Daniel 3
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Daniel 3
MacArthur - Our decisions, our attitudes and our behaviors are determined by one of two things: external pressure, or internal principle… the battle is going on all the time in our lives between these two conflicting items. And we're very good at self-justification so a lot of times when we succumb to external pressure we define it as internal principle. But basically we have to come down to that bottom line. Do we do what we do, say what we say and act the way we act because we have convictions about it or because we feel the pressure from the outside? Are our convictions altered by pressures brought to bear upon us? MEN OF COMMITMENT Chuck Smith reiterates the importance of internal principle discussing the parallel term "Commitment" noting that commitment "gives you the strength to go against… the current of this world (which is anti-God: "love not the world")… declaring the material is superior to the spiritual. Without real commitment you will be swept away (by) the "everybody is doing it" syndrome. Your commitment becomes an encouragement to others. "Give me some men who are stout hearted men… " Men who are committed are the men who change the world… Paul's commitment, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Php 1:21-note) No wonder he was accused of turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Men of commitment cannot be stopped. Threats of death cannot dissuade them. How does a person become so committed? They had purposed in their hearts (Da 1:8)… more than a mind-set (for) it is easy to change the mind (instead) it is a matter of setting your heart. It is by the power of the Spirit, "not by might nor by (fleshly) power" (Zech 4:6). Peter's denial of the Lord (was because) he was trusting in his flesh. Peter's bold witness before the Sanhedrin (was because he was) … "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 3:8, cp Acts 2:4). The result of their commitment (was that) the LORD stood with them (cp 2Ti 4:16, 17, 18-note). He will always stand with us, if we dare to stand for Him. (Daniel 3:16-17 Commitment) (cp Jesus' words Mt 6:24 - They remind me of an old song by Bob Dylan the theology of which is not bad! You Gotta Serve Somebody-Bob Dylan) I saw the martyr at the stake, The flames could not his courage shake Nor death his soul appall. I asked him whence his strength was given, He looked triumphantly to heaven And answered, Christ is all. Then come to Jesus, come today, Come, Father, Son and Spirit say, The Bride repeats the call; Come, He has blood for all your stains, Come He has balm for all your pains Come He is all in all. -W A Williams Nebuchadnezzar’s threats could not cause these 3 young Jewish men to bow because the had already "bowed" their heart to Jehovah and now their ‘’heart was fixed (prepared)… Ps 57:7KJV "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." (Fixed = Hebrew word meaning something brought into incontrovertible existence and figuratively conveys the idea of one who is inwardly determined to stand firm and remain steadfast) As a follower of Jesus, when everyone else is bowing to idols of pride or plenty or pleasure or possessions, etc, take your stand for righteousness, for what is right. His promise is sure. He will be with you, even when you are the only one standing! (Cp Ps 23:4-note, Ps 23:5-note, Is 43:1, 2, 3, Mt 28:20) Matthew
Daniel 3
MacArthur observes that "Self-centered Christians who serve the Lord halfheartedly seldom have to pay a price for their faith. They are of little threat to Satan’s work because they are of little benefit to Christ’s." (2) The fiery missiles of the evil one - This is the furnace Satan prepares for us and is manifest as spiritual warfare described by Paul who exhorts us that… in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. (Eph 6:16-note) (3) The furnace of fiery trials - This furnace is prepared by God and refers to those trials the Omniscient God allows for our good and His glory, as described repeatedly in the NT… Consider (aorist imperative = command to do this now. Don't delay!) it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (Jas 1:2-note, Jas 1:3, 4-note) Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Ro 5:1, 2-note, Ro 5:3-note, Ro 5:4, 5-note) In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1Pe 1:6-note, 1Pe 1:7-note) 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; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. (1Pe 4:12, 13-note) Through many tribulations (thlipsis [words study]-conveys the idea of being squeezed or placed under pressure) we must (note the verb dei [word study] = suffering is not optional) enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22b) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33) Let us pray for furnace grace… That we may be like the three Hebrew lads. Deffinbaugh - It is at this point in the text that Greek versions include a long addition: a prayer, a prose description of their deliverance and a hymn, commonly known as the Benedicite, supposedly sung from the furnace by the three men, or by Azariah alone (according to Theodotion). Evidence from Qumran has shown conclusively that these additions were not part of the original. Joyce G. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978), p. 106. (Faith and the Furnace) A puritan wrote that "of all graces, faith renders the soul most invincible; and therefore you should labor above all to be rich in faith. It renders the soul invincible and unconquerable under all the hardships and trials which it meets with in this world. Faith makes a man triumph in all the changes and conditions of this life. It was their faith which made them invincible in Daniel 3:16-18." (The Unsearchable Riches of Christ) Daniel 3:24 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." astounded: Da 5:6 Ac 5:23, 24, 25 9:6 12:13 officials: Da 3:2,3 O king: Da 3:9,10,17 4:22,27 5:18 6:7,22 1Sa 17:55 Ac 26:13,27 Daniel 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries The Septuagint is interesting in that it reads the king "heard them singing praises". If this singing in the furnace did in fact transpire, it reminds us of two other suffering saints Paul and Silas singing in the midst of the Philippian jail (Acts 16:25). Surely these are men who are controlled by the Holy Spirit, as there song is a "supernatural" song. The ESV Study Bible notes that… the various Greek OT versions add The Song of the Three Young Men, which is an effort to elaborate the men's experience of deliverance in the furnace. (This addition to Daniel is also included in the Apocrypha). Astounded - Startled, alarmed. The Aramaic tevahh is related to the Hebrew word tamahh which is a root word meaning to be astounded, dumbfounded, bewildered with an element of fear, whether because of an amazing or fearful sight or a terrifying sound. Stood up in haste - Can't you picture this? Smugly confident that he had dealt definitively with the 3 upstarts to his kingdom authority, but wait! What's this? And up he jumps. William Dryer alludes to Nebuchadnezzar's astonishment in his treatise on God's Wrath noting that "First of all, this day will be a day of ASTONISHMENT to the wicked and ungodly, as it is said, Dt 28:28, "The Lord shall smite them with madness and blindness, and astonishment of heart!" Oh, it will be with the wicked, as it was with Nebuchadnezzar, who was astonished to behold the works and wonders of God which the Lord wrought for the deliverance of those that put their trust in him (Daniel 3:24-25)… Oh, sinners! do but see here how this proud Nebuchadnezzar was astonished at the beholding of this sight!" (The Great Day of Gods Wrath) Daniel 3:25 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!" Without harm: Ps 91:3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9 Mk 16:18 Ac 28:5 1Pe 3:13 a son: Da 3:18,28 Job 1:6 38:7 Ps 34:7 Pr 30:4 Lk 1:35 Jn 19:7,8 Ro 1:4 Daniel 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries "FIERY FURNACES" CAN LOOSE OUR BONDS AND SET US FREE! Loosed - Bound in Da 3:23, 24. Literally they were set free in the fiery affliction. Fire has a way of removing the "dross" in our life (Job 23:10-note). Afflictions and trials are often effective in break the ties that bind us and set us free, free even from a "false confidence" in our own sufficiency (2Cor 3:5, 6) and when this happens, we then we are able to live in the power and strength of God (cp 2Cor 12:9-note; 2Co 12:10-note). Showers observes that - Five things startled Nebuchadnezzar. First, there were four persons instead of three in the furnace. Second, not one of the persons was bound. Third, all four persons were walking around in the fire—none was lying down. Fourth, all four persons were unhurt. Fifth, the fourth person looked “like a son of the gods." (Ibid)
Daniel 3
MacArthur - The fourth person could possibly have been the second person of the Godhead (Jesus Christ) in a pre-incarnate appearance Charles Ryrie- It may have been an angel or possibly a preincarnate appearance of Christ, though the king would not have known who He was. Notice that Jesus never manifests himself except inside the furnace, at the very moment when he was needed the most. Beloved, has it not been your experience that it is in the fires of life that you have experienced the presence of Christ most powerfully. Our Lord is always there, but He makes Himself known most often when we are "in a fiery furnace"! John Trapp quotes an English martyr's words as he was burnt at the stake "O ye Papists, behold ye look for miracles; here now you may see a miracle; for in this fire I feel no more pain than as if I were in a bed of down; but it is to me as a bed of roses." F B