3 - examples from the Old Testament (Daniel Amos Jonah)

 

1. Three times daily Daniel prayed in Daniel 6:10, 13 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Dan_6:13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."
2. Three weeeks Daniel mourned in Daniel 10:2, 3 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
3. Three kings prophesied in Daniel 11:2 Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
4. Three sins, even four mentioned in Amos 1:3, 6 This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, ... This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent. Because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom, ....
5. Three sins, even four mentioned in Amos 1:9, 11 This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not relent. Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom, disregarding a treaty of brotherhood, ... This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not relent. Because he pursued his brother with a sword and slaughtered the women of the land, because his anger raged continually and his fury flamed unchecked, ....
6. Three sins, even four mentioned in Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not relent. Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders,
7. Three sins, even four mentioned in Amos 2:1 This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent. Because he burned to ashes the bones of Edom's king, ... 
8. Three sins, even four mentioned in Amos 2:4, 6 This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not relent. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, ... 6 This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.
9. Three days and three nights, the time Jonah was in the huge fish, Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
10. Three days - the time it took to go round Ninevaeh, Jonah 3:3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.

5 Qualities of the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's second dream in Daniel 4

Daniel 4:10-12

These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 

Its leaves were beautiful,

its fruit abundant,

and on it was food for all.

Under it the wild animals found shelter,

and the birds lived in its branches;

from it every creature was fed.

Dan 4:20, 21

The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,

with beautiful leaves

and abundant fruit,

providing food for all,

giving shelter to the wild animals,

and having nesting places in its branches for the birds - ...

3 Rewards promised by Belshazzar in Daniel 5

Daniel 5:7

The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means

will be clothed in purple

and have a gold chain placed around his neck,

and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." 

Daniel 5:16, 17

Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you

will be clothed in purple

and have a gold chain placed around your neck,

and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom." 

Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.

Daniel 5:29 
Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel

was clothed in purple,
a gold chain was placed around his neck,
and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 

6 materials from which idols were made as found in Daniel 5

Daniel 5:4
As they drank the wine, they praised the gods

of gold
and silver,
of bronze,
iron,
wood
and stone. 

Daniel 5:23

Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods

of silver

and gold,

of bronze,

iron,

wood and stone,

which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honour the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

5 types of leader in Persia mentioned in Daniel 6:7

Daniel 6:7

The royal administrators,

prefects,

satraps,

advisers

and governors

have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den.

3 friends, the heroes of Daniel 3

In Daniel 3:8-30 DAniel's three friends are singled out 11 times

At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - 

who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true,

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

replied to him, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, Your Majesty." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted,

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

6 musical instruments listed in Daniel 3

Daniel 3:4-15

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of

the horn,

flute,

zither,

lyre,

harp,

pipe

and all kinds of music,

you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of

the horn,

flute,

zither,

lyre,

harp,

(pipe not mentioned the second time)

and all kinds of music,

all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.  9  They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "May the king live forever!  Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of

the horn,

flute,

zither,

lyre,

harp,

pipe

and all kinds of music,

must fall down and worship the image of gold,  and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.  But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."  Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,  and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?  Now when you hear the sound of 

the horn,

flute,

zither,

lyre,

harp,

pipe

and all kinds of music,

if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

8 sorts of provincial official listed in Daniel 3

Daniel 3:1-3

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned

the satraps,

prefects,

governors,

advisers,

treasurers,

judges,

magistrates

and all the other provincial officials

to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So

the satraps,

prefects,

governors,

advisers,

treasurers,

judges,

magistrates

and all the other provincial officials

assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
Also in verse 27 we read that

the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around

Shadrach, Meshach adn Abednego.