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One-sentence summary: A man named Daniel and his three friends from the tribe of Judah are chosen to serve the king of Babylon but keep themselves consecrated to the Lord; Daniel interprets king Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and the Lord delivers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from a fiery furnace because they refused to worship any other God.
In the 3rd year of Jehoiakim of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar comes to Jerusalem and besieges it, and the Lord gives Jehoiakim into his hand along with the articles of the household of God, and he brings them to the treasure house of his god. Then, he instructs the master of his eunuchs to bring some men of Israel- smart, good-looking men and nobles- to the king's palace to teach them the language that they might serve him. Each day they are given delicacies to eat and wine to drink. They train for three years in order to be able serve the king. Three men from the tribe of Judah are chosen: a man named Daniel and three other men with him, and the chief of the eunuchs changes Daniel's name to Belteshazzar, and his friends' to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. However, it says, "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies nor with the wine which he drank." He asks the chief eunuch if he can have a diet of vegetables and water. The Lord had given him favor with the eunuch, who says that he fears the lord his king, that if he sees them underfed, his own life will be in danger. So Daniel tells him to test them for ten days, giving them only vegetables and waters and to examine them and the other men at the end of the ten days. At the end of ten days, their features are "better and fatter" than the other men, so the steward allows them to eat only vegetables. Also, God gives them "knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom," and Daniel has "understanding in all visions and dreams." At the end of the three years of preparation, the chief of the eunuchs brings them in before Nebuchadnezzar. The king interviews them, and it says that none are found to be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they serve before the king, and he finds them "ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in the land in matters of wisdom and understanding."
In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he has some dreams which trouble his spirit so much that he cannot sleep. He calls the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell him his dreams. They come and stand before them, and he tells them what he has dreamt and says if they do not make it known to him, they will be cut in pieces and their houses burnt to the ground. If they are able, they will receive a reward and great honor from him. They respond that there is not a man on earth who can tell a man his dream and that no king has ever asked this before. They say only the gods can answer. The king is angry at this and gives the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel is included as well, and he asks the captain of the eunuchs why the decree is so urgent, and he tells him. So Daniel asks the king for time that he might give him the interpretation of the dream, and then he goes home and tells Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to seek mercy from the Lord concerning the secret that they might not also die. Then, in a night vision, the secret is revealed to him, and he blesses the God of heaven, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His, and He changes the times and the seasons... He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him." Daniel praises the Lord for giving him wisdom and light and for answering his prayer. Then, he goes to the captain of the eunuchs who was appointed to kill the wisemen and asks him for mercy for all of them. He asks him to take him before the king so he can tell him the meaning of the dream. When he is brought before Nebuchadnezzar, he asks if he can tell him his dream and his interpretation. Daniel says that the wisemen, soothsayers, and astrologers cannot do it but that there is a God in heaven who has made known to Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days; the Lord has told the king what will be, and it has been revealed to him not because he is wiser but for the sake of the men and for the king to know the thoughts of his heart. Then, Daniel tells the king his dream. The king was watching a splendid image whose head was of gold, whose chest of silver, whose belly and thighs were of bonze, and who had legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. A stone without hands struck the image in pieces, and all the materials were crushed together as chaff, and then the wind carried them away. The stone which struck it became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. As for the interpretation, he tells Nebuchadnezzar that he is a king of kings and that the Lord has given him a kingdom with power, strength, and glory and has given him men and beasts and made him ruler over all. He is the head of the image in the dream. After him will arise another inferior kingdom, and then another, and then another. The fourth will be as strong as iron, and it will crush all the other kingdoms. The feet and toes represent a divided kingdom, but it will have the strength of iron. It will be partly strong and partly fragile. Then, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed in that day which will break in pieces all the kingdoms and will stand forever. Upon hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar falls on his face before Daniel and commands an offering and incense to him and say says, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings and a revealers of secrets." Then, he promotes Daniel and gives him many great gifts and makes him ruler over all the province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wisemen of Babylon. Daniel asks the king, and he sets Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the provinces of Babylon. But it says Daniel sits in the gate of the king.
After that, Nebuchadnezzar makes an image of gold and sets it up in Babylon, and he sends word to gather the leaders to dedicate the image. He commands the people to fall down and worship the image at the sound of a horn and music. He says whoever does not fall down and worship it is to be cast into a fiery furnace. When everyone hears the sound, they fall down and worship the image. Certain Chaldeans accuse the Jews and tell Nebuchadnezzar that they refuse to worship the idol. The king is furious and commands that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. He asks them if it is true and tells them if they refuse, they will immediately be cast into a fiery furnace. He says, "Who is a god who will deliver you from my hands?" They tell him they don't even need to answer him, that they know their God will deliver them. They say even if He does not, they will never serve or worship Nebuchadnezzar's gods. Upon hearing this, the king is full of fury. He commands the furnace to be heated seven times hotter and for mighty men to bind them and cast them into the fiery furnace. The flame of the fire is so hot that it kills the men who throw them in. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fall down, bound, into the midst of the fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar is astonished and says to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? Look! I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!" Then, he calls out to them in the furnace, acknowledging they are servants of the Most High God, and tells them to come out. They come out, and all the leaders gather and see that the fire has had no power over them. Their hair is not singed, their garments are not affected, and there is no smell of fire on them. Nebuchadnezzar then says, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's words and yielded their bodies that they should not worship or serve any god except their own God." Then, the king commands that any person or nation who speaks against the true God be cut in pieces and their houses made an ash heap, "because," he says, "There is no other God that can deliver like this." Then, he promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
There is nothing God will not do for someone who remains true to Him in all circumstances. "Even if He does not deliver us..." Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted in the goodness and character of their God. "Those who know their God will do great exploits!" (See Daniel 11:32, Mark 16:17-18.)