“Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.” Daniel 3:3
The day for the dedication has come. We don’t know how Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael have been praying. They are Daniel’s right hand men in Babylon. With Daniel not on the scene have all the arrangements for the ceremony gone through these young men? Have they reluctantly executed the king’s plans while at the same time praying desperately that God would stop this event from happening or are they unaware what lies in store for them? We see a lesson here about trials. Sometimes we see them coming and pray that God would remove them from our lives. Sometimes we are surprised in the moment. Whichever the case is here, the day arrives.
If the three young men sense what is happening we can be assured they have been in fervent prayer but the trial is not removed so now they walk toward the plain of Dura with faith and trust in God (we know that from their future words and actions) but with some anxiety about how awful the situation is.
Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces The words from verse 2 are repeated. The kings words are obeyed flawlessly. Every government official and leader is gathered together on the plain of Dura and each is facing the colossal image. The word Dura means circle. All are likely standing in a large group stretching around the statue. They can see the image and each is able to see everyone else’s reaction to it. Full visibility – no hiding!
Gathered for the dedication of the image They are there for one purpose, to dedicate the image. The image represents Nebuchadnezzar who is the head of gold and has decided in his pride that since he is the greatest of all kings ever to live, he should be worshipped. He demands loyalty from his leadership team and
he knows that if they acquiesce to his demand all the people in the Babylonian kingdom will follow suit.
That King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. God makes it clear who is behind this. Nebuchadnezzar is doing the will of Satan. This is what
Satan has wanted since his fall from heaven. Then he proclaimed, “I will be like the most high”. He wants the praise and worship that God alone deserves. Here he wants all men to worship the king as god for he knows it is a short step from there to worshipping him. We wonder how Nebuchadnezzar could have fallen into pride this quickly. Then we realize his heart has never been toward God. In Daniel 2 after Daniel has given him the interpretation of the dream, Nebuchadnezzar “fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him (Daniel)”. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride never ceased and he never humbled himself to worship God. He never acknowledged what Daniel wrote in chapter 2 – that God gave the king the victory over Judah and Jerusalem. Instead of seeing his strength and
power coming from God, Nebuchadnezzar takes credit for all his success. He is at the center, he is worthy to be worshipped. Thus we see the desire of every evil dictator. Each decrees that all worship him as God. This will happen again with all the fury Satan can muster during the tribulation as the antichrist sets up an image of himself in God’s temple and demands that every men worship him as God. Standing behind the antichrist, as he does here with Nebuchadnezzar, is Satan.
And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up Daniel sets the stage. The government leaders surround the golden image on the day and time Nebuchadnezzar decreed. They wait for Nebuchadnezzar’s next decree. It will not be a Godly one.
What can we learn? God’s word tells us not to sleep. When we do, we will be caught unaware in Satan’s snares. The only people awake on the plain of Dura that day are three young men. Their spiritual
senses are on high alert as for the second time in their lives they will be ordered to sin against God.