Shalom dear brothers and sisters. We are studying together the book of Daniel and we have arrived to the third chapter. And in this ministry session, I'd like to share with you the third chapter of the prophecy of Daniel from verses 16 to the end of the chapter. We have covered already the first 15 verses, where King Nebuchadnezzar commended that all would worship the image of gold which he have made and he dedicated this image of gold calling on all to come to worship that image of gold which he had made. We have covered the first 15 verses of Daniel chapter 3 and I would like us to read together from verse 16 to the end of the chapter and so i'm reading shadrach mishak and abednego answered and said to the king or Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter 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 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 then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury and a form of his visage was changed against shadrach mishak and ebednego therefore he spake and commanded that they should hit the furnace one seven times more than it was want to be heated and he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Negel, and to cast them into the burning, fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their posen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning, fiery furnace.

Therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning, fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 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.

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. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors 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. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego, 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.

Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, And the houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other God that can deliver after this sword. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, this passage is such an interesting passage. Daniel chapter 3 verses 16 to 30 and of course it is a continuation from the previous 15 verses of Daniel chapter 3 we have already learned that in the first 15 verses of Daniel chapter 3 that Nebuchadnezzar as we read in verse 1 the king had made an image of gold whose height was 60 cubits and the breast thereof was six cubits he set it up in the plain of dura in the province of Babylon and so king Nebuchadnezzar to remind you beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend what does he do after Daniel in chapter two presented before Nebuchadnezzar both the dream and its interpretation, and the dream that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt in Daniel chapter 2 was so pressing upon his own heart that he wanted so badly to know that dream, and that dream of this great image, that the head was made out of gold, that the breast and his arm was made out of silver, that the belly and his thighs were made out of brass, that.

The leg was made out of iron and that the feet were made partly of iron partly of clay this was a great image and to remind you beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends that this image is a representation of the period of time that is called the times of the Gentiles according to the word of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah in Luke 21 and verse 24 it represented the period of time in human history which began in the time where the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC and it will go continue on all the way until the end of the seven-year tribulation at the second coming of the Messiah and this period of time will is such a long time which during this period of time there will be various kingdoms Gentile kingdoms that will rule over affairs of this world and specifically will rule also over the children of Israel the Jewish people who will be scattered throughout the nations of the world the kingdom was taken from Israel because of unbelief and disobedience.

The kingdom here in this world was handed to the Gentiles that's why it is called times of the goyim of the Gentiles because the Jewish people were no longer privileged to enjoy the kingdom that God wanted to give unto them and temporarily the people of Israel have lost the kingdom to the nations of the world until the times of the Gentiles will come to an end and again i would like to remind you that this image was made out of four different materials gold silver brass and iron and also at the bottom of that image that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt in chapter two was also the ten toes which was partly iron and partly clay until the stone that was cut off from the mountain completely broke that image and destroy all these kingdoms now to remind you that these kingdoms according to Daniel chapter 2 with the interpretation that Daniel gave to Nebuchadnezzar these four different materials, gold, silver, brass, and iron, represent gold Babylon, silver Medo-Persia, brass Greece, and iron Rome.

But you see Nebuchadnezzar, in his pride, now in chapter 3, building one single image, huge image, according to chapter 3, And verse 1, it was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. Can you imagine? It's some 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. Huge, huge image that he placed in a plain of Dura that everyone will be able to see it from afar off. But that image was made totally of gold. Why? Because Nebuchadnezzar in his pride did not want to acknowledge that the Babylonian kingdom, the Babylonian Empire will come to its end when the Medo-Persian will take over. And then later on the Grecian and ultimately the Romans and ultimately the revived Roman Empire until the Messiah will come at his second coming, Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, who will come to destroy this kingdom and restore the kingdom to the people of Israel.

And the Jewish people will be restored to the Lord and the Lord will establish the promise messianic kingdom that he promised to king David that a throne and a kingdom that will never have an end and will come to fruition when the Mashiach the Messiah will ultimately be acknowledged by the nation of Israel so in the first 15 verses of Daniel chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar erected this image of gold verse 1 then he dedicated that image of gold in verses 2 to 7 and in that dedication he wanted all to fall down and worship the image when there will be the sound of the various musical instrument according to verse 5 we do read that at what time you hear the sound of the various musical instruments then everyone was to fall down and worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up but you see beloved brothers and sisters there were three Jewish boys, Jewish young men by that time, that did not want to submit to this.

Because. They believed in the God of heaven. They believed in the God of Israel. And there were godly young men that were carried captive along with other godly men such as Daniel and many others from among the people of Israel along with the rest who disobeyed the Lord and were punished by the Lord and carried to Babylon and these young men did not want to submit to the requirement of King Nebuchadnezzar to fall down and worship his image which he had made of gold this huge image why? Because they believed in the true and living God and so they refuse to worship in fact what we have learned that they were accused by the wise men of Babylon by the caladins they were accused before Nebuchadnezzar according to verse 8 these caladins came and they accused the Jews before Nebuchadnezzar and they said to Nebuchadnezzar oh king live forever thou oh king has made a decree that every man that shall hear the sound of all these musical instruments must fall down and worship the golden image verse 10 and that whoever is not.

Falling down and worship that he should be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace and then they said to king Nebuchadnezzar you see there are certain Jews verse 12 whom thou hast set over the affairs of the provinces of Babylon Shadrach Mishak and Abednego which are really Hananiah Azariah and Mishael these Hebrew young men who were promoted already by king Nebuchadnezzar because Daniel asked him to promote them to serve in Babylon at the end of chapter 2 but then these Kaladins accused them and they said these men verse 12 they have not regarded thee they did not serve thy God nor they didn't worship them and neither they worship the golden image which you have set up so Nebuchadnezzar was very angry and in verse 13 he commanded these three young men Hananiah Azariah and Mishael which he gave them the name shadrach mishak and ebed nego which was a pagan name yet these young boys hananiah azara and mishael they were their names presented before their hearts as they were.

Called by their parents that they are the ones that are worshiping the true and living God of heaven the God of Israel that chananiah represented the Lord is gracious Jehovah is gracious azariah mean my help comes from Jehovah mishael is who is like unto God the God of Israel and so when Nebuchadnezzar called them in verse 13 and then he spoke unto them and he said is it true verse 14 you do not serve my God nor worship the golden image which I have set up and then he commanded them now to worship and he said if you are ready at what time ye shall hear the sound of these hornet and flute and harp and sackbut and psaltery and dulikemer and all kind of music and you fall down and worship the image which i have made well but if you worship not ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and notice what he said beloved brothers and sisters in verse 15 at the end he said he was.

Really despising these young men he said who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand who is that God in pride and in arrogance King Nebuchadnezzar was challenging the God of heaven the God of Israel the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the very same God who had given Nebuchadnezzar the privilege to be the first monarch of the first empire who will begin the times of the Gentiles and if you remember in chapter 1 of Daniel in verse 1 and 2 we read in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem and besieged it and verse 2 tells us And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his gods, small g.

And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his God his gods his images his idols so the God of Israel allow Nebuchadnezzar to come and to take over the Jewish people and carry them away three times beloved brothers and sisters and eventually he allowed Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the temple in the city of Jerusalem but King Nebuchadnezzar was a proud man. God is seeking to show him and to teach him that he became that first monarch of the first empire of Babylon to rule over this world and to be the first ruler over the time of the Gentiles and that he will be that head of gold as Daniel told him this in chapter 2 to remind you that Daniel told him in Daniel chapter 2 in verse 38 thou art this head of gold Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar and Son Nebuchadnezzar in pride did not want to allow any other kingdoms to follow him and he says no I will build an image as my dream that I have dream but instead of building that image that great image with these four materials.

Gold, silver, brass and iron I will build it all of gold and not only this but everyone must worship that image which really he is really saying everyone must worship me and my gods because he did say in Daniel chapter 3 that everyone must fall down verse 5 and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up and whoever falleth not down and worship the same hour he will be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and so beloved brothers and sisters these three Hebrew boys Hananiah, Azara and Mishael they did not want to do so they were accused by the wise men of Babylon and now they are responding to the king question who asked them in verses 14 and 15 who charged them if you will not worship you will be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands now beloved brothers and sisters as we continue on.

Now in verses 16 to 30 we have four things that we learn here in these verses number one we can see in verses 16 to 18 the faithful response of the three Hebrew young men number two in verses 19 to 23 we see the rage of king Nebuchadnezzar and the punishment of the Hebrew young men thirdly we see the miraculous supernatural deliverance by God of the three Hebrew young men and finally we see Nebuchadnezzar decree and promotion of these young Hebrew men first of all notice in verse 16 17 and 18 of Daniel chapter 3 we see the faithful response of hananiah azariah and mishael to king Nebuchadnezzar of course we hear once again the name the pagan Babylonian names that were given unto them by Nebuchadnezzar but for us who are believers who understand the word of the Lord we realize that we cannot neglect by mentioning their name that were given to them by their families the name that relate them to the living God so in verse 16 shadrach mishak and.

Abednego answered and said to the king o Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter They said to him, in other words, we do not need even to answer you on this matter. Nebuchadnezzar, they said to him, oh king, notice they are respectful. We will not worship the image which you have erected. They continue in verse 17 these faithful trusted these young men had in the Lord they said to the buchat netzer in verse 17 but if it be so that you will cast us into this furnace of fire our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand oh king notice the assurance the faithfulness that they have towards their God my dear brothers and sisters what an amazing example they serve for all of us to see the faithfulness that they had and the trust in the Lord and they were standing faithfully with respect to the king but in trust in the God of Israel in the God of heaven there is a verse in Isaiah 51 and verse 12 and 13 the Lord is speaking he said i even i am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die and of a son of man which shall be made as grass and forget is the Lord thy maker that has stretched forth.

The heavens and laid the foundation of the earth and has feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor and if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the oppressor in other word the Lord is saying to Israel of course in Isaiah chapter 51 to remind them that after they will be taken away to captivity especially to the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin I mean, God is reminding them that he will care for them, that he is the one who will ultimately comfort his people. I, even I, am he that comforteth you, he is saying to Judah. Who art thou that thou should be afraid of a man that shall die, and of a son of man which shall be made as grass?

You see, sadly, we live in a world that men abuse others. Instead of taking care, a leader, a king, a ruler, a governor, instead of helping his own subject, they are in pride and arrogance, adding to their trouble anyways. And here we see these Hebrews who are now in Babylon. To remind you they are in Babylon because they are identifying with their own people who are now under the discipline of Jehovah and they are faithful to their Lord even in the midst of the time of the discipline in Babel to remind you that the psalmist of Israel said by the rivers of Babylon there we sat down and we wept as we remember Zion there they that took us captive told us sing unto us one of Zion's songs in mockery they said and of course these Jewish people who realized the discipline of God they said how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land and they were devoting themselves to Jerusalem and they said if I forget the old Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning if I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy this is what the awakened men and women who were in Babylon realized there that by the rivers of Babylon they were sitting down and they were weeping and they remember.

Zion, Zion is Jerusalem Jerusalem and you see they hung their harps upon the willows in the midst there of Babylon there by the river and those that carried us away captive required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth and they said sing us one of the songs of Zion and you see they realize that they should have not been in Babylon but God disciplined his people disobedience, rebellion following after other gods worshipping idols turning away from God brought the judgment of God upon his people and here now in the midst of this sad condition there were the remnant there were those godly among Israel among Judea, among Judah who were faithful to the Lord and they said to King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 3 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 they said to King Nebuchadnezzar and beloved brothers and sisters they continue in verse 18 of Daniel chapter 3.

And they said, notice, they continue to say, but if not, they realize that God is able, and if God wishes, he definitely will, but if by his divine design, he will allow them not to be delivered in that time. He said, be it known unto thee, verse 18, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou had set up. Look at the decision. We will not. We will not, number one, serve your gods. Number two, we will not worship the image which you have made. This was a decision that they have made. Again, I'm just referring to the very same Psalm 137 that we read by the rivers of Babylon that was written in the time when the people of Israel were in Babylon.

They made a decision. They said, if I forget thee, O Yerushalayim, let my right hand forget her cutting. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. And who was in Jerusalem? Who was in Zion? What was there? There was a temple that once stood there. And the God of Israel once dwelt in the middle of the cherubim, in the Holy of Holies. They wanted to return back. They wanted to follow their God and that's why you can see the decision that these men made and they were saying that God is able to deliver us out of your hand of king but if he will not we will not serve thy God nor worship the golden image which thou had set up and beloved brothers and sisters to remind you that God is always preserving his people of Israel because it is part of his plan and program for this world because ultimately the Messiah will come again and rule and reign over this world but in order to do so Israel as a nation must turn back to God you remember what the Lord Jesus said in the gospels when he was here on earth at his first coming just before he went to die on the shameful cross you remember he said to the Jewish people who did not recognize him that your house shall be left unto you desolate and you shall not see me henceforth until he shall say blessed is he that cometh in the name.

Of the Lord until he shall say in Hebrew Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai until you will receive the Mashiach the Messiah who was rejected at his first coming but will be accepted at his second coming at the end of the tribulation and so we read in the next verses beloved brothers and sisters verses 19 to 23 because these three young men said we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou have set up then Nebuchadnezzar was very angry and so in our chapter Daniel 3 verses 19 to 23 we read of the rage of Nebuchadnezzar and the punishment that he pronounced against these young Hebrew men we read in verse 19 Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury the form of his visage was changed he was so angry he was so angry that even the appearance of Nebuchadnezzar have changed because of his anger against these Hebrew young men who simply said to him we will not serve thy God we will not worship thy golden image that expression in the Aramaic it says in other words the visage of the king.

Changed because of his fury and anger so we read in verse 19 that his anger was against Shadrach, Meshach and Eben Ego and therefore notice that He spake and commended that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated. In other words, what he did, he increased the heat of the furnace seven times. So it will be hotter and the day will be destroyed faster. That's what he did out of his anger and the anger beloved friend came out of his pride there is pride the pride in the book of netzer's heart because number one he wanted everyone to worship the image because the image as far as he was concerned that he erected was him he is that head of gold he is that whole image it's pride in proverb chapter 16 we read in verses 18 and 19 pride goes before destruction and a hearty spirit before a fall better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud king Shlomo the king of Israel said to Israel it is so important to realize that pride goes before a fall a little bit later on in chapter 21 king Shlomo wrote in the Proverbs and verse 4 and high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked is sin that was the sin of Nebuchadnezzar in the context of Daniel chapter 3 the sin is that haughtiness a high look and a proud heart.

And a plowing of the wicked is sin this wicked man was plowing others in this case he was seeking to do harm to Hananiah Azariah and Mishael and he gave them this name Shadrach Meshach and Ebednego that they will forget their God the God of Israel the God of heaven but apparently they did not and so he was so angry and he commended that the furnace will be heated seven times more than it was won to be heated at the end of verse 19 how said listen to what the psalmist of Israel said again and again in Psalm 119 concerning the proud very interesting verses beloved brothers and sisters in Psalm 119 in verse 21 we read thou has rebuked the proud that are cursed which do err from thy commandments once again Psalm 119 and verse 51 the proud have had me greatly in division yet have i not declined from thy law the psalmist said in verse 69 of Psalm 119 we read the proud have forged a lie against me but i will.

Keep thy precepts with my whole heart the godly man the godly psalmist of Israel said Psalm 119 In verse 78 we read. Let the proud be ashamed. For they dealt perversely with me without a cause. But I will meditate in thy precepts. The psalmist of Israel said in verse 85 of the very same Psalm 119. The psalmist says the proud have digged pit for me. Which are not after thy law. He said that's what a proud does. And that's what King Nebuchadnezzar was. In the very same Psalm 119 and verse 122 we read, Be surety for thy servant for good. Let not the proud oppress me. In other words, throughout history, always it is the proud that seek the harm of the humble.

The godless pride, the godless proud, seek the harm of the godly, humble men and women of God. Whether it is in Israel's history, or whether it is throughout church history, a condition is the same. And that's why we do read as well, in the New Covenant, that both James, Yaakov, and Peter, reminded the necessity to be humble before the Lord and not to be proud. James tells us in chapter 4 and verse 6 that God giveth more grace. Wherefore, he says, God resisteth the proud, but he give grace unto the humble, quoting Proverbs 3 and verse 34. And then also, beloved brothers and sisters, Peter himself, as he was writing to the early believers he said in first Peter 5 and verse 5 likewise ye younger submit yourself unto the elder yeah all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility why because for God resists the proud and giveth grace to the humble quoting Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 34 And so Nebuchadnezzar was a proud man, building the image of gold, wanting everyone to worship him, wanting everyone to worship his gods, to fall and worship the image.

And when these three young men, Hananiah, Azra and Mishael, did not do so, he was so angry at them, that he heated the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And so we read in verse 20 of Daniel chapter 3 that Nebuchadnezzar commended to cast the Hebrew young man into the furnace he commended the most the mightiest man that he had in the Babylonian kingdom in Hebrew or I should say in Aramit it said Givarei Chayil in Hebrew it will be Givarei Chayil in Aramit Givarei Chayil mighty men strong men mighty men that were in his army there were soldiers in his own military he commanded them to bind Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace and to remind you that this furnace is now seven times more hot than it was wont to be heated and so we read in verse 21 beloved brothers and sisters look at this these men now these mighty men that came from his army that Nebuchadnezzar had chosen in order to take these young men Hebrew young men he told them to cast them into the fire the furnace and so we read in verse 21 that these mighty Babylonian men they cast shadrach mishak and ebed nego into the.

Midst of the fiery furnace notice then and they cast them listen then these men were bound in their coats this is their robes and their hosen this is their pants and their hats and their other garments in other words they kept them with their garments and they bound them and then they cast them into the midst of their burning fiery furnace remember they were dressed in such a way in order for them to come to the dedication of the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar have made they came in order to observe the dedication they did not come intending to fall down before the image and to worship it they didn't intend to do so but they came to that dedication because they were called by Nebuchadnezzar for all the wise men of Babylon all the leaders of Babylon all the people the princes the governors the captains the Judges the treasurers the counselors and the sheriffs all were called to come so they came and here now because of the refuser to worship that image now they were cast notice with their.

Clothes on and they were cast into the notice the word the midst of the burning fiery furnace i mean this is fascinating when you really think about it to be cast into this hot furnace will destroy you immediately and so in the next verses verses 22 and verse 23 we see that the flame of the fire did not even yet touch these three young men hananiah azara and mishael but actually it says in verse 22 that therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceeding hot the flame of the fire notice slew or killed those men they took up Shadrach, Mishach, Ebednego Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael so the fire that was prepared in the furnace for anyone who will not worship the image will not fall before the image in worship this very same fire actually have slain these strong mighty men of the army of of Nebuchadnezzar and they died as they were just approaching the furnace amazing and so we read in verse 23 that these three men Shadok Meshach and Abednego they fell down notice the word bound.

Into the midst of the burning fiery furnace so what happened beloved the fire is heated seven times more than ordinary fire supposed to be there slew the very man that came near the fire but with respect to Hananiah Azara and Mishael whose name was chained to Shadrach Meshach and Abednego with respect to them they fell down in the midst of the furnace in the midst of the fire they were bound and they were cast down into the midst there and now we learn that they are now in the midst of that fire and so beloved brothers and sisters we can see the manner in which now God is protecting his own people you see this is a lesson for us to learn as we study the word of God that because God is sovereign and because God have a providence over all the affairs of this world which he created for his own pleasure God has his purpose presented before us throughout the word of God and even though he disciplined his chosen people the Jewish people throughout.

The history of our people yet God in his wisdom would always preserve his people because he has something in mind for them and not only for them but for the whole world the blessing that God intend to bless this world using the nation of Israel as his servants to serve him among the nations of the world and so notice this is what is the evident in the next verses verses 24 to 27 the supernatural the miraculous deliverance of these three Hebrew men and you can see how it was indeed divinely designed God himself in a supernatural way delivered his own people the remnant of his people in the midst of the fire in the midst of the furnace in the midst of trial while the strong mighty men of Babylon were cast out they were judged they were burned who died immediately as they arrived close to the fire the ones that are in the midst of the fire are being preserved by God so in verses 24 and 25 we see the astonishment that Nebuchadnezzar was astonished with we do read in verse 24.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished why? Because he was in a position and he's seated in a position where he can see the furnace. Not only see the furnace, but see the inside of the furnace. So what he does see, we read in verse 24, he rose up in haste because he was so astonished. Why? And he spoke to his counselors, he asked them two questions. The first question in verse 24, Did not we cast, notice, three men bound into the midst of the fire? That's the first question in verse 24. And of course, his counselors answered. They said unto the king, true, O king. Yes, surely we cast three men bound.

But then he asked them the second question in verse 25. He answered and he said, now he's asking the next question. He says, lo, I see four men. And not only that I see four men, but I see four men loose. And not only that I see four instead of three, and all of them are loose. I see them walking in the midst of the fire. And again, he said, they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is like the son of God. Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, beloved brothers and sisters. Because really, there was a supernatural, miraculous event that happened here in the time where he demanded that Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, who did not want to fall down before his image, and who did not want to worship his God, because they did not want to do that he cast them into the fire that he increased the heat of the fire and then he even challenged them and he said to them who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand so now as he is looking in verse 24 and verse 25 of our third chapter of the book of Daniel he is looking and what does he see instead of three men bound he see four men loose and instead of sitting there and burning in the furnace he see all four of them walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the fourth person in that fire according to what Nebuchadnezzar says is one like unto the son of God now beloved brothers and sisters this is fascinating.

Statements to read in Daniel chapter 3 and of course we are amazed and to remind you beloved brothers and sisters as we mentioned it we are speaking about the times of the Gentiles in which Nebuchadnezzar was the first monarch of the first empire of Babylon to begin this long period of time in the history of this universe in the history of this world the times of the Gentiles when the kingdom have been handed over to the Gentile nations when Israel is under discipline waiting the day when Israel will be restored at the end of the days in the latter days when Israel will acknowledge the Messiah and accept Him our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah who came once to die but He will come again to reign and rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and here beloved brothers and sisters we can see the promises of God in a typology, in a picture but also in reality because he is preserving the remnant of Israel the people of Israel throughout the ages in every situation among the nations of the world.

That even though in the midst of a fire in the midst of suffering in the midst of trial God is preserving his own people in the midst of this world you know there is a verse that we read in Exodus chapter 1 and verses 11 and 12 when king Pharaoh wanted to destroy the Hebrews who were now in Egypt we do read in verse 11 therefore they did set over them taskmaster to afflict them with their burdens and they build for Pharaoh treasure cities pitom and ramses and notice what verse 12 tells us of Exodus chapter 1 but the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew you see that the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied and grew why because God preserves the people of Israel the descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for the latter days when he will use Israel the Hebrews, the Jewish people to be a light to the nations listen to another verse that is found in the very same book of Exodus in Exodus chapter 3 and verses 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Where we read now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the backside of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Choreb and the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in the flame of fire listen to this out of the midst of a bush and he looked Moshe looked Moses looked and behold the bush burnt with fire and the bush was not consumed how is it possible a bush in the desert in Sinai in the heat of the desert burned with fire and not consumed it is impossible the bush represents the nation of Israel and God is always preserving his people in the midst of the fire because he has a plan for the nation of Israel Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burned verse 3 of Exodus 3 when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said Moshe Moshe Moses Moses.

And he said here am I and you remember what he said in verse six moreover he said i am the God of thy father the God of Avraham the God of Yitzhak and the God of Yaakov and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said i have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmaster for i know their sorrows i am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the egyptians and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large unto a land flowing with milk and honey beloved brothers and sisters God in the midst of the bush preserving his people because he has a plan for his own people.

These three men were bound when they were cast into the fire. But now we see four men loose in the midst of the fire, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt. Why? Because there was one there. The fourth person is like the Son of God. This is amazing, beloved brothers and sisters. It reminds us of another verse that Isaiah the prophet promised again. While God disciplined His people, yet Isaiah, by the word of the Lord, made a promise to His people. Notice what we read in Isaiah 43, verse 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, God is saying to Israel, to Jacob. And he continued in verse 2 and 3, and he said, 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. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee. Therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Fear not, for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back. Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the end of the earth. Even every one that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory. I have formed him, yea, I have made him. This is Isaiah 43 verses 1 to 7. Beloved brothers and sisters, this gives us an amazing lesson to learn concerning the protection of God over the people of Israel throughout the history, even during the tribulation period.

In a future day, as far as we are concerned, according to Revelation chapter 12 and chapter 13, where Satan will be cast down, he will seek to destroy the people of Israel during the tribulation age. The Lord will preserve His people during their time. Oh my dear friend how wonderful to know this with respect to Israel but also with respect to the assembly the church the Lord Jesus the Messiah said when he spoke to the disciples in the north of Israel before he went to die on that shameful Roman cross you remember what he said to Simon Peter and to the disciples in Matthew chapter 16 Jesus answered and said unto him this is verse 17 Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, Petros, and upon this rock, upon your confession, I will build my church, my assembly, my ecclesia, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. How wonderful to know that both the promises of God to Israel and the promises of God to the church, to the assembly, will surely come to fruition on the basis of the word of God. And it seems so clearly here in Daniel chapter 3 and verse 24 and verse 25. We cast three men bound, I see four men loose, and the form of the fourth one is like the Son of God. Now, some would suggest that this is the pre-incarnate Messiah who appeared in a time of difficulties in the history of Israel when Israel is in difficult days and he preserving the Jewish people, the remnant of Israel.

In this case, these three Hebrew young men, Hanani and Azariah and Mishael. Some would suggest simply that the fourth person is like the son of God, like an angel that appeared there to protect his own people, to protect Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. Whether it was the pre-incarnate Mashiach, Yeshua, before his incarnation, or whether it was an angel, God preserved his people. God preserved Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. And so we read in Daniel 3 verse 26 and 27 as we draw nigh towards the end of this message in verses 26 and 27 king Nebuchadnezzar called these three men three Hebrews to come out from the burning fiery furnace and so we read in verse 26 then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and speck and he 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 this is a miracle it is unimaginable to remind you beloved brothers and sisters that the chosen man, these mighty men that cast these three Hebrew boys into the fire day when they came they were slain.

The fire slew those men, verse 22 and yet these Hebrews were sustained by God in a supernatural way in the midst of the fire and now the Bukhad Netzer is calling them to come out according to verse 26 and you notice what he says ye are servants of the most high God he recognized at this point once again that the God of Hananiah Azariah and Mishael their God is a true and living God amazing and you can see that the Bukhad Netzer still needed to learn many lessons which he will learn as we will continue in the study of the book of Daniel God will have to teach him some lessons and so notice what we read in verse 26 they came out then we read in verse 27 we read and the princes governors and the captains and the king's counselors being gathered together so listen to this there are four things that they saw that happened to these four young Hebrew men number one they saw that these men upon whose bodies the.

Fire number one had no power no power every trial every tribulation every challenge really have no power you remember what the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians that every trial that's coming upon them first Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13 there is no trial that taken you but such as is common unto men but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear but he will with the testing with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it now again of course physically speaking this literal fire should burn them completely the fire had no power over them number one number two nor was an hair of their head was burnt can you imagine even one hair of their head was not burnt it's a miracle that God perform on behalf of his people thirdly it says neither were their coats changed nothing happened to their clothes and finally verse 27 at the end nor the smell of the fire had passed on them now.

How is it possible a fire in a furnace that was raised to seven times more than it was normally did not have any smell to pass on to these young Hebrew men hananiah azariah and mishael that tells us that God will preserve the people of Israel in the midst of a fire in the midst of a trial in the midst of persecution in the midst of all what happened in the history of the Jewish people from the time of the destruction of the first temple in 586 bc up till today and including the tribulation period ultimately God will preserve his earthly people Israel for their future day that he had for them that Israel will ultimately be a restored nation and will be light to the nations of the world amazing amazing the book of Ezekiel teaches us of the future day when Israel as a nation will be restored and God will bring them into their own land and that God will establish them as a nation that will be a blessing.

To this world in Ezekiel chapter 37 where the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel and he asked him this question in the valley of the dry bones he saw a valley that was full of bones and he asked him in verse 3 of Ezekiel 37 son of man can these bones live and Ezekiel answered and he said all Lord God down north and the Lord revealed to him what a prophecy what God answered him to his own question he's really answering and he said to him how slowly but surely Israel will be restored and will be preserved in the days that God have appointed for a restoration of the nation of Israel wonderful to know of that future day that will come and so beloved brothers and sisters now notice that as we conclude here in Daniel chapter 3 with these final verses verses 28 to 30 notice what happened after we see that in verse 27 nothing harmed the Hebrews then we read in verse 28, 29 and 30 Nebuchadnezzar spake and he said notice that.

Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Ebed-Nego who has 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 with a small g, any idol except their own God. Nebuchadnezzar could see at that time of the faithfulness of these three young Hebrew boys. Then we read in verse 29 And verse 30, Hannah Bukhat Netzer made a decree and promoted Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. And we read there in verse 29, Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Mishach, and Ebed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made dunghill.

Why because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort there is no other God that can deliver out of this sort beloved brothers and sisters there is no other God like our God there is no other Savior like our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah there is none like him we also read in verse 15 he is saying to them who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand you remember that and now Nebuchadnezzar changed his opinion about the God of Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael and he said there is no other God like your God that can deliver after this thought and then beloved brothers and sisters In verse 30, we conclude with this chapter that King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael in the province of Babylon.

The lesson for us is amazing. We learn now that during the times of the Gentiles, when our people of Israel are scattered throughout all the nations of the world, God will never forsake His people. God will always preserve His people in order that He will ultimately restore Israel back to Himself. He that scatters Israel will gather them, and He will restore them, and He will bring them into wonderful relationship with Him. And for us today, who are believers in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who are part of the assembly the ecclesia in this present day all true believers in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah can be assured that the gate of hades shall not prevail against the assembly against the church against the ecclesia why because God has a plan for the church for the assembly for the ecclesia for the called out one the gates of hades shall not prevail against the assembly the church the ecclesia as well God's purposes will surely come to pass heaven and earth will pass away the Lord Jesus the Messiah said but my word will remain the same how wonderful it is for us to learn these lessons as we study together the prophetic word of Daniel well with these verses verses 16 to 30 we concluded with Daniel chapter 3 until the next time beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend may the Lord bless you and we will say shalom shalom