Daniel 1-3 We Will Not Serve Your Gods

Daniel Brought to Babylon

Dan 1:6-7 LSB - 

[6] Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 

[7] Then the commander of the officials set names for them; and for Daniel he set [the name] Belteshazzar, for Hananiah Shadrach, for Mishael Meshach, and for Azariah Abed-nego.

Daniel’s Heart

Dan 1:8 LSB - [8] But Daniel set in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought [permission] from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

Dan 1:17 LSB - [17] And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and insight in every [branch of] literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all [kinds of] visions and dreams.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dream

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Dan 2:17-18 LSB - 

[17] Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to his friends, to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 

[18] so that they might seek compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Dan 2:20-23 LSB - 

[20] Daniel answered and said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and might belong to Him. 

[21] "And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. 

[22] "He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. 

[23] "To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and might; Even now You have made known to me what we sought from You, For You have made known to us the king's matter."

Daniel Interprets the Dream

Dan 2:44 LSB - [44] "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will cause a kingdom to rise up which will never be destroyed, and [that] kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself stand forever.

Daniel and Friends Promoted

Dan 2:47 LSB - [47] The king answered Daniel and said, "Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries since you have been able to reveal this mystery."

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

We Will Not Serve Your Gods

Dan 3:16-18 LSB - 

[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to respond to you [with] an answer concerning this matter. 

[17] "If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will save us out of your hand, O king. 

[18] "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up."

Daniel’s Friends Delivered

Dan 3:28-29 LSB - 

[28] Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and saved His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's word, and gave up their bodies so as not to serve and not to worship any god except their own God. 

[29] "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or tongue that says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."