Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego

Introduction:

· Would you bow down to a god other than the One True God?

· What if you were told that you would die if you wouldn’t bow down to it?

· Would you do it?

· We are going to read about some boys who had a choice to make.

o What part of the Bible is Daniel in? Old Testament

o What number book of the Old Testament is Daniel? 27

· Read Daniel 3.

Daniel 3

1. King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue. It was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura near the city of Babylon.

2. Then the king set for the royal rulers, high officials, and governors. He sent for the advisers, treasurers, judges, and court officers. And he sent for all the other officials of Babylon. He asked them to come to a special party to honor the statue that he had set up.

3. So, the royal rulers, high officials, and governors came together. So did the advisers, treasurers, judges, and court officers. All the other officials joined them. They came to honor the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of it.

4. Then a messenger called out loudly, “Listen, you people who come from every nation! Pay attention, you who speak other languages! Here is what the king commands you to do.

5. You will soon hear the sound of horns and flutes. You will hear zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes. In fact, you will hear all kinds of music. When you do, you must fall down and worship the gold statue. That is the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

6. If you don’t, you will be thrown into a blazing furnace right away.”

a. The king made a 90 foot statue.

b. He ordered all of the people to bow down and worship the statue when they heard the music.

c. If they didn’t bow down to the statue, they would die in the blazing furnace.

7. All the people heard the sound of horns and flutes. They heard the zithers, lyres, harps, and other musical instruments. As soon as they did, they fell down and worshipped Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. They were people from all nations no matter what language they spoke.

8. At this time some people who studies the heavens came forward. They spoke against the Jews.

9. They said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, may you live forever!

10. Your Majesty had commanded everyone to fall down and worship the gold statue. You told them to do it when they heard the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, pipes, and other musical instruments.

11. If they didn’t, they would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

12. But you have appointed some Jews to help Daniel govern Babylon and the towns around it. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They don’t pay any attention to you, King Nebuchadnezzar. They don’t serve your gods. And they refuse to worship the gold statue you have set up.”

a. All of the people bowed down to the statue when they heard the music.

b. All, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They didn’t bow down.

13. Nebuchadnezzar was very angry. He sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So, they were brought to him.

14. They king said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is what I heard about you true? Don’t you serve my gods? Don’t you worship the gold statue I set up?

15. You will hear the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, pipes, and other musical instruments. When you do, fall down, and worship the statue I made. If you will, that’s very good. But if you won’t, you will be thrown at once into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to save you from my power?”

16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him. They said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to talk about this anymore.

17. We might be thrown into the blazing furnace. But the God we serve is able to bring us out of it alive. He will save us from your power.

18. But we want you to know this, Your Majesty. Even if we know that our God wouldn’t save us, we still wouldn’t serve your gods. We wouldn’t worship the gold statue you set up.”

19. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was very angry with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The look on his face changed. And he ordered that the furnace be heated up seven times hotter than usual.

20. He also gave some of the strongest soldiers in his army a command. He ordered them to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then he told his men to throw them into the blazing furnace.

a. The king was angry with the three boys that they didn’t obey his command to bow down to the statue.

b. They were brought to the king.

c. They told him that no matter what, they would not bow down to the statue because they serve the One True God.

d. The king had them tied up and ready to throw into the furnace.

21. So, they were tied up. Then they were thrown into the furnace. They were wearing their robes, pants, turbans, and other clothes.

22. The king’s command was carried out quickly. The furnace was so hot that its flames killed the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it.

23. So, the three men were firmly tied up. And they fell into the blazing furnace.

24. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet. He was so amazed he asked his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men? Didn’t we throw three men into the fire?” They replied, Yes, we did, Your Majesty.”

25. The king said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They aren’t tied up. And the fire hasn’t even harmed them. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods.”

26. Then the king approached the opening of the blazing furnace. He shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out! You who serve the Highest God, come here!” So they came out of the fire.

a. They were thrown into the furnace. Everyone expected them to die almost immediately.

b. The king looks into the furnace and sees 4 people in the furnace instead of the 3 they put in.

c. They weren’t harmed at all in the fire. They were walking around ALIVE in the fiery furnace.

d. The 4th man, the king said, looked like the Son of God.

e. The men walked out of the furnace at the command of the king.

27. The royal rulers, high officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire hadn’t harmed their bodies. Not one hair on their heads was burned. Their robes weren’t burned either. And they didn’t even smell like smoke.

28. The Nebuchadnezzar said, “May the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be praised! He has sent his angel and saved his servants. They trusted in him. They refused to obey my command. They were willing to give up their lives. They would rather die than serve or worship any other god except their own God.

29. No other god can save people this way. So, I’m giving an order about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. No one may say anything against him. That’s true no matter what language they speak. If they say anything against him, they’ll be cut to pieces. And their houses will be turned into piles of trash.”

30. Then the king honored Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave them higher positions in the city of Babylon and the towns around it.

a. They weren’t hurt at all in the fire. Not even one hair on their head had been burned.

b. That furnace should have killed them instantly. But God saved them!

c. Everyone praised God for saving Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.