John Calvin Commentary Daniel 3:21-23

"Then these men were bound in their hosen, their tunics, and their mantles, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 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 Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace." — Daniel 3:21-23 (ASV)

Here Daniel relates the miracle by which God liberated his servants. He has two parts: first, these three holy men walked untouched in the midst of the flame; and the fires consumed those attendants who cast them into the furnace. The Prophet diligently enumerates whatever serves to prove the power of God.

He says, since the king’s command was urgent, that is, since the king, in such anger, ordered the furnace to be heated, the flames devoured the men who executed his orders. For in Job (Job 18:5), שביב, shebib, means “spark,” or the extremity of a flame. The Prophet’s meaning is by no means obscure, since the extremity of the flame consumed those strong attendants by playing around them, while Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked through the fuel in the fire and flame.

They were not in the extremity of the flame, for it is as if the Prophet had said—the king’s slaves were consumed by the very smoke, and the fire was without the slightest effect on the servants of God. Therefore, he says, these three fell down in the furnace of fire. By saying they fell, it means they could not take care of themselves or attempt to escape, for he adds, they were bound. This might at first naturally have suffocated them, until they were immediately consumed; but they remained untouched and then walked about the furnace loose.

By this we see how conspicuous God’s power was, and how no falsehood of Satan’s could obscure it. And next, when the very tips of the flame, or the fiery sparks, devoured the attendants, here again the deed is proved to be from God. Meanwhile, the result of the account is the preservation of these three holy men, so surprisingly beyond their expectation.

This example is set before us to show us that nothing can be safer than to make God the guardian and protector of our life. For we should not expect to be preserved from every danger just because we see those holy men were delivered. We should hope for liberation from death, if it is useful, and yet we should not hesitate to meet death without fear, if God so pleases.

But we should gather from this narrative the sufficiency of God’s protection, if he wishes to prolong our lives, since we know our life is precious to him. It is entirely in his power either to snatch us from danger or to withdraw us to a better existence, as he pleases.

We have an example of this in the case of Peter; for on one day he was led out from prison, and the next day put to death. Even then God showed his care for his servant’s life, although Peter eventually suffered death. How so? Because he had finished his course. Therefore, whenever God pleases, he will exert his power to preserve us; if he leads us toward death, we must be assured that it is best for us to die, and that it would be harmful for us to enjoy life any longer. This is the essence of the teaching that we may receive from this narrative. It now follows:—