Please read the passage before reading the commenta.
In the interest of brevity, we have given the gist of the story here. The three Jewish young men are usually mentioned by name instead of by pronouns. The same is true of the musical instruments and the. This helps create a sense of buffoonery and satire in the story.
So much for us, when we build giant, but ugly statues of ourselves, hide behind invisible clothes, and engage giant orchestras to broadcast our favorite self. It is the same when we have massive bon fires that hurt our friends in order to get rid of our enemies.
Some would call Nebuchadnezzar a very insecure and immature person who needed to have bombastic symbols of what he would have liked to have been.
The three youth did not defend themselves; they left the defense to God. They seemed secure in their belief and way of living. They did call out the king’s behavior, and they won the day.
Which are we? Nebuchadnezzar wanted to make himself great, one remembered by history. If he is remembered by history, it is primarily from caricatures of himself. If we are the three youths, we are remembered for the quiet dignity we have, one that does not need to win arguments or prove points.
Lent is almost. This is the time to get ourselves in order, obedient to God and truth. It is God who can deliver us out of the hotspots of our lives and give us tranquility as we interact with others. It is God who will bring us home at last to God’s glory.