The image rasied up by Nebuchadnezzar, was most likely, due to it's dimensions, and obelisk like shape, it was used by the king to test the allegiance of his servants and was most likely a political rather than spiritual device. The three Hebrew men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow to the image as it violated the second commandment, they knew the penalty would probably have resulted in their death yet they obeyed God and not man. They faced tremendous pressure when brought before the king himself and asked if the allegations of their 'betrayel' were true, they stuck to their ground and told him they wouldn't bow and that God could deliver them even out of Nebuchadnezzars hand. For this they were cast into the firey furnace, here the original text implies that they began to sing and praise the Lord and Nebuchadnezzar saw the Lord Jesus with them in the midst of the fiery trial, there is nothing in the text to shwo that they saw the Lord there, but He was there and the trial only served to release them from their bondage.
