Today’s Reading: Daniel 3:1-12 (English Standard Version)
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.3 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.4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever!10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
Takeaways:
- It’s easy to sit back and laugh at the audacity of King Nebuchadnezzar to build a statue to himself. However, I have to remind myself that I daily build altars to myself when I put the focus on me and not on Jesus.
- The Chaldeans remind me of that one kid that prided himself on being a tattletale.
- Later in Daniel when the soldiers were thrown into the pit and had their bones crushed…I hope the King threw the Chaldeans in as well!
- This passage is a great reminder of where my focus needs to be. I can’t be distracted by the idols of this world that are vying for my attention. God alone is worthy of my worship.