Matthew Henry Commentary Daniel 3:8-18

"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live for ever. 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; and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 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? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. 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 thy hand, O king. 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." — Daniel 3:8-18 (ASV)

True devotion calms the spirit, quieting and softening it, but superstition and devotion to false gods inflame men's passions. The matter is put concisely: Turn, or burn. Proud men are still ready to say, like Nebuchadnezzar, "Who is the Lord, that I should fear his power?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not hesitate whether they should comply or not.

Life or death were not to be considered. Those who would avoid sin must not negotiate with temptation when what allures or frightens us is clearly evil. Do not pause to consider it, but say, as Christ did, Get thee behind me, Satan. They did not devise an evasive answer when a direct answer was expected. Those who make their duty their main concern do not need to be anxious or fearful about the outcome.

The faithful servants of God find him able to control and overrule all the powers armed against them. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst. If He be for us, we need not fear what man can do unto us. God will deliver us, either from death or in death. They must obey God rather than man; they must rather suffer than sin; and must not do evil that good may come.

Therefore, none of these things moved them. Saving them from sinful compliance was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace as saving them from the fiery furnace was in the kingdom of nature. Fear of man and love of the world, especially a lack of faith, make men yield to temptation, while a firm persuasion of the truth will deliver them from denying Christ or being ashamed of him. We are to be meek in our replies, but we must be resolved that we will obey God rather than man.