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22 METOKA AND GALEDA MAGAZINE hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and capatains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head signed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Explanatory Notes. Shadrach, etc. (1: 6, 7). Not careful. "Needless to answer," not deeming it wise to enter into any argument or explanation in order to acquit themselves; they did not desire to discuss the matter. If it be so. Replying to the threat in the preceding verse. Is able ... will deliver. Answering the king's question; they did not say that God was going to deliver them, but that he was able to do so, if ti should be in accordance with his own plans (as in Gen. 19: 22). But if not, etc. "Among the sublimest words uttered in all Scripture" (Farrar). Will not serve, etc. Not indicating defiance, or audacity, as some hold, but the confidence of faith and a humble submission to the divine will; rather than bow down to an idol they were willing to die. Visage. The countenance showing furious rage. Seven times more. Either to render escape impossible or to deter them from their high resolve; the perfect number of seven meaning simply to increase the heat to the highest possible point; there were naptha wells in the immediate vicinity of Babylon. Most mighty men. Of acknowledged bravery besides the matter of physical prowess because, as it turned out, it was a perilous business when the order was obeyed. Coats. Mantles or cloaks, the outer robes (so Driver, but Zockler, in Lange, prefers undergarments or shirts); the American Version of "breeches" is not considered as warranted by some scholars; for hosen would better describe such apparel, as stockings were unknown in the East. Hats. Or hoods, head coverings of flowing linen, such as are worn in our day in that land. Urgent. The king's rage impelled them to immediate obedience. Flame... slew. The furnace is supposed to have been constructed, as seen in some sculptures of the time, dome-like with an opening at the top, and a side opening for the replenishing of fuel through which the intense heat would naturally cause a draft of wind blowing the flames outward and upon these men. Fell down...because they were bound, not because they were overcome. Astonied is the old English for astonished. Rose up. Implying terror since he saw four men, and that these were loose, their fetters removed, and they were walking, and consequently unhurt. The Son of God. There is no article in the text, and it is unreasonable to suppose that the king had any knowledge of the Lord Jesus, or the second Person of the Trinity; the rendering "a son of the gods" is accepted by the scholars (see verse 28); it is possible that the added form was that of the divine Son who is frequently termed "the angel of the Lord" in a number of Old Testament passages, but that the king recognized him in another question. Came near. The intensity of the heat having abated. Servants, etc. Designating the God of the Hebrews in the manner in which they were accustomed to refer to him (Psalm 78: 35; 97; 9; 113; 4; Isa. 6: 1; 57, 15, Dan, 4: 2). Princes ... saw. The abundance of eye-witnesses. Special Topics. One of the commonest things in this crooked world is the jealousy of men in high position aroused by the feeling that they have been superseded by some new persons of admitted larger endowments. This story begins really with Daniel seated in the gate of authority and judgment, and the others being set over the affairs of Babylon. This meant that some were discharged from position, and these men referred to the new governors as "these Jews", which has a suspicion of contemptuous remark. Then there is a hint of obsequious flattery mingled with wounded feeling in the words "whom thou hast set up". No man rises to prominence or lucrative station but he is a mark of jealous, watching eyes. He cannot be immune from detraction on the part of some who want his place. Especially is this true if a man is faithful to his religious convictions. Then he is most likely to become the target for the shafts of his enemies, and opposition and criticism become exceedingly fierce. It is a difficult thing for one who has attained a high prominence in our national affairs in this cultivated age to remain true to the faith that is professed. Such an one is put upon a defensive, as it were, naturally. If he is a Christian, he is supposed to be gentle and forbearing in the face of opposition. Should he be attacked he must emulate the example of the peaceful Redeemer, and otherwise invites the charge of hypocrisy if he should manfully sustain his contentions. The gospel has much to say about modesty and humility, but evil men take advantage of that and demand silence and acquiescence in the questionable schemes of unprincipled men. When a man is forgetful, he is exposed to the charge of inconsistency. But a little while before this incident the king is heard exalting Jehovah as "a God of gods and a Lord of kings" (2: 47). Now he wants to know where there is a divinity that can deliver these men out of his hands. What Nebuchadnezzar has learned about God does not serve any practical purpose in the control of his actions. It is true of some people now. We need more than a seeing eye and hearing ear to derive benefit from the revelation of God; we want a changed heart and a responsive conscience, and this king had neither. It is not a needless or arbitrary command "ye must be born again". It is simply a statement of a fact. Lacking that, it does not make much difference how much we hear, for the things of God must be spiritually discerned; we have the best authority for that, biblical as well as experimental. The great king of Chaldea stands in the same class with Pharaoh of older days, the man who wanted to know who God was, that he should be served (Ex. 5: 2). These two have had their successors, even down to this day. The bearding of a king like this autocrat was not a little thing by any means. Try to get the spirit of this remarkable answer. It is not necessary to think that they exhibited an attitude of defiance, making themselves very impudent. They just informed him that it was a matter of significance [[end page]] [[start page]] METOKA AND GALEDA MAGAZINE. 23 only, as they could not bow down to his idol. If they knew anything of the past history of their people, it was that God was a Deliverer. All their good fortunes in a land of bondage had come from him, and they were not disposed to be ungrateful, even if life was in peril. We might wish that this attitude might distinguish Christian believers as forcefully as the decision to avoid intoxicating drink. One is as important as the other, and doubtless this was more so than the other. It is no excuse for yielding to temptation that life is imperiled. If God could not deliver them in this emergency, then there was no use in professing him. Suppose they were slain; that was a matter of the body; there was another death to be considered. "But if not" are words to be called with the world's greatest speeches. It was the expression of a willingness to die rather than deny God. The world's greatest heroes have been its martyrs who with the irresistible might of their weakness have mounted to the highest honors possible to poor human creatures. We need not bother ourselves about just what Nebuchadnezzar saw in the midst of that fiery furnace. Very likely the Revised Version is correct when it speaks of the king's language as "a son of the gods". One thing is certain, from the absence of the definite article in the text that he did not say, "The Son of God", the title we give by divine authority to our blessed Lord. What the king knew of him was practically nothing. Here is the fact to which we should give attention: No one but the living God could have accomplished such a miraculous thing, as no one but he could have that splendor and dignity as was seen in the midst of the flames. It is not an impossibility that it was the Lord Christ, afterward fully revealed to men, nor that this resplendent form was "the angel of the Lord" who so frequently appeared in the history of this people. There are many learned and pious scholars who hold that this saving angel was the same as the unrevealed Saviour of men, and there can be no reasonable objection to that view. What we want to keep in mind is that God, working as pleases him, makes his presence real, even if no eye but that of this insensate monarch could behold him. The faithful servants who would go to a fiery death rather than turn against their God, were powerful enough to completely change the mind of this dullard of a king. His opinion as expressed was not equivalent to what we mean by the word conversion, but it was of the same character. That is to say, faithful men witnessing for God at any cost are instrumental in that change which so alters the lives of men. Conversion is indeed the result of God's gracious sovereign power, and yet it remains, as Jesus taught by implication, that the testimony of men is essential as a factor in this grace. Disciples are given the opportunity of directing and fastening the mind upon the desirability of knowing God and persuading to the acceptance of the gospel. The world is still enthralled in spiritual darkness and death, but not so much for want of money to carry on a work of evangelization, as it is for want of a noble, clear, unmistakable testimony to the power of faith. Take any community where there are a hundred Christians and it ought to be easy to revolutionize the sentiment of all who dwell therein. The beautiful lives of missionaries, giving themselves wholly to the testimony of Christ in word and deed, have been mighty in dispelling the darkness of heathen peoples; we at home might do the same. [[three small triangles]] Daily Helps From Other Scriptures. M.--Daniel's Vision. Dan. 2: 17-30. T.--Interpreting a Dream. Dan. 2: 31-45. W.--Loyalty to Jehovah. Dan. 3: 1-12. Th.--The Fiery Furnace. Dan. 3: 13-23. F.--Wonderful Deliverance. Dan. 3: 24-30. S.--The Tree-Dream. Dan. 4: 4-18. Su.--The Dream Fulfilled. Dan. 4: 19-33. [[three small triangles]] Themes for Class Use. 1. What we know of Babylon. 2. The image and its purpose. 3. Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 4. The control of conviction. 5. The power of youthful piety. [[three small triangles]] Review of the Facts. What three men are we considering? To whom were they talking? What was the first thing they said? Why did they say this? How did they describe themselves? What did they say of God's ability? What determination had they made? What effect did this have on the king? What command concerning the furnace did he give? Whom did he call to him? What were they bidden to do? How were these Jews treated, and what was done with them? What was the condition of the furnace? What happened to the soldiers? What is it said the young men did? How was Nebuchadnezzar affected? What did he see? To whom did he speak? How was he answered? What did he declare that he saw? What was the form of this fourth person? Where did the king then come? What did he bid the young men to do? How did they answer? What great personages were witnessing all this? How are the young men described? What do we learn as to-- (1) Being tried as by fire? (2) Loyalty to Christ? (3) Fidelity unto death and its reward? (4) The idols of modern times? (5) Why were there so many martyrs? (6) The persecutions of an unfriendly world? (7) Retribution upon wicked men? (8) The realized presence of Jesus? (9) The faith that conquers?
