In a great country, there was a powerful king. His name was Nebuchadnezzar. One day, the king had a huge golden statue built. She shone in the sun. The king said, “All must prostrate themselves before my statue and worship it. If you don’t, you’ll be thrown into the fire!”
Three men also lived in this city. They were called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They loved God and worshiped only Him. “We don’t kneel down in front of the statue,” they said courageously.
Some people ran to the king and said, “These men do not obey you!” The king became very, very angry. His face turned red with anger. “Throw them into the fire!” he cried.
The king’s servants made the fire hotter and hotter. It blazed high like a great dragon of flames. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and thrown into the fiery furnace!
But suddenly the king cried out in fright: “Look! Weren’t there three men? But I see four! And the fourth looks like it comes from God!”
The flames danced around the men, but they did them no harm. Not a hair burned, her clothes remained intact! God had protected her.
Then the king cried, “Come out!” And when they got out of the fire, everyone was amazed. “Their God is the true God,” said the King. “He saved you because you remained faithful to Him!”
From that day on, the king knew that the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was mighty and good.
Questions to think about
Have you ever done something that was right but difficult?
Do you believe that God is always with you?
Message of history
God is always there, even when things get hard. He protects those who trust him!
Bible passage
The story of Daniel and the three men in the pit of fire is found in Daniel 3:1-30.
Daniel 3:1-30 (Schlachter 2000):
*”King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide, and had it set up in the plain of Dura in the region of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent to assemble the satraps, rulers and governors, the councillors, treasurers, judges, police officers, and all the commanders of the provinces, that they might come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, rectors and governors, the councillors, treasurers, judges, police officers, and all the commanders of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.
And the herald cried out with a mighty voice, “You are commanded, peoples, tribes, and tongues: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the harp, the psalter, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.” But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown immediately into the fiery furnace. Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the harp, the psalter, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, tribes, and tongues fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Therefore, at the same time, Chaldean men came up and sued the Jews. They began and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!” You, O king, have given orders that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the harp, the psalter, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, should fall down and worship the golden image; but whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the fiery furnace. Now there are Jewish men to whom you have entrusted the administration of the province of Babel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, pay no heed to you: they do not worship your gods, and they do not worship the golden image that you have set up.
Then Nebuchadnezzar, with fierce anger, commanded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought. Then those men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar began and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my gods, and do not worship the golden image that I have set up?” Now, are you ready, as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the harp, the psalter, the bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the picture that I have made? But if you do not worship it, you shall immediately be thrown into the fiery furnace! And who is the God who could deliver you out of my hand?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to answer you a word about this.” If it is so, our God, whom we serve, can deliver us from the fiery furnace, and He will certainly deliver us out of Your hand, O King! And if he does not, you shall know, O king, that we will not serve your gods and will not worship the golden image that you have set up.
Then Nebuchadnezzar became full of rage, and the expression of his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered that the stove should be heated seven times hotter than was usually the case. And he commanded the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and throw them into the fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, skirts, turbans, and other garments, and thrown into the fiery furnace. Because the king’s command was so strict, and the furnace was heated excessively, the flame of fire slew the men who brought Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the fiery furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was terrified, and started up hastily and asked his councillors, “Have we not had three men bound thrown into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king! He answered and said, “Behold, I see four men walking free in the midst of the fire, and they have suffered no harm; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods!
Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the entrance of the fiery furnace and lifted up and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, go out and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. And the satraps, rulers, governors, and councillors of the king assembled; they saw these men that the fire had no power over their bodies, that not a hair of their heads was singed, and that their cloaks were not damaged, nay, there was not even a smell of burning on them!
Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke up and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent his angel and saved his servants, who trusted in him, and transgressed the king’s commandment, and gave up their bodies, because they would not worship any other god, and would not worship him but their God.” So let this be my command: Whoever among all peoples, tribes, and tongues speaks anything wicked against the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, he shall be cut to pieces, and his house made into a dunghill; for there is no other God who can save like that!
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.” *
