Old/New Testament

The False God Made of Gold

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an object of gold which looked like a god. It was fifteen times taller than a man, and as wide as three long steps. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the land of Babylon. ² Then Nebuchadnezzar called together all the captains, leaders, rulers, wise men, money-keepers, judges, and law-keepers of Babylon’s lands. He called them to come to the first showing of the object that he had set up. ³ So all the captains, leaders, rulers, wise men, money-keepers, judges, and law-keepers of Babylon’s lands were gathered together for the special time of setting apart this object Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood in front of it. ⁴ Then the man who spread news for the king said in a loud voice, “This is what you must do, O people of every nation and language: ⁵ When you hear the sound of the horns and harps, and all kinds of music, you are to get down on your knees and worship the object of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ Whoever does not get down and worship will be thrown at once into the big and hot fire.” ⁷ Then all the people heard the sound of the horns and harps and all kinds of music. All the people of every nation and language got down and worshiped the object of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Daniel’s Friends Do Not Obey the King

⁸ At this time certain ones who learned from stars came up and spoke against the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You yourself, O king, have made a law that every man who hears the sound of the horns and harps and all kinds of music is to get down on his knees and worship the object of gold. ¹¹ And whoever does not get down and worship must be thrown into the big and hot fire. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have chosen as leaders over the land of Babylon. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These men have not listened to you, O king. They do not serve your gods or worship the object of gold which you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar became very angry and called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. And they were brought to the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the object of gold that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready to get down on your knees and worship the object I have made when you hear the sound of the horns and harps and all kinds of music, very well. But if you will not worship, you will be thrown at once into the fire. And what god is able to save you from my hands?” ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer to this question. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the fire, our God Whom we serve is able to save us from it. And He will save us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the object of gold that you have set up.”

Daniel’s Friends Come Out of the Fire Alive

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger, and he looked at Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego with an angry face. He had the fire made seven times hotter than it was. ²⁰ And he told certain powerful soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, and to throw them into the fire. ²¹ So the men were tied up in their coats and head-coverings and their other clothes, and were thrown into the fire. ²² Because the king had spoken that the fire was to be very hot, those men who put Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego into the fire were killed by the fire. ²³ The three men were still tied up when they fell into the fire.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was very surprised and stood up in a hurry. He said to his leaders, “Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the fire?” They answered, “That is true, O king.” ²⁵ He said, “Look! I see four men loose and walking about in the fire without being hurt! And the fourth one looks like a son of the gods (or the Son of God)!”

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door where the fire was burning, and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the fire. ²⁷ The captains, leaders, rulers, and the king’s important men gathered around and saw that the fire had not hurt the bodies of these three men. Their hair was not burned. Their clothes were not burned. They did not even smell like fire.

²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He has sent His angel and saved His servants who put their trust in Him. They changed the king’s word and were ready to give up their lives instead of serving or worshiping any god except their own God. ²⁹ So I now make a law that if any people of any nation or language say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, they will be torn apart and their houses will be laid waste. For there is no other god who is able to save in this way.” ³⁰ Then the king made Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego very important in the land of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 King Nebuchadnezzar sent this letter to all the people of every nation and language who live in all the world: “May you have much peace! ² I am pleased to tell you about the wonderful things which the Most High God has done for me. ³ How great are the special things He shows us! How powerful are His wonderful works! His nation lasts forever, and His rule is for all people for all time.

⁴ “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house. Everything was going well for me there. ⁵ But I had a dream that made me afraid. As I lay on my bed the pictures that passed through my mind filled me with fear. ⁶ So I called for all the wise men of Babylon to come and tell me the meaning of my dream. ⁷ Then the wonder-workers, those who learn from stars, and those who use their secret ways, came in. I told them about the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. ⁸ At last Daniel came to me, who was given the name Belteshazzar after the name of my god. A spirit of the holy gods is in him, and I told him about my dream. I said, ⁹ ‘O Belteshazzar, head of the wonder-workers, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no secret is hidden from you. So tell me what dream I had, and what it means. ¹⁰ This is what I saw in my mind as I lay on my bed: I saw a tree in the center of the land. It was very tall. ¹¹ The tree grew and became strong. Its top went up to the sky, and it could be seen to the end of the whole earth. ¹² Its leaves were beautiful and it had much fruit. It had enough food for everyone. The wild animals of the field rested in its shadow. The birds of the air lived in its branches. And every living thing was fed from it.

¹³ ‘In the dreams I had as I lay on my bed, I looked and saw an angel who kept watch. He was a holy one who came down from heaven. ¹⁴ He said in a loud voice, “Cut down the tree and cut off its branches. Tear off its leaves and throw away its fruit. Let the animals run from under it and the birds fly from its branches. ¹⁵ Yet leave the base of the tree with its roots in the ground, and tie a chain of iron and brass around it. Leave it there in the new grass of the field. Let him be wet with the water from heaven on the grass in the early morning. Let him share with the wild animals in the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and for seven years let him have the mind of an animal. ¹⁷ This penalty is by the law of the angels who keep watch. This is what the holy ones have decided, so that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the nation of all people. He gives it to whomever He wants, and lets the least important of men rule over it.” ¹⁸ This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means. None of the wise men in my nation can tell me what it means, but you can. For the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Tells the Meaning of the Second Dream

¹⁹ “Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was afraid for a while. His thoughts filled him with fear. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not be afraid of the dream or its meaning.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, if only the dream and its meaning had to do with those who hate you and fight against you! ²⁰ You saw the tree which grew large and strong, whose top went up to the sky and could be seen over all the earth. ²¹ Its leaves were beautiful and it had much fruit, enough food for all. Wild animals of the field rested under it, and birds of the air lived in its branches. ²² This tree is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your power has become great and has gone up to the sky, and your rule has gone to the end of the earth. ²³ The king saw an angel who kept watch, a holy one coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. Yet leave its base with its roots in the ground. Put a chain of iron and brass around it and leave it in the new grass of the field. And let him be wet with the water from heaven on the grass in the early morning. Let him share with the wild animals of the field for seven years.” ²⁴ This is what it means, O king. This is what the Most High said would happen to my lord the king: ²⁵ You will be driven away from all people and will live with the wild animals of the field. You will eat grass like cattle and become wet with the water from heaven. Seven years will pass until you understand that the Most High is ruler over the nations of men, and gives them to whomever He wants. ²⁶ It was said that the base of the tree and its roots must be left. This means that your nation will be returned to you after you understand that it is Heaven that rules. ²⁷ So, O king, may my words be pleasing to you. Turn away from your sins by doing what is right and good. Turn away from your wrong-doing by being kind to the poor. Then it may be that things will keep going well for you.’

The King Loses Everything

²⁸ “All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of his beautiful house in Babylon. ³⁰ And he said, ‘Is not this the great Babylon which I have built as a beautiful place for the king? I have built it by my great strength and for the greatness of my power.’ ³¹ Before the king was finished speaking, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: Your power over the nation has been taken from you. ³² You will be driven away from all people and will live with the wild animals of the field. You will eat grass like cattle. And seven years will pass until you understand that the Most High is ruler over the nations of men, and gives them to whomever He wants.’ ³³ At once these words about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven away from all people and began eating grass like cattle. His body became wet with the water from heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails like those of birds.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

³⁴ “But at the end of that time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven and my understanding returned to me. And I gave thanks to the Most High and praised and honored Him Who lives forever. For His nation lasts forever, and His rule is for all people for all time. ³⁵ All the people of the earth are thought of as nothing. He does as He pleases with the angels of heaven and the people of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ³⁶ At that time my understanding returned to me. And my honor and power were returned to me for the greatness of my nation. My wise men and my leaders began looking for me, and I was made king again, with even more greatness added to me. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor the King of heaven. For all His works are true and His ways are right. And He is able to bring down those who walk in pride.”

5 The person who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. The person who loves the Father loves His children also. ² This is the way we know we love God’s children. It is when we love God and obey His Word. ³ Loving God means to obey His Word, and His Word is not hard to obey. ⁴ Every child of God has power over the sins of the world. The way we have power over the sins of the world is by our faith. ⁵ Who could have power over the world except by believing that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ Jesus Christ came by water and blood. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. The Holy Spirit speaks about this and He is truth. ⁷ There are three Who speak of this in heaven: the Father and the Word and the Holy Spirit. These three are one. ⁸ There are three who speak of this on the earth: the Holy Spirit and the water and the blood. These three speak the same thing. ⁹ If we believe what men say, we can be sure what God says is more important. God has spoken as He has told us about His Son. ¹⁰ The person who puts his trust in God’s Son knows in his own heart that Jesus is the Son of God. The person who does not have his trust in God’s Son makes God a liar. It is because he has not believed the word God spoke about His Son. ¹¹ This is the word He spoke: God gave us life that lasts forever, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He that has the Son has life. He that does not have the Son of God does not have life.

¹³ I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God. Now you can know you have life that lasts forever. ¹⁴ We are sure that if we ask anything that He wants us to have, He will hear us. ¹⁵ If we are sure He hears us when we ask, we can be sure He will give us what we ask for. ¹⁶ You may see a Christian brother sinning in a way that does not lead to death. You should pray for him. God will give him life unless he has done that sin that leads to death. There is a sin that leads to death. There is no reason to pray for him if he has done that sin. ¹⁷ Every kind of wrong-doing is sin. But there is a sin that does not lead to death. ¹⁸ We know that no child of God keeps on sinning. The Son of God watches over him and the devil cannot get near him. ¹⁹ We know that we belong to God, but the whole world is under the power of the devil. ²⁰ We know God’s Son has come. He has given us the understanding to know Him Who is the true God. We are joined together with the true God through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the life that lasts forever. ²¹ My children, keep yourselves from false gods.