Key Theme: Idolatry
[Core Gospel Concepts: Sin, Identity in Christ]
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were close friends of Daniel and were Israelites living in exile in Babylon. They had followed the Lord faithfully and had high positions in Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold thirty meters high and set it up out in a plain in Babylon. He then summoned all the leaders of Babylon to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. They all came and stood before it, and a herald loudly proclaimed, “This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the instruments 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 various sounds of music, all the people fell down and worshiped the image.
There were some people who hated the Jews and were jealous of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so they told the king that these three refused to listen to the king, serve his gods or worship the image of gold he had set up. Nebuchadnezzar was very angry and called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and said to them, “Is it true, 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 instruments 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 the king, “O 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 save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, 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 fully clothed and bound. The furnace was so hot that the fire killed the soldiers who threw them in.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we threw into the fire? 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 leaders crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was the 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 if people of any nation say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they must be completely destroyed, for no other god can save in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Optional Memory Verse: Exodus 20:2-5a: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God...”