After Nebuchadnezzar sings the praises of the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, he issues a command to be observed in his entire kingdom. No longer are the people required to worship the image that he ordered to be constructed. It is now decreed that the name of the Lord may no longer be used disrespectfully or in vain throughout the kingdom. People are not to speak evil of the Lord. Whoever does so puts his life in jeopardy. Transgression is punishable by death. A powerful pagan king issues here a law for a large part of the world that is in harmony with the third commandment not to take the Lord’s name in vain. The Lord ensures that all the nations in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom recognize that it is not Nebuchadnezzar and his image that should be worshipped. Only the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the Lord the God of heaven, deserves this honour.
What is supposed to lead to a single-focused worship of a man and his image has been reversed by the Lord. He displays who he is. These things do not indicate that Nebuchadnezzar becomes a true believer. Nor is it the case that, with this command from the king, the citizens of his kingdom are called to true service of God. Nebuchadnezzar has not in his heart become obedient to the first and second commandments. Nebuchadnezzar now recognizes the Lord as the most powerful God, but still not as the only one. He even now talks about the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as if there are other gods besides him. The king’s command not to speak disrespectfully of the Lord is only there because, there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.
Nebuchadnezzar does not thereby profess that it is only the Lord who can save. In his mind, the Lord stands out above other gods at this time.
Nebuchadnezzar is impressed with the power of God, and yet he has no sense of guilt or confession. Anyone who is impressed by the power of God, but does not grieve over his or her sins and does not confess them to God does not really know the Lord, and has yet not experienced salvation through Christ. True repentance is still needed.
29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”