“Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious…” (v19a)

   Here we go again:  the powers of this world raging against the POWER of the Universe.  The King of Babylon was so bent on proving his superiority and sovereignty that he constructs an odd looking 900 ft. statue that was only nine feet wide; a tall skinny odd looking thing that the people were to bow down to upon hearing the music played or sung that they may have used in their own worship to their own gods.

   Nebuchadnezzar was attempting to unite all people in a common religion.  One that worshiped the works of his hands… And all it took to get him kicking and screaming like a two year old throwing a temper tantrum were 3 men, 3 young men, 3 Jewish-Yahweh followers.  And the dream’s message that haunted him returned (see 2:24-45); your feet are like clay (weak and ready to crumble) and God is the ultimate ruler of all things (strong and unstoppable).  

   So we see the last attempts of pride and arrogance to silence the quiet, humble, steady followers of the Kingdom of God.  But God would have the last word; he saw a fourth man (v24-25).  This was no longer a dream.  It was real!  God confronts the king and the king has a choice to make:  repent or continue to run to destruction.

   God does the unexplainable (They didn’t even smell like smoke – see v26-27) and He did it to prove His power and presence…God is still doing the unexplainable, yet most of us fight to hold on to the kingdoms-of-our-own-construction.  And we miss the fourth man.  Oh that our eyes could be opened and our minds sharpened to see the unnoticeable presence of the Almighty.

 Father, let me live in the camp of Your Kingdom.  Keep me from clinging to the works of my own hands or magnifying the merits of my good behavior.  Let me only walk in humble, quiet, peaceful obedience with you.  And if flames are in my future, grant me the same boldness of faith you gave your servants that day in Babylon.  Amen.