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. And so I'm reading. Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, O 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 the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego. Therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego 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 Ebed-Nego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Ebed-Nego came forth of the midst of the fire, and the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, Then Nebuchadnezzar saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was any 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 Ebed-Nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their 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 Ebed-Nego, 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 6 cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. So, king Nebuchadnezzar, to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, what does he do? After Daniel, in chapter 2, 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 and 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 B.C.

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 the 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 2 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 destroyed 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, in verse 1, that 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, where 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 promised 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 instruments. According to verse 5, we do read that at what time you hear the sound of the various musical instruments, that 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 refused to worship. In fact, what we have learned that they were accused by the wise men of Babylon, by the Kaladins, they were accused before Nebuchadnezzar according to verse 8.

These Kaladins came and they accused the Jews before Nebuchadnezzar. And they said to Nebuchadnezzar, oh king, live forever. Now, our 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, Mishach, and Abednego, which are really Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, these Hebrew young men who were promoted already by King Nebuchadnezzar, because Daniel have asked him to promote them to serve in Babylon at the end of chapter 2.

But then these Caledines accused them and they said, these men, these men, verse 12, of O King, they have not regarded thee, they did not serve thy God, nor did he worship them, and neither did he 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, Mishach, and Abednego, which was a pagan name. Yet these young boys, Hananiah, Azariah, 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 Hananiah represents that the Lord is gracious, Jehovah is gracious, Azariah, means 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 spake unto them and he said, is it true, verse 14, O Shadrach, Mishach, and Abednego, 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 ye 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 and 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 gods, his gods, his images, his idols.

So the God of Israel allowed 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 and 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 Azariah 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 Mishach and Abednego answered and

said to the king oh 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 trust that these young men had in the Lord they said to the Bukadnezzar 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 fear 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 words 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 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 and 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 a 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 this and of course these Jewish people who realized the discipline of God they said how shall we sing the Lord 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 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 realized 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 Nebuchad Netzer 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 Nebuchad Netzer 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 oh Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cutting if I

do not remember thee let my tongue clear 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 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 Nebuchad Netzer was very angry and so in our chapter Daniel 3 verses 19 to 23 we read of the rage of Nebuchad Netzer and the punishment that he pronounced

against these young Hebrew men we read in verse 19 Nebuchad Netzer was full of fury the form of his visage was changed he was so angry he was so angry that even the appearance of Nebuchad Netzer 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 says utzelem an pohi eshtanu tzelem an pohi eshtanu in other words the tzelem 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 Nego and therefore notice that he spake

and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was want 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 Nebuchadnezzar'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 Proverbs 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 a high look and a proud heart and the plowing of the wicked is sin that was the sin of Nebuchad Netzer 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 Mishak and Ebed Nego 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 commanded that the furnace will be heated seven times more than it was wont 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 in verse 69 of psalm 119 we read the proud have forged a lie against me but I will keep thy precept with my whole heart the godly man godly psalmist of Israel said psalm 119 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 Nebuchad Netzer was in the very same psalm 119 in verse 122 we read be surety for thy servant for good let not the proud oppress me in other words throughout history always 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 verse 6 that God giveth more grace wherefore he says God resists the proud but he gives 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 1 Peter 5 and verse 5 likewise ye younger submit yourself unto the elder yea 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 God to fall and worship the image and when these three young men Hananiah 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 Nebuchad Netzer commended to cast the Hebrew young men into the furnace he commanded 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 Mishach 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 Nebuchad Netzer 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 Mishach and Abednego into

the midst of the fiery furnace notice that and they cast them listen then these men were bound in their coats this is their robes and their hosts 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 Nebuchad Netzer 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 Nebuchad Netzer 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 refusal to worship that image now they were cast with their clothes on and they were cast into 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 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 not as slew or killed those men that took up Shadrach Mishach and Ebed Nego 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 Nebuchad Netzer and they died as they were just approaching the furnace amazing and so we read in verse 23 that these three men

Shadrach Mishach and Ebed Nego 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 Azariah and Mishael whose name Shadrach Mishach and Ebed Nego 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 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 intends 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 evidence 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 they were 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 Nebuchad Netzer was astonished we do read in verse 24 then Nebuchad Netzer the king was astonished why because he was in a position he 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 asked them 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

loose and of course his counselors answered they said unto the king true oh king yes surely we cast three men bound but then he asked him 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 the Bochab Netzer was astonished beloved brothers and sisters

because really there 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 is 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 three 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 task master to afflict them with their burdens and they built for Pharaoh treasure cities pit om 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 all lagoyim 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 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 represent 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 and 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 6 moreover he said I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Yitzhak and the God of Yaakov and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God and 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 task master 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 lodge 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 all Jacob and he that formed thee all 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 God and he continue 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 shall 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 Siba for thee since thou was precious in my side thou has 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 everyone 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 are 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 weak have 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 Hananiah 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 Nebuchad Netzer called these three men three Hebrews to come out from the burning fiery furnace and so we read in verse 26 then Nebuchad Netzer came near to the mouth of the burning fiery

furnace and he said Shadrach Mishach and Abednego ye servants of the most high God come forth and come hither then Shadrach Mishach 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 they 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 he 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 Muchad 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 kings counselors being gathered together saw 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 body the fire number one had no power no power every trial every every tribulation every challenge really have no power you remember what the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians that every trial that 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 ye may be able to bear it again of course physically speaking this literal fire should have burned

them completely the fire had no power over them number one number two no was and hair of their head was burnt can you imagine even one hair of their head was not burnt it's a miracle that God performed 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 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 he answered says down north and the Lord revealed to him what a prophecy what God answered him to his own question he is 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 Abednego who has sent his angel and deliver 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 in that time of the faithfulness of these three young Hebrew boys then then we read verse 29 and verse 30 made a decree and promoted Hananiah Azariah and Mishael and we read there in verse 29 therefore 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 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 sort 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