서론
無標題
英文原文
In the close of the foregoing chapter we left Daniel's companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in honour and power, princes of the provinces, and preferred for their relation to the God of Israel and the interest they had in him. I know not whether I should say. It were well if this honour had all the saints. No, there are many whom it would not be good for; the saints' honour is reserved for another world. But here we have those same three men as much under the king's displeasure as when they were in his favour, and yet more truly, more highly, honoured by their God than there they were honoured by their prince, both by the grace wherewith he enabled them rather to suffer than to sin and by the miraculous and glorious deliverance which he wrought for them out of their sufferings. It is a very memorable story, a glorious instance of the power and goodness of God, and a great encouragement to the constancy of his people in trying times. The apostle refers to it when he mentions, among the believing heroes, those who by faith "quenched the violence of fire," Heb 11:34. We have here, I. Nebuchadnezzar's erecting and dedicating a golden image, and his requiring all his subjects, of what rank or degree soever, to fall down and worship it, and the general compliance of his people with that command, Da 3:1-7. II. Information given against the Jewish princes for refusing to worship this golden image, Da 3:8-12. III. Their constant persisting in that refusal, notwithstanding his rage and menaces, Da 3:13-18. IV. The casting of them into the fiery furnace for their refusal, Da 3:19-23. V. Their miraculous preservation in the fire by the power of God, and their invitation out of the fire by the favour of the king, who was by this miracle convinced of his error in casting them in, Da 3:24-27. VI. The honour which the king gave to God hereupon, and the favour he showed to those faithful worthies, Da 3:28-30.
1-7
Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image (587 BC)
尼布甲尼撒的金像（公元前587年）
¹ 尼布甲尼撒王造了一個金像，高六十肘，寬六肘，立在巴比倫省杜拉平原。
² 尼布甲尼撒王差人將總督、欽差、巡撫、臬司、藩司、謀士、法官和各省官員都召集了來，為尼布甲尼撒王所立的像行開光之禮。
³ 於是總督、欽差、巡撫、臬司、藩司、謀士、法官和各省官員都聚集，為尼布甲尼撒王所立的像行開光之禮，都站在尼布甲尼撒所立的像前。
⁴ 那時傳令的大聲呼喊說：各方、各國、各族的人哪，有命令傳給你們。
⁵ 你們一聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙和各樣樂器的聲音，就當俯伏敬拜尼布甲尼撒王所立的金像。
⁶ 凡不俯伏敬拜的，必立時扔在烈火的窯中。
⁷ 因此各方、各國、各族的人民一聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟和各樣樂器的聲音，就都俯伏敬拜尼布甲尼撒王所立的金像。
這段故事的年代我們不確知，只是若尼布甲尼撒所奉獻的這像與他所夢見的那像有任何關係，則大概發生於那夢之後不久；有人計算約在尼布甲尼撒作王第七年——約雅斤被擄前一年，以西結即在那年被擄。請注意：
I. 立了一尊金像供人敬拜。巴比倫已滿了偶像，但這位專橫的王子還要再加一個；因為那已離棄獨一又真又活之神、開始設立諸多神明的人，會發現他們所立的神如此不能滿足，他們對神的渴求如此不能飽足，以致他們要毫無節制地增多神明，永無止境地追隨，永不知足。偶像崇拜者喜新好奇。他們選擇新神。有許多的還要更多。尼布甲尼撒王為要行使王權——任意立他所認為合適的神——設立了這像（Da 3:1）。請注意：1. 它的貴重；是金像——當然不是全金的；他雖富甲天下，大概也負擔不起全金，而是包金的。注意：假神的敬拜者在設立並敬拜偶像上往往不惜工本；他們從袋中倒出金子（賽 46:6）為此之用——這便羞愧了我們在敬拜真神上的吝嗇。2. 它的巨大；高六十肘、寬六肘。它超過常人身高十五倍（常人算為四肘或六英尺），仿佛其怪異可補償其無生命。但尼布甲尼撒為何設立這像？有人認為是要為自己洗脫"改宗猶太教"的嫌疑，因他近日對以色列的神大加讚揚，又升高了一些敬拜他的人。或者他把它設立為自己的像，意圖在其中受敬拜。驕傲的君王好要人對他行神之敬拜；亞歷山大如此行，自稱是朱庇特奥林帕斯之子。他被告知在他夢中所見的像裡，他以金頭為代表，將被更賤金屬的王國所接續；但他在此設立自己為……
II. 召集全國要員來赴這像奉獻典禮的盛大集會（Da 3:2,3）。差使被派往全國各處去召集總督——公爵和貴族，全國的貴族，以及所有文武官員——軍長和軍隊統帥，臬司、藩司或總收稅官、謀士、法官和各省官員；他們都必須來為這像行奉獻之禮，違者後果自負。他召大人物來，為他的偶像增光；因此經上提到基督的榮耀時說列王必將禮物奉獻給他。他若能帶他們來向他的金像致敬，便不疑下層百姓會自然效法。王令既出，那大國的一切官長都撇下自己所轄地區的職務，來到巴比倫，為這金像行奉獻之禮；他們中許多人長途跋涉，所費不菲，為的卻是一件極愚蠢的差事；然而偶像既是無知之物，其敬拜者也是如此。
III. 一道諭令，命一切在像前的人於信號發出之時俯伏敬拜這像，尊稱之為尼布甲尼撒王所立的金像。一位傳令官在這群達官貴人——連同他們眾多的僕從和隨員，無疑也有許多未被邀請的百姓——的大會中大聲宣告；讓他們都留意：1. 王嚴嚴命令各樣的人都當俯伏敬拜這金像；無論他們在別時敬拜何神，如今必須敬拜這像。2. 他們都必須同時如此行，作為他們在這拜偶像事奉中彼此相通的記號；為達此目的，將以一場音樂會為信號——這也可為典禮增色，並使那些不情願之人的心軟化，使他們順從王的命令。這種敬拜中的歡笑和熱鬧，對屬肉體感官之心非常相宜——他們與那當歸給神（因為神是靈）的屬靈敬拜無分。
IV. 全會眾對這命令的普遍順從（Da 3:7）。他們聽見樂器之聲——管樂器和手樂器，角、笛和琵琶、瑟、笙，他們以為其旋律令人陶醉（用以激發他們所要盡的那種"虔誠"也恰到好處），便立即全都如同一人——如士兵按鼓點操練一般——各方、各國、各族的人都俯伏敬拜這金像。這也不足為奇，因為宣告：凡不敬拜這金像的，必立即被扔進烈火的窯中——那是早已為此備妥的（Da 3:6）。這裡既有音樂的魅力引誘他們順從，也有火窯的恐怖脅迫他們順從。如此受試探圍攻，他們都屈服了。注意：感官所指引的方向，多數人就往那裡走；無論多壞的事，漫不經心的世界總會被一場音樂會引去，或被一個火窯趕去。假敬拜正是借這些方法被設立和維持的。
英文原文
Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image (587 BC)
¹ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
² Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
³ Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
⁴ Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
⁵ That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
⁶ And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
⁷ Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
We have no certainty concerning the date of this story, only that if this image, which Nebuchadnezzar dedicated, had any relation to that which he dreamed of, it is probable that it happened not long after that; some reckon it to be about the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar, a year before Jehoiachin's captivity, in which Ezekiel was carried away. Observe,
I. A golden image set up to be worshipped. Babylon was full of idols already, yet nothing will serve this imperious prince but they must have one more; for those who have forsaken the one only living God, and begin to set up many gods, will find the gods they set up so unsatisfying, and their desire after them so insatiable, that they will multiply them without measure, wander after them endlessly, and never know when they have sufficient. Idolaters are fond of novelty and variety. They choose new gods. Those that have many will wish to have more. Nebuchadnezzar the king, that he might exert the prerogative of his crown, to make what god he thought fit, set up this image, Da 3:1. Observe, 1. The valuableness of it; it was an image of gold, not all gold surely; rich as he was, it is probable that he could not afford that, but overlaid with gold. Note, The worshippers of false gods are not wont to mind charges in setting up images and worshipping them; they lavish gold out of the bag for that purpose (Isa 46:6), which shames our niggardliness in the worship of the true God. 2. The vastness of it; it was threescore cubits high and six cubits broad. It exceeded the ordinary stature of a man fifteen times (for that is reckoned but four cubits, or six feet), as if its being monstrous would make amends for its being lifeless. But why did Nebuchadnezzar set up this image? Some suggest that it was to clear himself from the imputation of having turned a Jew, because he had lately spoken with great honour of the God of Israel and had preferred some of his worshippers. Or perhaps he set it up as an image of himself, and designed to be himself worshipped in it. Proud princes affected to have divine honours paid them; Alexander did so, pretending himself to be the son of Jupiter Olympius. He was told that in the image he had seen in his dream he was represented by the head of gold, which was to be succeeded by kingdoms of baser metal; but here he sets up to be himself the whole image, for he makes it all of gold. See here, (1.) How the good impressions that were then made upon him were quite lost, and quickly. He then acknowledged that the God of Israel is of a truth a God of gods and a Lord of kings; and yet now, in defiance of the express law of that God, he sets up an image to be worshipped, not only continues in his former idolatries, but contrives new ones. Note, Strong convictions often come short of a sound conversion. Many a pang have owned the absurdity and dangerousness of sin, and yet have gone on in it. (2.) How that very dream and the interpretation of it, which then made such good impressions upon him, now had a quite contrary effect. Then it made him fall down as a humble worshipper of God; now it made him set up for a bold competitor with God. Then he thought it a great thing to be the golden head of the image, and owned himself obliged to God for it; but, his mind rising with his condition, now he thinks that too little, and, in contradiction to God himself and his oracle, he will be all in all.
II. A general convention of the states summoned to attend the solemnity of the dedication of this image, Da 3:2,3. Messengers are despatched to all parts of the kingdom to gather together the princes, dukes, and lords, all the peers of the realm, with all officers civil and military, the captains and commanders of the forces, the judges, the treasurers or general receivers, the counsellors, and the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces; they must all come to the dedication of this image upon pain and peril of what shall fall thereon. He summons the great men, for the great honour of his idol; it is therefore mentioned to the glory of Christ that kings shall bring presents unto him. If he can bring them to pay homage to his golden image, he doubts not but the inferior people will follow of course. In obedience to the king's summons all the magistrates and officers of that vast kingdom leave the services of their particular countries, and come to Babylon, to the dedication of this golden image; long journeys many of them took, and expensive ones, upon a very foolish errand; but, as the idols are senseless things, such are the worshippers.
III. A proclamation made, commanding all manner of persons present before the image, upon the signal given, to fall down prostrate, and worship the image, under the style and title of The golden image which Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. A herald proclaims this aloud throughout this vast assembly of grandees, with their numerous train of servants and attendants, and a great crowd of people, no doubt, that were not sent for; let them all take notice, 1. That the king does strictly charge and command all manner of persons to fall down and worship the golden image; whatever other gods they worship at other times, now they must worship this. 2. That they must all do this just at the same time, in token of their communion with each other in this idolatrous service, and that, in order hereunto, notice shall be given by a concert of music, which would likewise serve to adorn the solemnity and to sweeten and soften the minds of those that were loth to yield and bring them to comply with the king's command. This mirth and gaiety in the worship would be very agreeable to carnal sensual minds, that are strangers to that spiritual worship which is due to God who is a spirit.
IV. The general compliance of the assembly with this command, Da 3:7. They heard the sound of the musical instruments, both wind-instruments and hand-instruments, the cornet and flute, with the harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, the melody of which they thought was ravishing (and fit enough it was to excite such a devotion as they were then to pay), and immediately they all, as one man, as soldiers that are wont to be exercised by beat of drum, all the people, nations, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image. And no marvel when it was proclaimed, That whosoever would not worship this golden image should be immediately thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, ready prepared for that purpose, Da 3:6. Here were the charms of music to allure them into a compliance and the terrors of the fiery furnace to frighten them into a compliance. Thus beset with temptation, they all yielded. Note, That way that sense directs the most will go; there is nothing so bad which the careless world will not be drawn to by a concert of music, or driven to by a fiery furnace. And by such methods as these false worship has been set up and maintained.
8-18
The Hebrew Princes Accused; Fortitude of the Jewish Princes (587 BC)
希伯來首領被控告；猶大首領的剛毅（公元前587年）
⁸ 因此，那時有幾個迦勒底人前來控告猶大人。
⁹ 他們對尼布甲尼撒王說：願王萬歲。
¹⁰ 王啊，你曾降旨說，凡聽見角、笛、琵琶、瑟、笙和各樣樂器聲音的，都當俯伏敬拜金像。
¹¹ 凡不俯伏敬拜的，他必被扔在烈火的窯中。
¹² 現在有幾個王所派管理巴比倫省事務的猶大人，就是沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌；王啊，這些人不理你：不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。
¹³ 當時尼布甲尼撒怒氣填胸，向沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌變了臉色，下令把他們帶來；於是人就把這幾個人帶到王前。
¹⁴ 尼布甲尼撒問他們說：沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌啊，你們不事奉我的神，也不敬拜我所立的金像，這是真的嗎？
¹⁵ 你們如今若準備好了，凡聽見角、笛、琵琶、瑟、笙和各樣樂器聲音的，就俯伏敬拜我所造的像；卻好；如果你們不敬拜，必立時被扔在烈火的窯中；誰是那能救你們脫離我手的神呢？
¹⁶ 沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌對王說：尼布甲尼撒啊，這件事我們不必回答你。
¹⁷ 若果真如此，我們所事奉的神能將我們從烈火的窯中救出來；他也必將我們從你手中救出來，王啊。
¹⁸ 即或不然，王啊，你當知道，我們決不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。
沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌竟然會出席這次集會——他們大概知道集會的目的——實在奇怪。我們可以推測但以理不在場——或是因事務離開，或是蒙王准假離去；除非我們設想他在王眼前極蒙恩寵，無人敢抱怨他的不順從。但他的同伴為何不迴避？一定是因為他們要在力所能及的範圍內遵從王的命令，並要預備好公開為反對這明顯的偶像崇拜作見證。他們不以不向像俯伏為足，更因身在職任，便認為自己有責任挺身反對它——雖然那是他們的主人所立的像，對敬拜它的人是金像。如今：
I. 信息被送到王那裡，由幾個迦勒底人控告這三位貴族，說他們沒有遵守王的諭令（Da 3:8）。也許這些控告的迦勒底人就是那些被特稱為迦勒底人的術士或星象家（Da 2:2），他們因但以理的緣故——因為他使他們黯然失色，他的同伴也是如此——對但以理的同伴懷恨在心。他們借禱告曾得著拯救這些迦勒底人性命的憐憫，看哪，他們卻以惡報善！因愛他們，反倒成了他們的對頭。如此耶利米站在神面前，為那些人說好話——他們後來卻為他的性命挖坑（耶 18:20）。我們若遇見這樣忘恩負義之人，不可覺得奇怪。或者他們也許是迦勒底人中那些期望得到他們職位、嫉妒他們升遷的人；誰能在嫉妒面前站立呢？他們對王本人提到諭令，對王上盡當有的尊敬，並照常的恭維——王啊，願王萬歲（仿佛他們的目標無非是王的榮耀、為要服事他的利益，其實他們正在把王推向危及他和他的王國的事）；他們請求：1. 提醒王他最近所立的法，即一切人等，不分民族語言，都當俯伏敬拜這金像；又提醒王法律對違令者所定的刑罰，即被扔在烈火的窯中（Da 3:10,11）。這確是法律，無可否認；至於這是否公義之法律，當另作考慮。2. 告訴王這三人——沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌——並未遵守這諭令（Da 3:12）。也許尼布甲尼撒立法之時並未特別要網羅他們，否則他自己就會盯著他們，便不需此信息……
II. 這三位敬虔猶太人立即被帶到王前，按此控告被審問。尼布甲尼撒大怒，怒氣填胸，下令抓住他們（Da 3:13）。這位大王統管如此多國，其榮耀何其小！因為同時他對自己的心沒有管治；他既有如此多臣民和俘虜，自己卻是自己獸性激情的奴隸，被其擄去！他不能被理性管治，何能管治理性之人！聽見這三人如今不事奉他的神，他本不當詫異，因為他深知他們從未事奉過，他們一直持守的宗教禁止他們如此行。他也沒有理由認為他們有意藐視他的權柄，因為他們在凡事上都表現出對他的尊敬和順服。但此時尤為不宜——他正在奉獻金像的敬拜之中——竟然如此勃然大怒，如此失態。人的明智，人會想，至少應推遲這怒氣。真敬拜平靜人心，使之安息謙和；但迷信和對假神的敬拜，卻點燃人的激情，使其充滿烈怒狂怒，變成野獸。王的怒吼如獅子；這位王的怒也是如此；然而他如此怒火中燒之時，這三人被帶到他面前，顯出毫不畏懼的勇氣和不可動搖的堅定。
III. 案件簡要地擺在他們面前，讓他們選擇是否順從。1. 王問他們是否如別人拜像之時那樣真沒有拜這金像（Da 3:14）。"是故意的嗎？"有人如此讀。"是故意深思熟慮而作的，還是只出於疏忽，你們才沒有事奉我的神？甚麼！我所養育栽培的，我所出資教育和供養的，我曾如此恩待、為其作了如此多的，你們這以智慧著稱、本當更明白對君王當盡之責的；甚麼！你們不事奉我的神，也不敬拜我所立的金像嗎？"注意：神的僕人對他的忠心，常是仇敵和逼迫者的驚奇；他們以為奇怪，他們不與他們同奔那放蕩無度的路。2. 他願意讓他們再試一次；如果他們先前是故意不作，或許再三思便會改變心意；所以此時他們所處的條款又重複給他們聽（Da 3:15）。(1) 王願意為他們的緣故再奏一次音樂，借此軟化他們使之順從；若他們不像聾虺那樣掩耳，而肯聽念咒者的聲音並敬拜金像，那好；他們先前的疏忽便蒙赦免。但(2) 王決意，若他們堅持拒絕，便立即被扔進烈火的窯中，連一小時的緩刑也不給。如此事情處於狹小的範圍——轉，或燒；因為他知道他們在拒絕中以對自己神的信靠自勉，他便傲慢地向他挑戰："能救你們脫離我手的那位神是誰呢？他若能，讓他作吧。"他如今忘了自己曾經承認的——他們的神是萬神之神、萬王之主……
IV. 他們作出回答，全體一致，他們仍堅持不拜金像的決定（Da 3:16-18）。我們在此看到幾乎無可匹敵的剛毅和壯志。我們稱他們為三少年（他們確是少年人），但我們更當稱他們為三勇士，神在人間之國的勇士中的前三。他們不對那些拜金像的人發脾氣或暴怒，不侮辱也不冒犯他們；也不貿然把自己推上試煉，或偏離正路去求殉道；但當他們被正式傳到火窯之試煉時，他們勇敢地以適合如此善業受苦者之舉止勇毅自持。王在造這偶像上並非大膽作惡，他們在見證反對它上也同樣大膽行善。他們保持脾氣極好，不稱王為暴君或拜偶像者（神的事業不需人的怒氣），而以堪為典範的平靜和鎮定，慎重地作出他們決心堅守的回答。請注意：
1. 他們對死亡的恩慈和慷慨的輕視，以及他們對所處兩難之境的高貴淡然：尼布甲尼撒啊！這件事我們不必回答你。他們不以脾氣否認他一個回答，也不站著默然無聲；但他們告訴他自己對此並不掛慮。不需要回答（有人如此讀）；他們決心不從，王也決心他們若不從便必死；所以事情已定，何必再辯？但更好的讀法是："我們不缺對你的回答，不用去找，已經預備好了。"(1) 他們不需要時間來考慮答案的內容；因為他們是否該順從一點也不猶豫。這是生死攸關的事，人會以為他們可以考慮一會再決定；生命可慕，死亡可怕。但當其中的罪和本分已經被第二條誡命的明文立即確定，不容置疑甚麼是對的之時，其中的生死就不當被考慮了。注意：要避免罪的人，不可與試探周旋。當我們被引誘或威嚇去作的明顯是惡，這提議當以憤慨和厭惡拒絕，而不可與之講理；不要停下猶豫，而要如基督所教導我們的說：撒但，退我後邊去吧。(2) 他們不需要時間來想措辭。他們作神的辯護人，被召在他的事業中作見證，便不疑當在那時刻賜給他們當說的話（太 10:19）。他們不是在想含糊其辭的答案，而那是直接答案被期望之時；不，也不願意顯得懇求王不要堅持。他們的答案中毫無諂媚之意；他們不像控告者那樣以王啊，願王萬歲開始……
2. 他們對神的信靠和依賴（Da 3:17）。正是這使他們能對死亡——盛裝的死亡、極其恐怖的死亡——如此輕視：他們信靠活神，借這信選擇寧可受苦也不犯罪；所以他們不怕王的怒，而堅忍，因為借信他們仰望那不能看見的主（來 11:25,27）："若果真如此，若我們被帶到此困境，若除非事奉你的神我們必被扔進烈火的窯中，那麼請知道，"(1) "雖然我們不敬拜你的神，卻不是無神論者；有一位我們可稱為自己的神，我們忠心依附他。"(2) "我們事奉這位神；我們已將自己獻給他為尊榮；我們從事他的工作，並依賴他保護、供給、賞賜我們。"(3) "我們確知這位神能將我們從烈火的窯中救出來；無論他是否願意，我們確知他能或阻止我們被扔進窯中，或把我們從其中救出。"注意：神的忠信僕人必發現他是一位能在其事奉中扶持他們的主，能管制和統管一切武裝反對他們的權勢。主啊，你若肯，你能。(4) "我們有理由盼望他必救我們"——部分因為在如此眾多偶像崇拜者的場合，拯救他們對他的大名將極有榮耀，部分因為尼布甲尼撒曾挑戰他作這事——能救你們脫離我手的那位神是誰？神有時奇妙地顯現，為使仇敵的褻瀆靜默，也為答應他百姓的禱告（詩 74:18-22；申 32:27）。"但即使他不從火窯中救我們，他也必將我們從你手中救出來。"尼布甲尼撒不過能折磨殺害身體，此後他再不能作甚麼；那時他們便脫離了他的範圍，從他手中得救。注意：對神的好意念，並確信我們若與他同在他也與我們同在，必大有助於我們經過苦難；他若為我們，我們便不怕人能對我們作甚麼；任他作最壞的。神必或從死亡中、或在死亡中救我們。
3. 他們堅守原則的決心，無論後果如何（Da 3:18）："但若不然——即使神不樂意從火窯中救我們（我們知道他能作），若他容我們落入你手、因你手而仆倒，王啊，你當知道，我們決不事奉這些神——雖然它們是你的神，也不敬拜這金像——雖然是你親自設立的。"他們既不羞於也不懼於承認自己的信仰，當面告訴王他們不怕他，不肯向他讓步；他們若與血氣商量，有許多話可以說服他們順從，尤其是當沒有別法避免死亡——如此大的死之時。(1) 他們並未被要求放棄自己的神，或放棄敬拜他，不，也不借任何言語的承認或宣告來承認這金像是神，而只是俯伏在它面前——他們本可如此行，心中卻暗自保留對以色列神的忠誠，內心厭惡這偶像崇拜，如乃縵在臨門廟中鞠躬。(2) 他們並非要陷入一連串的偶像崇拜；所要求的不過是一次單一的行動，一分鐘即可完成，危險便過去，他們日後還可表示懊悔。(3) 命令的王有絕對之權；他們在其下，不僅為臣民，也為俘虜；若他們如此作，完全是出於強迫和壓力，這便可作為他們的藉口。(4) 他曾是他們的恩主，教育和提升他們，為感恩他們當盡量行，即使要勉強，勉強良心。(5) 他們如今被趕到異鄉，對被如此趕出的人，實際上說了：去吧，事奉別神吧（撒上 26:19）。他們被假定為性情上會事奉別神，這也成了審判的一部分（申 4:28）。當潮流如此強之時，他們若順流而下也可被原諒。(6) 他們的列王、首領、父親，甚至祭司，豈不在神的殿中設立偶像、在那裡敬拜它們，不僅俯伏，還築壇、燒香、獻祭，甚至獻自己的兒女給它們嗎？十個支派豈不是許多世紀以來在但和伯特利敬拜金神嗎？他們還要比列祖更嚴格嗎？Communis error facit jus——眾人所行的必為正。(7) 他們若順從，便能保全性命和地位，如此便能在巴比倫為弟兄大有服事，並能長久服事；因為他們是少年人，正在崛起。但神的一句話足以回答和壓制這一切和許多別的屬肉體理由：你不可向任何偶像俯伏，也不可敬拜它們。他們知道當順從神過於人；他們寧可受苦也不犯罪，也不可行惡以求善成。所以這一切都不搖動他們；他們決心寧可死於正直，也不願活在罪孽中。當他們的弟兄——仍在自己本土——正以選擇敬拜偶像之時，他們在巴比倫卻不被強迫所致；他們因反襯而顯得更善，在拜偶像的國中對偶像崇拜最為熱切反對。誠然，全盤考慮，拯救他們免犯此罪與拯救他們出火窯一樣，前者是恩典國度中的大神蹟，後者是自然國度中的大神蹟。他們從前決心不以王的膳玷污自己，如今他們同樣勇敢地決心不以他的神玷污自己。注意：在較小的事上堅定捨己地持守神和本分，必預備並裝備我們在更大的事上同樣行。我們在這事上必須堅定——無論在何種託辭之下，總不拜偶像，也不與拜偶像者說"結盟"。
英文原文
The Hebrew Princes Accused; Fortitude of the Jewish Princes (587 BC)
⁸ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
⁹ They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
¹⁰ Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
¹¹ And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
¹² There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
¹⁵ Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
¹⁷ 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.
¹⁸ 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.
It was strange that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would be present at this assembly, when, it is likely, they knew for what intent it was called together. Daniel, we may suppose, was absent, either his business calling him away or having leave from the king to withdraw, unless we suppose that he stood so high in the king's favour that none durst complain of him for his noncompliance. But why did not his companions keep out of the way? Surely because they would obey the king's orders as far as they could, and would be ready to bear a public testimony against this gross idolatry. They did not think it enough not to bow down to the image, but, being in office, thought themselves obliged to stand up against it, though it was the image which the king their master set up, and would be a golden image to those that worshipped it. Now,
I. Information is brought to the king by certain Chaldeans against these three gentlemen that they did not obey the king's edict, Da 3:8. Perhaps these Chaldeans that accused them were some of those magicians or astrologers that were particularly called Chaldeans (Da 2:2) who bore a grudge to Daniel's companions for his sake, because he had eclipsed them, and so had these companions. They by their prayers had obtained the mercy which saved the lives of these Chaldeans, and, behold, how they requite them evil for good! for their love they are their adversaries. Thus Jeremiah stood before God, to speak good for those who afterwards dug a pit for his life, Jer 18:20. We must not think it strange if we meet with such ungrateful men. Or perhaps they were such of the Chaldeans as expected the places to which they were advanced, and envied them their preferments; and who can stand before envy ? They appeal to the king himself concerning the edict, with all due respect to his majesty, and the usual compliment, O king! live forever (as if they aimed at nothing but his honour, and to serve his interest, when really they were putting him upon that which would endanger the ruin of him and his kingdom); they beg leave, 1. To put him in mind of the law he had lately made, That all manner of persons, without exception of nation or language, should fall down and worship this golden image; they put him in mind also of the penalty which by the law was to be inflicted upon recusants, that they were to be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace, Da 3:10,11. It cannot be denied but that this was the law; whether a righteous law or no ought to be considered. 2. To inform him that these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had not conformed to this edict, Da 3:12. It is probable that Nebuchadnezzar had no particular design to ensnare them in making the law, for then he would himself have had his eye upon them, and would not have needed this information; but their enemies, that sought an occasion against them, laid hold on this, and were forward to accuse them. To aggravate the matter, and incense the king the more against them, (1.) They put him in mind of the dignity to which the criminals had been preferred. Though they were Jews, foreigners, captives, men of a despised nation and religion, yet the king had set them over the affairs of the province of Babylon. It was therefore very ungrateful, and an insufferable piece of insolence, for them to disobey the king's command, when they had shared so much of the king's favour. And, besides, the high station they were in would make their refusal the more scandalous; it would be a bad example, and have a bad influence upon others; and therefore it was necessary that it should be severely animadverted upon. Thus princes that are incensed enough against innocent people commonly have but too many about them who do all they can to make them worse. (2.) They suggest that it was done maliciously, contumaciously, and in contempt of him and his authority: "They have set no regard upon thee; for they serve not the gods which thou servest, and which thou requirest them to serve, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
II. These three pious Jews are immediately brought before the king, and arraigned and examined upon this information. Nebuchadnezzar fell into a great passion, and in his rage and fury commanded them to be seized, Da 3:13. How little was it the honour of this mighty prince that he had rule over so many nations when at the same time he had no rule over his own spirit, that there were so many who were subjects and captives to him when he was himself a perfect slave to his own brutish passions and led captive by them! How unfit was he to rule reasonable men who could not himself be ruled by reason! It needed not be a surprise to him to hear that these three men did not now serve his gods, for he knew very well they never had served them, and that their religion, which they had always adhered to, forbade them to do it. Nor had he any reason to think that they designed any contempt of his authority, for they had in all instances shown themselves respectful and dutiful to him as their prince. But it was especially unseasonable at this time, when he was in the midst of his devotions, dedicating his golden image, to be in such a rage and fury, and so much to discompose himself. The discretion of a man, one would think, should at least have deferred this anger. True devotion calms the spirit, quiets and meekens it; but superstition, and a devotion to false gods, inflame men's passions, inspire them with rage, and fury, and turn them into brutes. The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion; so was the wrath of this king; and yet, when he was in such a heat, these three men were brought before him, and appeared with an undaunted courage, and unshaken constancy.
III. The case is laid before them in short, and it is put to them whether they will comply or no. 1. The king asked them whether it was true that they had not worshipped the golden image when others did, Da 3:14. "Is it of purpose?" so some read it. "Was it designedly and deliberately done, or was it only through inadvertency, that you have not served my gods? What! you that I have nourished and brought up, that have been educated and maintained at my charge, that I have been so kind to and done so much for, you that have been in such reputation for wisdom, and therefore should better have known your duty to your prince; what! do not you serve my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up?" Note, The faithfulness of God's servants to him has often been the wonder of their enemies and persecutors, who think it strange that they run not with them to the same excess of riot. 2. He was willing to admit them to a new trial; if they did on purpose not do it before, yet, it may be, upon second thoughts, they will change their minds; it is therefore repeated to them upon what terms they now stand, Da 3:15. (1.) The king is willing that music shall play again, only for their sakes, to soften them into a compliance; and if they will not, like the deaf adder, stop their ears, but will hearken to the voice of the charmers and will worship the golden image, well and good; their former omission shall be pardoned. But, (2.) The king is resolved, if they persist in their refusal, that they shall immediately be cast into the fiery furnace, and shall not have so much as an hour's reprieve. Thus does the matter lie in a little compass—Turn, or burn; and, because he knew they buoyed themselves up in their refusal with a confidence in their God, he insolently set him a defiance: "And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Let him, if he can." Now he forgot what he himself once owned, that their God was a God of gods and a Lord of kings, Da 2:47. Proud men are still ready to say, as Pharaoh, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? or, as Nebuchadnezzar, Who is the Lord, that I should fear his power?
IV. They give in their answer, which they all agree in, that they still adhere to their resolution not to worship the golden image, Da 3:16-18. We have here such an instance of fortitude and magnanimity as is scarcely to be paralleled. We call these the three children (and they were indeed young men), but we should rather call them the three champions, the first three of the worthies of God's kingdom among men. They did not break out into any intemperate heat or passion against those that did worship the golden image, did not insult or affront them; nor did they rashly thrust themselves upon the trial, or go out of their way to court martyrdom; but, when they were duly called to the fiery trial, they acquitted themselves bravely, with a conduct and courage that became sufferers for so good a cause. The king was not so daringly bad in making this idol, but they were as daringly good in witnessing against it. They keep their temper admirably well, do not call the king a tyrant or an idolater (the cause of God needs not the wrath of man), but, with an exemplary calmness and sedateness of mind, they deliberately give in their answer, which they resolve to abide by. Observe,
1. Their gracious and generous contempt of death, and the noble negligence with which they look upon the dilemma that they are put to: O Nebuchadnezzar! we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. They do not in sullenness deny him an answer, nor stand mute; but they tell him that they are in no care about it. There needs not an answer (so some read it); they are resolved not to comply, and the king is resolved they shall die if they do not; the matter therefore is determined, and why should it be disputed? But it is better read, "We want not an answer for thee, nor have it to seek, but come prepared." (1.) They needed no time to deliberate concerning the matter of their answer; for they did not in the least hesitate whether they should comply or no. It was a matter of life and death, and one would think they might have considered awhile before they had resolved; life is desirable, and death is dreadful. But when the sin and duty that were in the case were immediately determined by the letter of the second commandment, and no room was left to question what was right, the life and death that were in the case were not to be considered. Note, Those that would avoid sin must not parley with temptation. When that which we are allured or affrighted to is manifestly evil the motion is rather to be rejected with indignation and abhorrence than reasoned with; stand not to pause about it, but say, as Christ has taught us, Get thee behind me, Satan. (2.) They needed no time to contrive how they should word it. While they were advocates for God, and were called out to witness in his cause, they doubted not but it should be given them in that same hour what they should speak, Mt 10:19. They were not contriving an evasive answer, when a direct answer was expected from them; no, nor would they seem to court the king not to insist upon it. Here is nothing in their answer that looks like compliment; they begin not, as their accusers did, with, O king! live for ever, no artful insinuation, ad captandam benevolentiam—to put him into a good humour, but every thing that is plain and downright: O Nebuchadnezzar! we are not careful to answer thee. Note, Those that make their duty their main care need not be careful concerning the event.
2. Their believing confidence in God and their dependence upon him, Da 3:17. It was this that enabled them to look with so much contempt upon death, death in pomp, death in all its terrors: they trusted in the living God, and by that faith chose rather to suffer than to sin; they therefore feared not the wrath of the king, but endured, because by faith they had an eye to him that is invisible (Heb 11:25,27): "If it be so, if we are brought to this strait, if we must be thrown into the fiery furnace unless we serve thy gods, know then," (1.) "That though we worship not thy gods yet we are not atheists; there is a God whom we can call ours, to whom we faithfully adhere." (2.) "That we serve this God; we have devoted ourselves to his honour; we employ ourselves in his work, and depend upon him to protect us, provide for us, and reward us." (3.) "That we are well assured that this God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; whether he will or no, we are sure that he can either prevent our being cast into the furnace or rescue us out of it." Note, The faithful servants of God will find him a Master able to bear them out in his service, and to control and overrule all the powers that are armed against them. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst. (4.) "That we have reason to hope he will deliver us," partly because, in such a vast appearance of idolaters, it would be very much for the honour of his great name to deliver them, and partly because Nebuchadnezzar had defied him to do it—Who is that God that shall deliver you? God sometimes appears wonderfully for the silencing of the blasphemies of the enemy, as well as for the answering of the prayers of his people, Ps 74:18-22, De 32:27. "But, if he do not deliver us from the fiery furnace, he will deliver us out of thy hand." Nebuchadnezzar can but torment and kill the body, and after that, there is no more that he can do; then they are got out of his reach, delivered out of his hand. Note, Good thoughts of God, and a full assurance that he is with us while we are with him, will help very much to carry us through sufferings; and, if he be for us, we need not fear what man can do unto us; let him do his worst. God will deliver us either from death or in death.
3. Their firm resolution to adhere to their principles, whatever might be the consequence (Da 3:18): "But, if not, though God should not think fit to deliver us from the fiery furnace (which yet we know he can do), if he should suffer us to fall into thy hand, and fall by thy hand, yet be it known unto thee, O king! we will not serve these gods, though they are thy gods, nor worship this golden image, though thou thyself hast set it up." They are neither ashamed nor afraid to own their religion, and tell the king to his face that they do not fear him, they will not yield to him; had they consulted with flesh and blood, much might have been said to bring them to a compliance, especially when there was no other way of avoiding death, so great a death. (1.) They were not required to abjure their own God, or to renounce his worship, no, nor by any verbal profession or declaration to own this golden image to be a god, but only to bow down before it, which they might do with a secret reserve of their hearts for the God of Israel, inwardly detesting this idolatry, as Naaman bowed in the house of Rimmon. (2.) They were not to fall into a course of idolatry; it was but one single act that was required of them, which would be done in a minute, and the danger was over, and they might afterwards declare their sorrow for it. (3.) The king that commanded it had an absolute power; they were under it, not only as subjects, but as captives; and, if they did it, it was purely by coercion and duress, which would serve to excuse them. (4.) He had been their benefactor, had educated and preferred them, and in gratitude to him they ought to go as far as they could, though it were to strain a point, a point of conscience. (5.) They were now driven into a strange country, and to those that were so driven out it was, in effect, said, Go, and serve other gods, 1Sa 26:19. It was taken for granted that in their disposition they would serve other gods, and it was made a part of the judgment, De 4:28. They might be excused if they should go down the stream, when it is so strong. (6.) Did not their kings, and their princes, and their fathers, yea, and their priests too, set up idols even in God's temple, and worship them there, and not only bow down to them, but erect altars, burn incense, and offer sacrifices, even their own children, to them? Did not all the ten tribes, for many ages, worship gods of gold at Dan and Bethel? And shall they be more precise than their fathers? Communis error facit jus—What all do must be right. (7.) If they should comply, they would save their lives and keep their places, and so be in a capacity to do a great deal of service to their brethren in Babylon, and to do it long; for they were young men, and rising men. But there is enough in that one word of God wherewith to answer and silence these and many more such like carnal reasonings: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to any images, nor worship them. They know they must obey God rather than man; they must rather suffer than sin, and must not do evil that good may come. And therefore none of these things move them; they are resolved rather to die in their integrity than live in their iniquity. While their brethren, who yet remained in their own land, were worshipping images by choice, they in Babylon would not be brought to it by constraint, but, as if they were good by antiperistasis, were most zealous against idolatry in an idolatrous country. And truly, all things considered, the saving of them from this sinful compliance was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace as the saving of them out of the fiery furnace was in the kingdom of nature. These were those who formerly resolved not to defile themselves with the king's meat, and now they as bravely resolve not to defile themselves with his gods. Note, A stedfast self-denying adherence to God and duty in less instances will qualify and prepare us for the like in greater. And in this we must be resolute, never, under any pretence whatsoever, to worship images, or to say "A confederacy" with those that do so.
19-27
The Three Hebrews in the Furnace; Deliverance from the Furnace (587 BC)
三希伯來人在火窯中；從火窯中得救（主前587年）
¹⁹ 當時尼布甲尼撒怒氣填胸，向沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌變了臉色；他便下令把窯燒熱，比平常更加七倍。
²⁰ 又吩咐他軍中的幾個壯士，將沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌捆起來，扔在烈火的窯中。
²¹ 這三人穿著褲子、內袍、外衣和別的衣服，被捆起來扔在烈火的窯中。
²² 因為王命緊急，窯又甚熱，那抬沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的人，都被火焰燒死。
²³ 沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌這三個人，都被捆著落在烈火的窯中。
²⁴ 那時尼布甲尼撒王驚奇，急忙起來，對謀士說：我們捆起來扔在火裡的不是三個人嗎？他們回答王說：王啊，是。
²⁵ 王說：看哪，我見有四個人，並沒有捆綁，在火中遊行，也沒有受傷；那第四個的相貌好像神子。
²⁶ 於是尼布甲尼撒就近烈火窯門，說：至高神的僕人沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌出來，上這裡來吧。沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌就從火中出來了。
²⁷ 那些總督、欽差、巡撫和王的謀士，都聚集來看這三個人，見火無力傷他們身體；頭髮也沒有燒焦，衣裳也沒有變色，並沒有火燎的氣味。
在這幾節經文裡我們有：
I. 這三位神忠信僕人被扔進火窯。尼布甲尼撒自己曾認識、承認真神如此之多，以致人會想：雖然他的驕傲虛榮促使他造了這金像、立它受人敬拜，這些少年人現在所說的話（他從前發現他們比他一切哲士更智慧）總會喚醒他的良知，至少促使他豁免他們；但結果完全不然。1. 他非但未被所說的話說服，反而被激怒，更加狂暴，Da 3:19。這使他 怒氣填胸，臉色 向這些人 變了。注意，獸性的情慾越放縱便越猛烈，甚至改變面貌，大損人的智慧理性的尊嚴。尼布甲尼撒在這火頭上，把君王在寶座上、或法官在法庭上那可畏的威嚴，換成了 網中之野牛 那可怕狂怒。發脾氣的人若照一照鏡子看看自己的臉，必因自己的愚昧臉紅，把一切不悅轉向自己。2. 他非但不因他們的身分和所居尊位而減輕刑罰，反下令加重——要把 窯燒熱，比平常為別的罪犯加熱更加七倍，即加七倍的燃料；這雖不會使他們的死更痛苦，反會更快了結，卻是表明王看他們的罪比別人的罪嚴重七倍，因而使他們的死更可恥。但神卻從這暴君怒氣的愚妄之舉中為自己得了榮耀；因為這雖不會使他們的死更痛苦，卻使他們的拯救更為輝煌。3. 他下令把他們連衣捆綁，扔進烈火窯中，事便如此成了，Da 3:20,21。他們被捆綁，為使他們不能掙扎或抵抗；連衣捆綁，或為匆忙，或為使他們更緩慢更漸進地被燒滅。但神的護理如此安排，為要增加神蹟——他們的衣服連焦也沒焦一點。他們被捆在 外袍 或披風、褲子 或內袍、並 帽子 或頭巾中，似乎為憎惡其罪，要他們的衣服與他們同燒。這是何等可怕之死——被捆扔進烈火窯中！ Da 3:23。想到這事便令人肉顫，恐怖抓住人心。暴君竟硬著心腸施此刑罰，認信者竟剛強寧願受此而不願得罪神，都令人驚奇。但這與 第二次死 相比——與稗子要成捆扔進的那火窯、與那永遠用火與硫磺燒着的湖相比——又算得甚麼？任憑尼布甲尼撒把窯燒得多熱，被扔進去的人片時便結束痛苦；地獄之火卻折磨而不殺。被定罪罪人的痛苦更劇烈，他們受痛苦的煙往上冒，直到永永遠遠，那些 拜獸和獸像之人 得不着安息——沒有間歇、沒有止息（Re 14:10,11）——而那些因不拜這巴比倫之獸與獸像而被扔進這窯的人，痛苦卻很快就過去了。4. 一件值得注意的護理：那些捆綁他們、把他們扔進窯中的 壯士，反被火焰燒滅或悶死，Da 3:22。王命緊急，要他們趕快、務必有效地執行；所以他們決意走到窯口，好把他們扔 到窯中，卻因匆忙來不及裝備自己。但以理的旁經增編說火焰升至窯口四十九肘之上。可能神如此安排：風直接以猛烈之勢吹向他們，把他們悶死。神如此立即為受屈的僕人伸冤，並在他們的逼迫者身上報應——就在他們犯罪之時、並藉着他們所犯之罪懲罰他們。但這些人不過是殘酷的工具；那吩咐他們行的罪更大；然而他們為執行不義之令而受罰也是公義的，而且他們很可能是樂意而為、慶幸獲此差事。尼布甲尼撒自己則被保留待日後算賬。將來必有日子，驕傲的暴君不僅為自己所行的殘酷受罰，也為任用周圍的人行殘酷、使他們暴露於神的審判下而受罰。
II. 這三位神忠信的僕人從窯中得救。他們既被捆扔進吞噬之火的中間，我們本可斷定再也不會聽見他們，連骨頭也要化為灰燼；但令我們驚訝的是，我們在此看見沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌竟還活着。
1. 尼布甲尼撒發現他們在火中遊行。他驚奇，急忙起來，Da 3:24。也許執行判決的人被殺使他驚奇（理當如此，因他有理由想下一步就輪到自己）；或是他自己心上某種無法解釋的印象使他驚奇，急忙起來，走到窯前，要看他所扔進去的人怎樣了。注意，神能使那些心對他和他的百姓最剛硬的人驚駭。那造靈魂的，能使他的刀劍臨到那靈魂——即使最大暴君的靈魂。他在驚奇中召集謀士，向他們質問。我們不是把三個人捆着扔進火裡嗎？ 看來這事不僅是王下令，也是議會下令。他們不敢不附和他，他便強他們如此，要他們與他同擔罪惡與惡名？「王啊，是」，他們說：「我們確曾下令如此執行，事也成了。」「但如今，」王說，「我一直在看那窯，我 看見四個人，沒有捆綁，在火中遊行」，Da 3:25。(1) 他們被解開了捆綁。那連他們衣服都沒焦一點的火，卻燒斷了他們捆綁的繩索，釋放了他們；照樣，神的百姓藉着敵人原想用以束縛、妨礙他們的同樣患難，反因神的恩得着心胸開廣。(2) 他們沒有受傷，不發怨言，毫不覺痛苦不安；火焰不灼他們，煙不悶他們；他們在火焰中活着，並與素常一樣安好。看那自然之神在所願之時能掌管自然之能，使它們服事他的旨意。如今恩慈的應許字字應驗（Isa 43:2）：你從火中行過，必不被燒，火焰也不着在你身上。 他們因信 消滅了火的猛勢，滅盡那惡者火箭。(3) 他們 在火中遊行。窯很大，使他們有空遊行；他們未受傷，所以能遊行；他們心安，所以情願遊行，如同在樂園或遊樂之園中。人若在火炭上走，腳豈能不燙呢？ Pr 6:28。是的，他們行走如泰爾王 在火石中間遊行 般愉快——他那如火星閃爍的寶石，Eze 28:14。他們既見自己未受傷，並不急於逃出；倒把這事交託那在火中保護他們的神把他們帶出來，他們在 火中 無憂無慮地走來走去。旁經之一詳述三人中亞撒利雅在火中的禱告（其中為以色列的災禍與罪孽哀嘆，並求神向他百姓施恩），以及他們三人在火焰中同唱的讚美歌；兩者都有極敬虔的辭藻；但我們有理由如 Grotius 所想，這些是後世某猶太人所撰，並非當時所用，只是當時可能如此用的話，因此我們正當地不以此為聖經的一部分。(4) 有第四位與他們同在火中被看見，其形狀在尼布甲尼撒看來 好像神子；他顯然是神聖之人，是從天而來的使者，不是僕人，而是兒子。好像天使（有人如此說）；天使被稱為 神的眾子，Job 38:7。旁經對此事的記述說：主的使者降到窯中；尼布甲尼撒在此也說（Da 3:28），神 差遣使者救護他們；但以理在獅坑時，也是天使封了獅子的口，Da 6:22。但有人以為這是神的永恆之子，立約的使者，不是受造的天使。他在道成肉身之前，屢次以我們的人性顯現；而從未有比此時更合時、更恰當地表明並豫示他在時候滿足時進入世間之大工的：如今為要把他的選民從火中救出來，他來與他們在火中同行。注意，那些為基督受苦的人，在他受苦中有他恩典的同在——在火窯中，在死蔭的幽谷中也是如此——因此在那裡他們也 不怕遭害。基督藉此表明：對他百姓所作的，他看為對他自己所作；凡把他們扔進窯中的，實際上就是把他扔進。我就是你所逼迫的耶穌，Isa 63:9。
2. 尼布甲尼撒把他們從窯中召出來（Da 3:26）：他 就近烈火窯門，吩咐他們 出來，上這裡來。出來，上來（有人如此讀）；他用極溫柔關切之詞，並站著豫備伸手拉他們出來。他既因他們奇妙的保全而確信自己把他們扔進窯中是行了惡；所以他不 私下把他們攆出；不，他必親自去把他們領出來，Ac 16:37。當注意他所給的敬重稱呼。當他在怒火狂熱中反對他們時，可能稱他們為叛徒、奸賊，並一切能想出的惡名；但如今他認他們 為至高神的僕人——一位現在看來 能從他手中拯救他們 的神。注意，或遲或早，神要使最驕傲的人確信他是至高的神，在他們之上、難敵於他——即使在他們驕傲放肆之事上亦然，Ex 18:11。他也要讓他們知道誰是他的僕人，並他認他們、必站在他們一邊。以利亞曾禱告（1Ki 18:36）：使人知道你是神，又知道我是你的僕人。 尼布甲尼撒如今擁抱他先前所棄的，並在他察覺他們是天之寵兒時，對他們極殷勤。注意，逼迫者對神僕人所行的，當神開他們眼睛時，他們必盡力挽回。至於那 第四位——形狀好像神子 的——如何退去，是消失了還是可見地升上去，我們未被告知；但其餘三人我們被告知：(1) 他們 從火中出來了，如他們的祖宗亞伯拉罕從迦勒底的吾珥（即 火）出來一樣——猶太人的傳統說，亞伯拉罕因拒拜偶像被扔進那火中，又從其中被救出來，正如他這 三個兒女 一樣。他們一得釋放，便不再久留試探神，而是如火中抽出來的一根柴般出來。(2) 在一切驚奇的觀眾面前，完全證明他們連一點火傷也未受，Da 3:27。所有大人物都來觀看他們，發現他們連 頭髮也沒有一根 焦。我們救主對受苦僕人所說那比喻性的保證——他們必不遭受實在損害（Lu 21:18）——在此字字應驗：你們連一根頭髮也必不損壞。 他們的衣服連顏色也沒變，也沒有火的氣味，更不用說他們的身體絲毫未被烤焦起泡；不，火無力傷他們。迦勒底人敬拜火，視之為太陽的形像；所以神如今限制火，不但輕慢了他們的王，也輕慢了他們的神，並表明 他的聲音 不但分開水的大水，也 分開火焰（Ps 29:7），當他情願為百姓在其中開路時。惟有我們的神是 烈火（Heb 12:29）；別的火，只要他一發命，便不焚燒。
英文原文
The Three Hebrews in the Furnace; Deliverance from the Furnace (587 BC)
¹⁹ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
²⁰ And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
²¹ Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
²² 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 Abednego.
²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
²⁴ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
²⁵ 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.
²⁶ 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.
²⁷ And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
In these verses we have,
I. The casting of these three faithful servants of God into the fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar had himself known and owned so much of the true God that, one would have thought, though his pride and vanity induced him to make this golden image, and set it up to be worshipped, yet what these young men now said (whom he had formerly found to be wiser than all his wise men) would revive his convictions, and at least engage him to excuse them; but it proved quite otherwise. 1. Instead of being convinced by what they said, he was exasperated, and made more outrageous, Da 3:19. It made him full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against these men. Note, Brutish passions the more they are indulged the more violent they grow, and even change the countenance, to the great reproach of the wisdom and reason of a man. Nebuchadnezzar, in this heat, exchanged the awful majesty of a prince upon his throne, or a judge upon the bench, for the frightful fury of a wild bull in a net. Would men in a passion but view their faces in a glass, they would blush at their own folly and turn all their displeasure against themselves. 2. Instead of mitigating their punishment, in consideration of their quality and the posts of honour they were in, he ordered it to be heightened, that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated for other malefactors, that is, that they should put seven times more fuel to it, which, though it would not make their death more grievous, but rather dispatch them sooner, was designed to signify that the king looked upon their crime as seven times more heinous than the crimes of others, and so made their death more ignominious. But God brought glory to himself out of this foolish instance of the tyrant's rage; for, though it would not have made their death the more grievous, yet it did make their deliverance much the more illustrious. 3. He ordered them to be bound in their clothes, and cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace, which was done accordingly, Da 3:20,21. They were bound, that they might not struggle, or make any resistance, were bound in their clothes, for haste, or that they might be consumed the more slowly and gradually. But God's providence ordered it for the increase of the miracle, in that their clothes were not so much as singed. They were bound in their coats or mantles, their hosen or breeches, and their hats or turbans, as if, in detestation of their crime, they would have their clothes to be burnt with them. What a terrible death was this—to be cast bound into the midst of a burning fiery furnace! Da 3:23. It makes one's flesh tremble to think of it, and horror to take hold on one. It is amazing that the tyrant was so hard-hearted as to inflict such a punishment, and that the confessors were so stout-hearted as to submit to it rather than sin against God. But what is this to the second death, to that furnace into which the tares shall be cast in bundles, to that lake which burns eternally with fire and brimstone? Let Nebuchadnezzar heat his furnace as hot as he can, a few minutes will finish the torment of those who are cast into it; but hell-fire tortures and does not kill. The pain of damned sinners is more exquisite, and the smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever, and those have no rest, no intermission, no cessation of their pains, who have worshipped the beast and his image (Re 14:10,11), whereas their pain would be soon over that were cast into this furnace for not worshipping this Babylonian beast and his image. 4. It was a remarkable providence that the men, the mighty men, that bound them, and threw them into the furnace, were themselves consumed or suffocated by the flame, Da 3:22. The king's commandment was urgent, that they should dispatch them quickly, and be sure to do it effectually; and therefore they resolved to go to the very mouth of the furnace, that they might throw them into the midst of it, but they were in such haste that they would not take time to arm themselves accordingly. The apocryphal additions to Daniel say that the flame ascended forty-nine cubits above the mouth of the furnace. Probably God ordered it so that the wind blew it directly upon them with such violence that it smothered them. God did thus immediately plead the cause of his injured servants, and take vengeance for them on their persecutors, whom he punished, not only in the very act of their sin, but by it. But these men were only the instruments of cruelty; he that bade them do it had the greater sin; yet they suffered justly for executing an unjust decree, and it is very probable that they did it with pleasure and were glad to be so employed. Nebuchadnezzar himself was reserved for a further reckoning. There is a day coming when proud tyrants will be punished, not only for the cruelties they have been guilty of, but for employing those about them in their cruelties, and so exposing them to the judgments of God.
II. The deliverance of these three faithful servants of God out of the furnace. When they were cast bound into the midst of that devouring fire we might well conclude that we should hear no more of them, that their very bones would be calcined; but, to our amazement, we here find that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are yet alive.
1. Nebuchadnezzar finds them walking in the fire. He was astonished, and rose up in haste, Da 3:24. Perhaps the slaying of the men that executed his sentence was that which astonished him, as well it might, for he had reason to think his own turn would be next; or it was some unaccountable impression upon his own mind that astonished him, and made him rise up in haste, and go to the furnace, to see what had become of those he had cast into it. Note, God can strike those with astonishment whose hearts are most hardened both against him and against his people. He that made the soul can make his sword to approach to it, even to that of the greatest tyrant. In his astonishment he calls his counsellors about him, and appeals to them. Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? It seems, it was done by order, not only of the king, but of the council. They durst not but concur with him, which he forced them to do, that they might share with him in the guilt and odium? "True, O king!" say they; "we did order such an execution to be done and it was done." "But now," says the king, "I have been looking into the furnace, and I see four men, loose, walking in the midst of the fire," Da 3:25. (1.) They were loosed from their bonds. The fire that did not so much as singe their clothes burnt the cords wherewith they were bound, and set them at liberty; thus God's people have their hearts enlarged, through the grace of God, by those very troubles with which their enemies designed to straiten and hamper them. (2.) They had no hurt, made no complaint, felt no pain or uneasiness in the least; the flame did not scorch them; the smoke did not stifle them; they were alive and as well as ever in the midst of the flames. See how God of nature can, when he pleases, control the powers of nature, to make them serve his purposes. Now was fulfilled in the letter gracious promise (Isa 43:2), When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. By faith they quench the violence of the fire, quench the fiery darts of the wicked. (3.) They walked in the midst of the fire. The furnace was large, so that they had room to walk; they were unhurt, so that they were able to walk; their minds were easy, so that they were disposed to walk, as in a paradise or garden of pleasure. Can a man walk upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt? Pr 6:28. Yes, they did it with as much pleasure as the king of Tyrus walked up and down in the midst of his stones of fire, his precious stones that sparkled as fire, Eze 28:14. They were not striving to get out, finding themselves unhurt; but, leaving it to that God who preserved them in the fire to bring them out of it, they walked up and down in the midst of it unconcerned. One of the apocryphal writings relates at large the prayer which Azariah, one of the three, prayed in the fire (wherein he laments the calamities and iniquities of Israel, and entreats God's favour to his people), and the song of praise which they all three sang in the midst of the flames, in both which there are remarkable strains of devotion; but we have reason to think, with Grotius, that they were composed by some Jew of a later age, not as what were used, but only as what might have been used, on this occasion, and therefore we justly reject them as no part of holy writ. (4.) There was a fourth seen with them in the fire, whose form, in Nebuchadnezzar's judgment, was like the Son of God; he appeared as a divine person, a messenger from heaven, not as a servant, but as a son. Like an angel (so some); and angels are called sons of God, Job 38:7. In the apocryphal narrative of this story it is said, The angel of the Lord came down into the furnace; and Nebuchadnezzar here says (Da 3:28), God sent his angel and delivered them; and it was an angel that shut the lions' mouths when Daniel was in the den, Da 6:22. But some think it was the eternal Son of God, the angel of the covenant, and not a created angel. He appeared often in our nature before he assumed it in his incarnation, and never more seasonable, nor to give a more proper indication and presage of his great errand into the world in the fulness of time, than now, when, to deliver his chosen out of the fire, he came and walked with them in the fire. Note, Those that suffer for Christ have his gracious presence with them in their sufferings, even in the fiery furnace, even in the valley of the shadow of death, and therefore even there they need fear no evil. Hereby Christ showed that what is done against his people he takes as done against himself; whoever throws them into the furnace does, in effect, throw him in. I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest, Isa 63:9.
2. Nebuchadnezzar calls them out of the furnace (Da 3:26): He comes near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and bids them come forth and come hither. Come forth, come (so some read it); he speaks with a great deal of tenderness and concern, and stands ready to lend them his hand and help them out. He is convinced by their miraculous preservation that he did evil in casting them into the furnace; and therefore he does not thrust them out privily; no verily, but he will come himself and fetch them out, Ac 16:37. Observe the respectful title that he gives them. When he was in the heat of his fury and rage against them it is probable that he called them rebels, and traitors, and all the ill names he could invent; but now he owns them for the servants of the most high God, a God who now appears able to deliver them out of his hand. Note, Sooner or later, God will convince the proudest of men that he is the most high God, and above them, and too hard for them, even in those things wherein they deal proudly and presumptuously, Ex 18:11. He will likewise let them know are who his servants, and that he owns them and will stand by them. Elijah prayed (1Ki 18:36), Let it be known that thou art God and that I am thy servant. Nebuchadnezzar now embraces those whom he had abandoned, and is very officious about them, now that he perceives them to be the favourites of Heaven. Note, What persecutors have done against God's servants, when God opens their eyes, they must as far as they can undo again. How the fourth, whose form was like the Son of God, withdrew, and whether he vanished away or visibly ascended, we are not told, but of the other three we are informed, (1.) That they came forth out of the midst of the fire, as Abraham their father out of Ur (that is, the fire) of the Chaldees, into which, says this tradition of the Jews, he was cast, for refusing to worship idols, and out of which he was delivered, as those his three children were. When they had their discharge they did not tempt God by staying in any longer, but came forth as brands out of the burning. (2.) That it was made to appear, to the full satisfaction of all the amazed spectators, that they had not received the least damage by the fire, Da 3:27. All the great men came together to view them, and found that there was not so much as a hair of their head singed. Here that was true in the letter which our Saviour spoke figuratively, for an assurance to his suffering servants that they should sustain no real damage (Lu 21:18), There shall not a hair of your head perish. Their clothes did not so much as change colour, nor smell of fire, much less were their bodies in the least scorched or blistered; no, the fire had no power on them. The Chaldeans worshipped the fire, as a sort of image of the sun, so that, in restraining the fire now, God put contempt, not only upon their king, but upon their god too, and showed that his voice divides the flames of fire as well as the floods of water (Ps 29:7), when he pleases to make a way for his people through the midst of it. It is our God only that is the consuming fire (Heb 12:29); other fire, if he but speak the word, shall not consume.
28-30
Nebuchadnezzar Gives Glory to God; Nebuchadnezzar Honours God (587 BC)
尼布甲尼撒歸榮耀給神；尼布甲尼撒尊榮神（主前587年）
²⁸ 尼布甲尼撒說：沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的神是應當稱頌的！他差遣使者救護倚靠他的僕人，他們不遵王命，捨去己身，在他們神以外不肯事奉敬拜別神。
²⁹ 現在我降旨，無論何方、何國、何族的人，謗讟沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌之神的，必被凌遲，他的房屋必成糞堆，因為沒有別神能這樣施行拯救。
³⁰ 那時王在巴比倫省，高升了沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌。
對身體所作嚴格的檢視——super visum corporis——由那些在這公開場合在場的總督、欽差和一切大人物所作（他們不可能偏袒這些認信者），大大有助於澄清這神蹟、並彰顯神在其中的能力與恩典。他們誠然行了一件明顯的神蹟，這是顯而易見的，我們不能否認，Ac 4:16。讓我們看看這事在尼布甲尼撒身上有何影響。
I. 他把榮耀歸於以色列的神，認他是能、也樂意保護敬拜者的神（Da 3:28）：沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的神是應當稱頌的。 願他得着兩樣榮耀：他的子民向他效忠的忠誠，以及他賜給他們的有力保護——這兩樣都是別國與其神所不能比擬的。王自己承認他、敬拜他，並認為他理當被眾人承認敬拜。沙得拉的神是應當稱頌的。 注意，神能從那些素來當面咒詛他的人身上，榨出對他有福的認信。1. 他歸榮耀給他的能力——他能保護他的敬拜者抵擋最強大、最惡毒的仇敵：沒有別神能這樣施行拯救（Da 3:29），不，連他所立的那金像也不能。正因如此，沒有別神如以色列的神一般，要求敬拜者專一向他、寧死也不拜別神；因為他們不能保證如此行時扶持他們，如他能。神既能行別神不能行的拯救，便可要求別神不可要求的順服。2. 他歸榮耀給他的良善——他樂意如此行（Da 3:28）：他差遣使者救護他的僕人。 彼勒不能救它的敬拜者免在窯口被燒，但以色列的神卻救了那些因拒 拜別神 而被扔進烈火中間的敬拜者。尼布甲尼撒因此明明得知：他對以色列民所取得、將要取得的一切大成功——他以此誇口，以為在那裡勝過了以色列的神——全然 因他們的罪：若那國的全體如這三人一般忠於自己的神、單單敬拜他，他們便都必如這三人一樣被救出他手。這在這時候對他是必要的教訓。
II. 他稱讚這三人在信仰上的堅定，並以尊榮之詞描述，Da 3:28。他雖未親自被勸服認他們的神為自己的神、去敬拜他——因為若如此行，他知道必須單單敬拜他、放棄一切別神，而他稱他為 沙得拉的神，不是 我的 神——卻稱讚他們專心向着他、不事奉敬拜別神，惟獨他們的神。注意，許多人自己並不敬虔，卻承認那些敬虔、在信仰上堅定的人顯然是對的。他們雖未親自被勸服接受，卻稱讚那些既已接受便堅守的人。人若已將自己的名交給那位惟一當事奉的神，便當持守原則、單單事奉他，無論代價如何。真信仰中的如此堅定，將成為人的稱讚——即使在外人中也是如此——當反覆無常、背信棄義、兩面三刀被眾人一致唾棄之時。他稱讚他們如此行：1. 慷慨輕看自己的性命——與神的恩、並無虧良心的見證相比，他們不看為寶貴。他們 捨去己身 被扔進烈火窯，不但不願離棄他們的神，更不願一旦向別神獻那惟獨歸他的尊敬而冒犯他。注意，凡以靈魂為先於身體、寧願喪命也不願離棄神的，若不得人的稱讚，必得神的稱讚。不認為信仰值得為之受苦的人，便不認識信仰的價值。2. 他們如此行是對君王榮耀的反叛：他們 不遵王命——即與之相反，因而輕慢了他的命令與威嚇，使他後悔並收回兩者。注意，連君王自己也得承認：當他們的命令與神的命令相背時，當順從的是神，不是他們。(3) 他們如此行是出於對神的恩慈信託。他們 倚靠他，信他必在他們所行的事上與他們同在——或把他們從火窯帶回地上自己的位置，或領他們經過火窯前進到天上自己的位置；他們既如此信，便不畏王怒、不顧己命。注意，對神堅定的信心，必產生對神堅定的忠心。如今王親自當眾為這些神僕所作這光榮見證，我們可想必對其餘在巴比倫被擄、或將被擄的猶太人有好影響。他們的鄰舍不能放膽催促他們去作，他們自己也羞於去作那——他們的弟兄因不作而親蒙王大大稱讚——的事。不但如此，神為他這些僕人所行的，不但有助於使猶太人在被擄中持守信仰，更有助於醫治他們傾向偶像的毛病——他們正是為此被擄；當這事在他們身上有了那蒙福的果效，他們便可確信神必救他們出那火窯，正如他如今救他們的弟兄出這火窯一樣。
III. 他頒布皇家詔令，嚴禁任何人謗讟以色列的神，Da 3:29。我們有理由想：以色列的罪與患難曾給迦勒底人極大把柄（雖非正當把柄）來褻瀆以色列的神，而尼布甲尼撒自己也很可能曾如此煽動；但如今他雖未真歸信，也未被勸服敬拜他，卻決意永不再用惡言論他，也容不得別人如此行：「無論何人，若說任何錯話（有人譯為 異端），或更恰當地說任何毀謗褻瀆的話，凡以輕蔑之詞論 沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌的神 的，必被算為最惡的罪犯，照樣處治——他必被 凌遲，如亞甲被撒母耳的刀所行；他的房屋必被拆毀，成為 糞堆。」如今這位神以大能為他的敬拜者所行的神蹟——在巴比倫千萬人眼前公開行的——足以作這詔令的根據。這也必大有助于猶太人在被擄中的安逸，使他們因這律法而得蒙保護，免受毀謗褻瀆火箭之害——否則他們必被這些不斷攪擾。注意，當教會的仇敵雖未心轉，卻口被塞住、舌被縛住時，這對教會是大憐憫、是大進益。若一位異教君王對驕傲褻瀆者的嘴尚加如此約束，基督教君王更當如此；不，在這事上，人似乎當作自己的律法——那些對神毫無愛心、不肯說他好話的人，總不能存心（我們確知他們總找不到緣由）說他的壞話。
IV. 他不但撤銷了這三人的判刑，更恢復他們在政府中的職位（「使他們亨通」，原文如此），並升他們到比先前更大、更有利的職任：他 在巴比倫省高升了他們，這對他們是極大的尊榮，對他們在俘擄中的弟兄也是安慰。注意，君王之智慧在於提拔任用在信仰上堅定的人；因為對神忠心的人最可能對君王忠心；當神所寵的人被立為君王所寵的人，國便有望得福。
英文原文
Nebuchadnezzar Gives Glory to God; Nebuchadnezzar Honours God (587 BC)
²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.
²⁹ Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
The strict observations that were made, super visum corporis—on inspecting their bodies, by the princes and governors, and all the great men who were present upon this public occasion, and who could not be supposed partial in favour of the confessors, contributed much to the clearing of this miracle and the magnifying of the power and grace of God in it. That indeed a notable miracle has been done is manifest, and we cannot deny it, Ac 4:16. Let us now see what effect it had upon Nebuchadnezzar.
I. He gives glory to the God of Israel as a God able and ready to protect his worshippers (Da 3:28): "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Let him have the honour both of the faithful allegiance which his subjects bear to him and the powerful protection he grants to them, neither of which can be paralleled by any other nation and their gods." The king does himself acknowledge and adore him, and thinks it is fit that he should be acknowledged and adored by all. Blessed be thee God of Shadrach. Note, God can extort confessions of his blessedness even from those that have been ready to curse him to his face. 1. He gives him the glory of his power, that he was able to protect his worshippers against the most mighty and malign ant enemies: There is no other God that can deliver after this sort (Da 3:29), no, not this golden image which he had set up. For this reason there was no other god that obliged his worshippers to cleave to him only, and to suffer death rather than worship any other, as the God of Israel did, for they could not engage to bear them out in so doing, as he could. If God can work such deliverance as no other can, he may demand such obedience as no other may. 2. He gives him the glory of his goodness, that he was ready to do it (Da 3:28): He has sent his angel and delivered his servants. Bel could not save his worshippers from being burnt at the mouth of the furnace, but the God of Israel saved his from being burnt when they were cast into the midst of the furnace because they refused to worship any other god. By this Nebuchadnezzar was plainly given to understand that all the great success which he had had, and should yet have, against the people of Israel, which he gloried in, as he had therein overpowered the God of Israel, was owing purely to their sin: if the body of that nation had faithfully adhered to their own God and the worship of him only, as these three men did, they would all have been delivered out of his hand as these three men were. And this was a necessary instruction for him at this time.
II. He applauds the constancy of these three men in their religion, and describes it to their honour, Da 3:28. Though he is not himself persuaded to own their God for his and to worship him, because, if he do so, he knows he must worship him only and renounce all others, and he calls him the God of Shadrach, not my God, yet he commends them for cleaving to him, and not serving nor worshipping any other God but their own. Note, There are many who are not religious themselves, and yet will own that those are clearly in the right that are religious and are stedfast in their religion. Though they are not themselves persuaded to close with it, they will commend those who, having closed with it, cleave to it. If men have given up their names to that God who will alone be served, let them keep to their principles, and serve him only, whatever it cost them. Such a constancy in the true religion will turn to men's praise, even among those that are without, when unsteadiness, treachery, and double dealing, are what all men will cry shame on. He commends them that they did this, 1. With a generous contempt of their lives, which they valued not, in comparison with the favour of God and the testimony of a good conscience. They yielded their own bodies to be cast into the fiery furnace rather than they would not only not forsake their God, but not affront him, by once paying that homage to any other which is due to him alone. Note, Those shall have their praise, if not of men, yet of God, who prefer their souls before their bodies, and will rather lose their lives than forsake their God. Those know not the worth and value of religion who do not think it worth suffering for. 2. They did it with a glorious contradiction to their prince: They changed the king's word, that is, they were contrary to it, and thereby put contempt upon both his precepts and threatenings, and made him repent and revoke both. Note, Even kings themselves must own that, when their commands are contrary to the commands of God, he is to be obeyed and not they. (3.) They did it with a gracious confidence in their God. They trusted in him that he would stand by them in what they did, that he would either bring them out of the fiery furnace back to their place on earth or lead them through the fiery furnace forward to their place in heaven; and in this confidence they became fearless of the king's wrath and regardless of their own lives. Note, A stedfast faith in God will produce a stedfast faithfulness to God. Now this honourable testimony, thus publicly borne by the king himself to these servants of God, we may well think, would have a good influence upon the rest of the Jews that were, or should be, captives in Babylon. Their neighbours could not with any confidence urge them to do that, nor could they for shame do that, which their brethren were so highly applauded by the king himself for not doing. Nay, and what God did for these his servants would help not only to keep the Jews close to their religion while they were in captivity, but to cure them of their inclination to idolatry, for which end they were sent into captivity; and, when it had had that blessed effect upon them, they might be assured that God would deliver them out of that furnace, as now he delivered their brethren out of this.
III. He issues a royal edict, strictly forbidding any to speak evil of the God of Israel, Da 3:29. We have reason to think that both the sins and the troubles of Israel had given great occasion, though no just occasion, to the Chaldeans to blaspheme the God of Israel, and, it is likely, Nebuchadnezzar himself had encouraged it; but now, though he is no true convert, nor is wrought upon to worship him, yet he resolves never to speak ill of him again, nor to suffer others to do so: "Whoever shall speak any thing amiss, any error (so some), or rather any reproach or blasphemy, whoever shall speak with contempt of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they shall be counted the worst of malefactors, and dealt with accordingly, they shall be cut in pieces, as Agag was by the sword of Samuel, and their houses shall be demolished and made a dunghill." The miracle now wrought by the power of this God in defence of his worshippers, publicly in the sight of the thousands of Babylon, was a sufficient justification of this edict. And it would contribute much to the ease of the Jews in their captivity to be by this law screened from the fiery darts of reproach and blasphemy, with which otherwise they would have been continually annoyed. Note, It is a great mercy to the church, and a good point gained, when its enemies though they have not their hearts turned, yet have their mouths stopped and their tongues tied. If a heathen prince laid such a restraint upon the proud lips of blasphemers, much more should Christian princes do it; nay, in this thing, one would think that men should be a law to themselves, and that those who have so little love to God that they care not to speak well of him, yet could never find in their hearts, for we are sure they could never find cause, to speak any thing amiss of him.
IV. He not only reverses the attainder of these three men, but restores them to their places in the government (makes them to prosper, so the word is), and prefers them to greater and more advantageous trusts than they had been in before: He promoted them in the province of Babylon, which was much to their honour and the comfort of their brethren in captivity there. Note, It is the wisdom of princes to prefer and employ men of stedfastness in religion; for those are most likely to be faithful to them who are faithful to God, and it is likely to be well with them when God's favourites are made theirs.
在前章末了，我們看見但以理的同伴——沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌——處於尊榮與權勢之中，作為各省的長官，並因他們與以色列神的關係及在其中所得的分而得高升。我不知道該不該說：但願這尊榮為一切聖徒所有。不，這對許多人並非好事；聖徒的尊榮是為另一個世界存留的。但這裡我們看見同樣這三人，如今與從前一樣受王的不悅，甚至更甚；然而他們的神卻比他們的君王從前對他們的尊榮更真實、更高地尊榮他們——既以他賜他們寧可受苦也不犯罪的恩典，也以他為他們從苦難中所行的奇妙而榮耀的拯救。這是非常值得記念的故事，是神大能與良善的榮耀例證，是對他百姓在試煉時日保持堅定的大鼓勵。使徒在論到有信的英雄時，提到那些"因信滅了烈火的猛勢"（來 11:34），便是引述此事。本章中我們有：I. 尼布甲尼撒設立並奉獻一尊金像，並要求他一切的臣民，無論何等級身分，都俯伏敬拜它，以及他的百姓普遍遵從這命令（Da 3:1-7）。II. 有人因猶太首領不肯拜這金像而告發他們（Da 3:8-12）。III. 他們不顧王的烈怒與威嚇，堅定地持守拒絕（Da 3:13-18）。IV. 他們因不肯拜而被扔進烈火的窯中（Da 3:19-23）。V. 神以大能保守他們在火中，王又因這神蹟承認自己把他們扔進去的錯誤，便施恩把他們從火中請出來（Da 3:24-27）。VI. 王因此向神致敬，並向那些忠信的勇士施恩（Da 3:28-30）。