The Book of Daniel - Chapter 3

King Nebuchadnezzar created a statue of gold 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide and had it placed in the plain of Dura  (in Babylon).  Now imagine the scope of that even today, a statue of gold 90 feet high and 9 feet wide.  He fashioned it as an idol, to be worshipped.

He called upon all the various government officials under him to appear for the dedication of this massive creation. This was a test of obedience.  When all the advisors, magistrates, judges and all the rest had arrived and assembled before the idol, they were given a command.

"All nations, and all people!  When you hear the sound of a horn or flute, or harp or pipe or all kinds of music, you will fall down and worship this image of gold.  If you do not follow this order to fall and worship, you will be immediately thrown into a blazing furnace!"

Now we can assume one of two things. Or maybe both.

First, the King had a fairly bad inferiority complex. He needed the reassurance of people falling in worship, not just to an idol, but to a massive idol he himself  had created.  Not only did the worship prove they were subservient to the King and his commands, but they showed he was able to control the belief system of the entirety of his kingdom.

Secondly, the king saw this idol as actually an extension of the king himself - so the worship was comforting in that his power were unchallenged. People had that pounded into their head every time any music was played and they were forced to fall and worship.  It was actually a way of having the people worship him without the embarrassment of needing to constantly boastfully bark that order out loud.

Also, we can assume Nebuchadnezzar was not from the "negative reinforcement" school of thought. He didn't just admonish people. Instead, as in the last chapter, he had them cut into pieces or now thrown into a blazing furnace.  Either of those fates makes it hard to show that you've learned your lesson afterward but it was a solid way to know that witnesses had learned their lesson.

So it became the law of the land.  But...Daniel's friends Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshack (Mishael) and Abednego (Azariah) whom Daniel requested be declared administrators over Babylon - refused to follow this order and worship the golden image.

Seeing a chance to remove some competition for royal attention or power, some of the astrologers tattled to the king.

"Check it out, king. Those Jews that you put in administrative positions over Babylon do not follow your orders about worshipping the image of gold, despite your kindness in appointing them. They openly disrespect you - ignoring your orders about serving your gods."

Nebuchadnezzar was livid. This was not acceptable behavior and was especially bad since this act of insubordination was publicly known and appeared as a challenge to his authority. This could not go unpunished or it would encourage further disobediance.

The only real response had to be the blazing furnace he had already declared as the expected punishment when announcing the law. Not following through with his own declaration would be seen by all as a matter of weakness.

So he shouted "Get those guys in here, we're gonna have words."

And those 3 were brought before him.

"Is this true? You purposely ignore my law declaring that you would fall in worship to the golden idol at hearing music?  You know that I have declared it punishable by being tossed into the blazing furnace, right? So - one last chance here, are you going to be able to follow the law, or not? If you can vow that you'll follow my command, I can let this pass as just a stupid mistake on your part. After all, what God is going to deliver you from MY hands?"

As a true slap in the face, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said
"We've nothing to discuss or defend. Our God can easily deliver us from the burning furnace and out of your hands. But even if He chooses not to, we will not serve or worship other gods."

This enraged Nebuchadnezzar. He ordered his men to bind the 3 tightly.
And he commanded that the furnace, while "blazing", wasn't nearly hot enough. He wanted it to be SEVEN times hotter than normal.  So - it's not easy to understand exactly what is to be learned by dying in a HOTTER furnace....dying in any furnace seems to be a fairly solid  lesson. But no matter. Seeing the fury of the king, the fire was stoked until it was so hot, that some of the guys charged with throwing these 3 into the furnace, themselves died from the heat. 

The 3 were stripped of their clothing and that clothing was thrown into the furnace. Then all 3 men were tossed into the raging fire.

The King arrived and said in astonishment, "I thought I told you to bind and then burn these men! What's the deal here? I see FOUR guys in there, not tied up at all. They are in the furnace walking around like they are meeting to chat in a coffee shop and that fourth guy looks like a son of the gods."

Nebuchadnezzar walked over near the door and said, "Hey, get out here right now!"

To the shock of the assembled crowd of officials all 3 of them climbed out of the furnace.
Their hair was not singed, they were not covered in soot and their clothing not burned. Shockingly, they didn't even smell like smoke or fire.

The King said "Blessed be your God who sent angels to deliver his servants. They offered themselves to be killed rather than serve any god but their own."

Then, he decreed, "Anybody who speaks against their God will be torn limb from limb."
Apparently the being burned alive thing had stopped being an effective threat at that point.

"And then their home shall be laid in ruins."

Which would seem to be a lesser concern than being torn limb from limb, however it was in keeping with the general tone of his speech.

Lastly, the King gave all 3 promotions in their positions in the province of Babylon.
("You know, King, I've always had my eye on a corner office...." )