Dan 3:29 | KingComments | STEP | The testimony of the friends brings Nebuchadnezzar to a praise of God, whom he calls “the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego”. God rejoices when His own are connected with Him in this way through the world and “God is not ashamed to be called their God” ( ). The behavior of the friends has shown Who God is. The king recognizes deliverance through God. He acknowledges that they have trusted Him and that in their trust they have not been ashamed. They have resisted his word, the word of him as king, the most powerful man on earth, out of faithfulness to God. He has seen that their faithfulness to their God is so great that they have even surrendered their bodies. The greatest threat, and even the execution of the sentence, has not been able to induce them to unfaithfulness to their God by glorifying or worshiping another god. They have only glorified and worshiped their God. After this remarkable statement, Nebuchadnezzar goes even further. He sends an order through his entire empire that there must be general respect for the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He who speaks anything offensively against God will be severely punished personally, while his house will also suffer. His house is the place where the defamation could have happened, so that that place has become unclean and may no longer be inhabited. That house becomes a memorial as a warning. This judgment is the lot of anyone who speaks anything offensive. To speak offensively is speaking evil against better judgment. Anyone who, after this clear proof from God that He is a redeeming God, and speaks evil of Him, cannot be excused. And everyone in the whole empire of Nebuchadnezzar will hear about it. All those in authority have looked attentively at it ( ) and will be able to witness this great salvation in the countries from which they have come and to which they will soon return. Nebuchadnezzar forbids only to speak anything offensive against God. Unfortunately, he does not go so far as calling upon his people to worship and serve that God. He needs to learn an even deeper lesson. This is shown in the next chapter.

‏ Daniel 3:29

The Testimony of Nebuchadnezzar

The testimony of the friends brings Nebuchadnezzar to a praise of God, whom he calls “the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego”. God rejoices when His own are connected with Him in this way through the world and “God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Heb 11:16b). The behavior of the friends has shown Who God is.

The king recognizes deliverance through God. He acknowledges that they have trusted Him and that in their trust they have not been ashamed. They have resisted his word, the word of him as king, the most powerful man on earth, out of faithfulness to God. He has seen that their faithfulness to their God is so great that they have even surrendered their bodies. The greatest threat, and even the execution of the sentence, has not been able to induce them to unfaithfulness to their God by glorifying or worshiping another god. They have only glorified and worshiped their God.

After this remarkable statement, Nebuchadnezzar goes even further. He sends an order through his entire empire that there must be general respect for the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He who speaks anything offensively against God will be severely punished personally, while his house will also suffer. His house is the place where the defamation could have happened, so that that place has become unclean and may no longer be inhabited. That house becomes a memorial as a warning.

This judgment is the lot of anyone who speaks anything offensive. To speak offensively is speaking evil against better judgment. Anyone who, after this clear proof from God that He is a redeeming God, and speaks evil of Him, cannot be excused. And everyone in the whole empire of Nebuchadnezzar will hear about it. All those in authority have looked attentively at it (Dan 3:27) and will be able to witness this great salvation in the countries from which they have come and to which they will soon return.

Nebuchadnezzar forbids only to speak anything offensive against God. Unfortunately, he does not go so far as calling upon his people to worship and serve that God. He needs to learn an even deeper lesson. This is shown in the next chapter.