The Twelfth Prophesy: Daniel 3: 1-24

The Twelfth Prophesy: Daniel 3: 1-24

We are, after Baptism, protected by God in the midst of all adversities, as were the three young men in the furnace.

In those days, King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nabuchodonosor the king sent to call together the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the statue, which King Nabuchodonosor had set up. Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the princes of the provinces were gathered together to come to the dedication of the statue which King Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they stood before the statue which King Nabuchodonosor had set up. Then a herald cried with a strong voice, To you it is commanded, O nations, tribes, and languages, that in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and of the symphony, and of all kind of music, ye fall down and adore the golden statue which King Nabuchodonosor hath set up. But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire. Upon this, therefore, at the time when all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and adored the golden statue which King Nabuchodonosor had set up. And presently, at that very time, some Chaldeans came, and accused the Jews; and said to King Nabuchodonosor, O king, live forever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man that shall hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate himself, and adore the golden statue; and that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be cast into a furnace of burning fire. Now there are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the works of the province of Babylon; Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago; these men, O king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods; nor do they adore thy gold statue which thou hast set up. Then Nabuchodonosor in fury and in wrath commanded that Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, should be brought; who immediately were brought before the king. And Nabuchodonosor the king spoke to them, and said, It it true, O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the golden statue that I have set up? Now therefore if you be ready, at what hour soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves and adore the statue which I have made; but if you do not adore you shall be cast in the same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the god that shall deliver you out of my hand? Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago answered, and said to King Nabuehodonosor, We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this matter; for behold our God, Whom we worship, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king. But if He will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up. Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with fury; and the countenance of his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago; and he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had been accustomed to be heated. And he commanded the strongest men that were in his army, to bind the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire. And immediately these men were bound, and were cast into the furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their shoes, and their garments. For the kings commandment was urgent: and the furnace was heated exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago. But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down, bound, in the midst of the furnace of burning fire. And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

COLLECT

P. Let us pray.

D. Let us kneel.

S. Arise.

Almighty, eternal God, only hope of the world, Who, by the mouth of Thy prophets hast shown forth the mysteries of the present time, be pleased to give increase to the desires of Thy people, for in none of the faithful do any virtues bear fruit but by Thy inspiration. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. S. Amen.