Perhaps one could explain their
loosened bonds from the heat of the fire,[13] but their movement and the
appearance of this fourth man are all inexplicable. Ass one study notes, “The men are not hurt either by the fall or the flames.”[14] Something miraculous is preserving
them in the fire, and they move without harm!
Who is this fourth figure?
Nebuchadnezzar says He is “like a son of the gods.” Some translations render
this as singular rather than plural, “Son of God,” it’s unlikely that this polytheistic,
pagan king had such knowledge — he likely meant a “divine being” or member of
the divine court, as similar phrases appear in Ugaritic texts.[15] In v. 28, he also calls him an angel, which the
Babylonians also understood as a divine messenger.[16]
Whatever Nebuchadnezzar meant, it is clear that this is a
Christophany. That term refers to a
pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. There are times where He appears in other ways
in the Old Testament (e.g., Gen. 18:1–2; Exod. 3:2).[17] Remember the Apostle John’s testimony that our
Lord was there from the beginning (John 1:1–3), and He appeared to the saints
under the Old Covenant.
This appearance is one of comfort and protection. As Matthew Henry notes, “Those that suffer
for Christ have his gracious presence with them in their sufferings, even in
the fiery furnace.”[18] His presence assures believers that Christ
walks with us in our trials, too, fulfilling His promise in Isaiah 63:9 — “In
all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved
them; in His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and
carried them all the days of old.” He is
with those saints that suffer today.
While not understanding everything before him, Nebuchadnezzar
had seen enough to change his mind.[19] In v. 26, approaches the furnace’s door and
calls, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most
High God, and come here!” He addresses
them by their God, showing that he now has a newfound respect for the Most High!
They exit, not tempting God by remaining longer than they
needed to do.[20] Once they emerge, all the officials gathered
to confirm what they were witnessing. We
read in v. 27 that their investigation showed that “the fire had no effect on
the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their
trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.” Other than the absence of their bonds, the
fire had zero impact upon them. There
was no denying that a miracle took place, and God used it to transform this idolatrous
event into a testimony about Himself.
God may not always shield us from the furnace, sometimes
allowing His saints to be martyred. However, if you find yourself in the fire,
know that He is always present. Whether
facing betrayal, loss, or persecution, the Fourth Man walks with you, offering
comfort and strength. Trust in His
presence, knowing He is near in our darkest moments, even providing what we
need. That brings us to the last point:
IV.
Third, the Lord will Provide for His Servants
(vv. 28–30)
Nebuchadnezzar
responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who
has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him,
violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or
worship any god except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks
anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be
torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as
there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
The king takes a moment for an impromptu speech and
declaration. He pronounces blessing upon
the true God, a formal pronouncement of praise.
Understand that he is even elevating the God of Israel above Babylonian
deities,[21]
showing that this is truly the Most High.
The king also praises the men’s faith. He notes that they were disobedient to him,
but they were serving the true God, putting “their trust in Him” and yielding “up
their bodies” in sacrifice. [22] While the king had been previously enraged by
their defiance, he now bows to the supremacy of their God and sees their
actions as those of virtue.[23]
So, in v. 29, Nebuchadnezzar decrees protection.[24] He condemns anyone of any people group who
would speak against the God of Israel: they “shall be torn limb from limb and
their houses reduced to a rubbish heap.” This severe penalty reflects Babylonian
judicial norms but also Nebuchadnezzar’s awe at God’s power. Considering how the wise men accused the Jews in
this chapter, and how Haman the Agagite later troubles the Jewish people in the
Book of Esther, such a decree meant that God’s people would receive protection
under Nebuchadnezzar.
The king also acknowledges his own error in this. He says, “There is no other god who is able
to deliver in this way.” He had asked in
v. 15 what god could deliver them from his hands, and now, he knows! As the Lord says in Isaiah 45:21, “And there
is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except
Me.” (Interestingly, Isaiah 46 affirms
the Lord’s dominance over the idols of Babylon.) The Lord can even alter the natural
laws of the universe if He so chooses, making fire not burn nor leave smoke
behind. He alone is God, and He saves to
the uttermost!
God can even move the hearts of kings, as we see here. In v. 30, we read that “the king caused
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.” Those who envied their positions now see their
prosperity increased and protection, a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
God provides for His servants. Sometimes, He can do so through the miraculous,
and sometimes, through providence. Even
in the instances where we may be called to martyrdom, He always provides an eternal
reward, knowing that we are protected through Christ from the ultimate fire of
eternal judgment. When the Lord carries
us through the fire, though, we can know that we will have what we need on the
other side.
V.
Conclusion
We will be persecuted, but this account demonstrates
that God is with us through whatever trial and tribulation we experience. This includes the Great Tribulation; as H. A.
Ironside notes, this scene will be one day repeated by the Antichrist, where he
will demand the faithful to bow down to another image,[25]
and the Lord will be with those saints, as well. Today, there are many antichrists that might
demand the same, but the strength of the Lord is available through His Holy
Spirit, so we know we can be faithful, even if means a martyr’s death.
Faithfulness is its own reward. Even so, we see that God is sometimes pleased
to bless the faithful in His providence through others. While we should not strive for faithfulness
for possible benefits, these blessings are nonetheless encouragements to continue
doing what the Lord has commanded.
The most important image for redemptive history — and our
time today — is to see that God has the power to deliver. He can break other bonds, like addictions and
other besetting sins. Moreover, He can
deliver us from the condemnation of sin, saving us from the fires of eternal
damnation! God wants idolators and other
rebels to see that hell is not the end for all, and He can deliver us from sin
in every way a person can be saved.
Let’s trust in Him!
[1] Dale Ralph Davis, The
Message of Daniel: His Kingdom Cannot Fail, eds. Alec Motyer and Derek
Tidball, The Bible Speaks Today, (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press,
2013), 57–58.
[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume,
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1435.
[3] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be
Resolute, “Be” Commentary Series, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2000), 43.
[4] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1231.
[5] Stephen R. Miller, Daniel,
The New American Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers,
1994), 18:121.
[6] Wiersbe, 44.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne
House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King
James Version, (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Da 3:20.
[9] Ibid., Da 3:21.
[10] Ibid., Da 3:22.
[11] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,
1985, 1, 1340.
[12] Radmacher, et. al., Da 3:25.
[13] Ibid.
[14] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Da 3:25.
[15] Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, E. Ray Clendenen, Paul
Copan, J. P. Moreland, and Doug Powell, The
Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith,
(Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1275.
[16] Miller, 18:123.
[17] “In the Old Testament, such foreshadowings of God or
the preincarnate Christ in a visible form are called theophanies, meaning ‘appearances of God.’ These theophanies include the Angel who
comforted Hagar (see Gen. 16:7–13), the visitor who revealed to Abraham and
Sarah that they would have a son (see Gen. 18:1–15), the Lord’s appearance to
Moses in the burning bush (see Ex. 3), the pillars of cloud and fire that led
the Israelites from Egypt (see Ex. 14:19, 20), and Moses’ glimpse of God on
Sinai (see Ex. 33:11). Some people would
also include as a theophany the appearance of Melchizedek, the priest-king of
Salem, who gave wine and bread to Abram (see Gen. 14:18–20). The Old Testament contains nearly 80
references to the Spirit of God and anticipates the arrival of God’s Son, the
Messiah, who would deliver His people.
Daniel also calls Christ the Son of Man (see Dan. 7:13). These theophanies were temporary,
however. They were hints of the
incarnation of Christ, fully human and fully divine, who would live among and
redeem His people.” Radmacher, et. al., Da
3:22.
[18] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume,
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1436.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Barry, et. al., Da 3:28.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Ibid., Da 3:29.
[25] H. A. Ironside, Daniel, Ironside Commentaries,
(Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux, 1996), 46.