DANIEL 3:
THE FIERY FURNACE
Daniel 3:1-3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were
gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel had
saved the lives of all the wise-men of the kingdom, but they were jealous of
him and still wanted to get rid of him. The king talked a lot about his
dream and how that he was the head of gold - He talked a lot about Daniel
also. The Wise-men did not dare attack Daniel and the 3 Hebrews openly. They
bided their time.
They planned
and one day they saw their chance. Approaching the King with much flattery,
they said:
“Why don’t
you make an image like the one in your dream, only make it ALL GOLD!” they
said, to show your kingdom will last forever. You could make everyone
worship it!
The King gave the
orders and soon work began on an immense golden image that would tower 90 feet
high on the plain of Dura.
Then decrees were
sent all over the world telling the important people all over the world to come
on a certain day and worship this huge image. He probably sent Daniel somewhere
else that day. But Daniel's 3 friends, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego were commanded
to attend. They had been watching the construction of this great image and they
had been praying for courage to do what they must do.
CONTINUE:
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