Through The Fire

Dan 3

3:1 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.

3:2 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.

3:3 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.

3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people,

nations, and languages,

3:5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,

sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down

and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath

set up:

3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour

be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

3:7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the

cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all

the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and

worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had

set up.

3:8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused

the Jews.

3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for

ever.

3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear

the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,

and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden

image:

3:11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be

cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the

province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these

men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor

worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men

before the king.

3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach,

Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the

golden image which I have set up?

3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the

cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of

musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made;

well: but if ye worship not, ye shall 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?

3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king,

O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this

matter.

3:17 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 thine hand, O

king.

3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy

gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage

was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore

he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one

seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

3:20 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.

3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their

hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the

burning fiery furnace.

3:22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the

furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that

took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell

down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste,

and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three

men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto

the king, True, O king.

3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the

midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth

is like the Son of God.

3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery

furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst

of the fire.

3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s

counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose

bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed,

neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed

on them.

3:28 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.

3:29 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.

3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the

province of Babylon.

Isa.43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Isa.43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

(Isaiah written at least 70 years before Daniel was taken to Babylon)