VERSES: Daniel 3:1-30
MEMORY VERSE: Daniel 3:17 "...our God whom we serve is able to deliver from the burning fiery furnace..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: 1 Timothy. Write "1 Timothy" on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of Bible class to take home to memorize.
PRAYER: Thank God that we serve a God who can deliver us from evil.
SPECIAL SONG: No, Not One (see June - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog. Click orange circle for tune.)
VISUAL AID: TV Box (see February - Visual Aid #1 on this blog for instructions)
LESSON POINTS:
- We remember that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken into Babylonian captivity and were living in the palace as servants. Ever since Daniel had interpreted the king of Babylon's dream, the four friends had been promoted to the important job of overseeing the affairs of Babylon.
- King Nebuchadnezzar decided to create a HUGE golden image in the middle of the Plain of Dura in Babylon. The image was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide and was made of pure gold. After the king had the image set up for all to see, he invited all of the important people--the judges, governors, captains, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and rulers--to the dedication of the image. When all the people arrived and were all standing in front of the image, the king had a herald, who was a person who shouted out the king's commands, announce that when all the people heard the music of many different instruments play, then the people were to bow down and worship the image. Whoever did NOT fall down and worship the image would be cast into a burning, fiery furnace.
- Soon, the music played and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did NOT fall down and worship the idol. Some of the Chaldeans, who had seen the three friends not fall down and worship the image,went straight to the king and told on the three men. The king was very angry and went into a rage. He commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him. He asked them if they served Babylon's gods and the golden image that he had set up. He asked them if they knew that if they did not worship the golden image then they would be thrown into the burning, fiery furnace. The three men answered the king, "We are not worried, King. Our God is able to deliver us from your fiery furnace and from your hand if necessary. But, if He chooses not to save us, then let it be known to you that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you set up."
- The king was tremendously angry and full of fury! His face showed how angry he was at the three men. He commanded that the furnace be turned up SEVEN times greater than it had been! Then he commanded the strongest and mightiest soldiers in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the burning, fiery furnace. Now, the three men still had their coats, hats, and other clothes on when they were thrown into the furnace. Because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been turned up so much, every one of the soldiers who had bound and thrown Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace died. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abenego fell into the burning, fiery furnace still bound up.
- Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and hurried in to see his governors and asked them, "Didn't we throw THREE men bound into the fiery furnace?" They answered the king, "Yes, that is true, O, king!" Then the king said, "I see FOUR men walking about in the middle of the fire. They are not even hurt! And the fourth man looks like the Son of God!" The king went to the mouth of the furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the servants of the Most High God! Come out of the middle of the fire!" And the three friends came out of the furnace unharmed. All the important people and the king saw that the fire had no effect on the men that had been inside the furnace. There was not a hair on their head singed, their coats had not been burnt even a little bit, and they did not even smell like smoke!
- King Neduchadnezzar was humbled and said, " Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel, and delivered his servants who had trusted in Him, have changed the king's words, and only served the LORD God. Therefore, I make a decree that if anyone speak anything against their God, they shall be cut into pieces and shall lose their home because there is no other God who can deliver like this!"
- Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all promoted again to a higher job in Babylon.
- It is true what the king said. There is no other God like the LORD God. He is the only one who could save these three men in this way. This miracle showed that God was the true God and could do anything!
"Older Student" Tips:
- The furnace must have had some way to see inside from the outside because the king said he saw four men walking about in the middle of the furnace.
- Miracles like this one always proved that God was the One True God.
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had complete faith in God to save them from this terrible situation. They believed that if the LORD would not save them, then it was His will. They believed in God with their whole heart just like we should.
- When the king called the men from the mouth of the furnace and said that they were the servants of the Most High God, how did King Nebuchadnezzar know about the Most High God? Daniel, who was in the palace and had impressed the king with his wisdom and interpreting of dreams must have mentioned the Most High God (Daniel 2:28).
ACTIVITY: The Fiery Furnace
Materials needed: 6" x 12" black construction paper, 4" x 4" black construction paper, 6" x 12" red foil, glue, scissors, tape, white crayon.
- Hand out 6" x 12" black paper.
- Fold paper in half; fold in half again.
- Unfold paper.
- Draw a square in second panel of black paper.
- Cut out square.
- With white crayon, write "FURNACE" above the square.
- With white crayon, write "Daniel 3" below the window.
- Set black paper aside. This is the furnace.
- Hand out red foil.
- Fold foil in half; fold in half again.
- Cut jagged edges on edge of foil like grass.
- Unfold red foil.
- Glue red foil inside black furnace.
- Trim foil in window, so there is no foil in the window area. Set aside.
- Hand out 4" x 4" black paper.
- With white crayon, draw four men without faces, just the silhouette.
- Cut out four men.
- Glue men on the foil on the fourth panel. You should be able to see the men through the window.
- Fold outside edges of black edges, so they meet together in the middle.
- Secure with tape, so the black paper forms a box when it stands up on a table.
