Daniels Friends Disobey The King
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?
Shadrach Meshach And Abednego
- The Bible story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego unfolds in Daniel 3:830.
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were friends of Daniel and fellow Hebrew captives taken to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel, who served as chief governor over Babylon, put his three comrades in positions of high importance.
- The lesson of the story is that believers must be ready and willing to serve the Lord whether in life or by death.
- Sometimes martyrdom fulfills God’s plan and other times divine intervention better accomplished his purpose.
Shadrach Meshach And Abednego Lesson Guide
Talk about how Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, andAbednego were young men when they were taken from their homes. Explain thatthey were taken to another land and made to serve the king there. Talk abouthow the people in this foreign land did not know, love or obey God.
Explain there are still many people who do not knowor obey God. Some live-in foreign lands, and others live in our own homecountries. Remind the child that no matter where we are, we should stand forGod. You may select someone you know or have heard of who stands for God andhelp the child say a prayer for them. This can be anyone from a missionary to apastor to a relative or friend.
Think about ways that we can stand for God. Talkabout how Daniel and his friends refused to eat the food God told them not toeat. Talk abouthow Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden idol.Talk about ways we can stand for God. Sit your child in a chair. Explain thatyou are going to read some actions. If they think it is an action God wouldlike, they should stand up. If it is an action God would hate, they should stayseated. Begin listing different items like, praying, stealing, lying, helpingothers, etc. If your child is old enough, you may let them take a turn listingitems. Read I Corinthians 10:31. Talk about how everything we do should be forGods glory.
Pray with your child and thank God for always beingwith us. Praise God that He can help us overcome obstacles.
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Promotion After The Fire
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego exited the fire, they received a promotion. King Nebuchadnezzar saw the goodness and favour of God on their lives and promoted them in his worldly kingdom .
The fire may have been your greatest test, but on the other side you will see promotion. You will experience spiritual promotion, for fire always refines. You may also encounter physical promotion in your job and experience greater favor with those you know. Others will recognize the goodness of God through your faith.
If the fires of life are threatening, take heart. The miracle of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is a miracle for you too. Be fully persuaded. Believe the promise, so when the pressure increases, you receive protection and ultimately promotion.
Don’t give up. Your miracle is in the fire.
I’m Sarah Coleman, an Aussie passionate about Jesus & family. Through blogs and books I minister life and encouragement. Download my FREE eBook, Be Amazing: You Know You Want To. Find more of my thoughts at sarahcoleman.com.au.
A Question For Reflection
Who was the fourth man Nebuchadnezzar saw in the flames? Bible scholars believe he was either an angel or a manifestation of Christ. Regardless, his appearance was miraculous, a heavenly bodyguard sent by God to protect Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego during their intense time of need.
God’s miraculous intervention in a moment of crisis is not always promised. If it were, believers would not need to exercise faith. The lesson here is that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God and were determined to be faithful without any guarantee of deliverance. They had no assurance they would survive the flames, but they stood firm anyway.
Today’s Christians might not be threatened by fiery death, but many are tested nonetheless. Those facing tough times might look to this story for inspiration, knowing that it is possible to stand firm in their faith even if God does not come to their rescue.
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The Siege Of Jerusalem
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace takes place about 600 years before Jesus Christ was born when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem and took captive many of Israel’s finest citizens. Among those deported to Babylon were four young men from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Once in captivity, the youths were given new names. Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was renamed Shadrach, Mishael was assigned Meshach, and Azariah was named Abednego.
These four Hebrew youths soon proved themselves to be exceptionally wise. As a result, they found favor with King Nebuchadnezzar. When Daniel turned out to be the only man capable of interpreting one of Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dreams, the king placed him in a high position over the whole province of Babylon, including over all of the wise men of the land. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Daniel’s advisors.
Lesson #: Protection In The Fire
When Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fire, their chains broke, Jesus walked with them, and they did not smell of smoke .
When you walk through the fire, chains will break. Satan has used your situation to keep you living a small and contained life. No longer! Chains break in the fire.
According to the promise of Isaiah 43, Jesus will walk with you in the fire. Whatever the trouble or trial may be, you will have a tangible sense of his presence. Jesus reveals himself in the fire. Watch for deeper revelation and worship experiences in your life.
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They Would Not Bow Down
DO YOU remember hearing about these three young men? Yes, they are the friends of Daniel who refused to eat what was not good for them. The Babylonians called them Shadrach, Meshach and A·bedne·go. But look at them now. Why arent they bowing down to this huge image like everyone else? Lets find out.
Do you remember the laws that Jehovah himself wrote called the Ten Commandments? The first one of these is: You must not worship any other gods except me. The young men here are obeying this law, even though it is not an easy thing to do.
Neb·u·chad·nezzar, the king of Babylon, has called many important people to honor this image that he has set up. He has just finished saying to all the people: When you hear the sound of the horns, the harps and the other musical instruments, you are to bow down and worship this gold image. Anyone who does not bow down and worship will be thrown into a burning hot furnace right away.
When Neb·u·chad·nezzar learns that Shadrach, Meshach and A·bedne·go have not bowed down, he is very angry. He has them brought to him. He gives them another chance to bow down. But the young men trust in Jehovah. Our God whom we serve is able to save us, they tell Neb·u·chad·nezzar. But even if he does not save us, we will not bow down to your image of gold.
The king looks into the furnace, and becomes very much afraid. Didnt we tie up three men and throw them into the burning hot furnace? he asks.
Yes, we did, his servants answer.
The Story Of Shadrach Meshach And Abednego
Life isn’t easy, and sometimes it deals you a rotten hand. Don’t succumb to the weight of it all find hope in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Because what you need is a miracle in the fire. Here are 5 lessons from the Bible story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that we can apply to our own faith.
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Worship Of A Golden Statue
King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden image built as a symbol of his power and glory. He then commanded his people to bow down and worship this image whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald. Those who disobeyed the order would be thrown into an immense, blazing furnace.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, however, worshipped only the One True God, and they refused to bow down to the false idol. They were brought before Nebuchadnezzar to face their fate but remained courageous in the face of the king’s demand to bow down before the golden statue. They said:
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Furious, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than average. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and cast into the flames. The fiery blast was so hot it killed the soldiers who had escorted them.
Teaching Plan: Shadrach Meshach And Abednego
Welcome Activity: Welcome activities are things to have out for the children to do as they are arriving for class. These activities will get them engaged as soon as they arrive and will help the transition from their parents.
- Have the children make a picture of fire using construction paper.
Lesson 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 wouldnt bow down to it? Would you do it? We are going to read about some men that had that choice to make.
- What part of the Bible is Daniel in? The Old Testament
- What book of the Old Testament is Daniel? #27
- The king made a 90 foot statue.
- He ordered all of his people to bow down and worship the statue when they hear the music.
- If they didnt bow down to the statue, they would die in the blazing furnace.
- All of the people bowed down to the statue when they heard the music.
- All, but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They didnt bow.
- The king was angry with the 3 that didnt obey his command to bow to the statue.
- They were brought to him.
- They tell him that they wont bow to the statue because they serve the One True God.
- The king has them tied up and get ready to be put into the furnace.
- They hadnt been hurt at all. Not even one hair on their heads had been burned!
- That furnace should have killed them instantly! God saved them!
- Everyone praised God because He saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
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Important Life Lessons We Learn From The Lives Of Shadrach Meshach And Abednego
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Bible is full of inspiration and powerful lessons for us to learn from. The story can be found in the book of Daniel Ch 3 and tells us about three men who stood by the truth even at the point of death.
Let us learn some important lessons from the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
1. Be excellent
These three young men were excellent in all they did and that is why they were sought out by the rulers of the kingdom they were in. The young men were serving a ruler who had killed their family members and taken them as slaves.
They did not agree with his policies or his values but chose to honor God and serve with excellence. It was their excellence that had given them a platform to speak before the king. IWhen you excel at work, home, church or in the community, it gives you a platform from where you can speak to others about God.
2. Trials build you up
When you go through difficult times it doesnt mean that God is absent or is punishing you for something. He has bigger and better plans for your life and allows you to go through difficult times sometimes to work on areas of your life that you are weak in.
Christians feel that God is punishing them for some sins they have committed when trials and tribulations enter their lives but that is all part of Gods bigger plan for your life and thats a time for building up your faith in Him.
3. Give God the glory through your testimony
4. Look for Jesus
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Fiery Lessons From The Story Of Shadrach Meshach And Abednego
Long ago there were three Hebrews – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who lived righteous lives, yet things didn’t go so well for them. They encountered evil, but rather than succumb like everyone else around them, they challenged their situation. At first matters only became worse, but in the end they came through smelling like roses.
Life isn’t easy, and sometimes it deals you a rotten hand. Don’t succumb to the weight of it all find hope in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Because what you need is a miracle in the fire. Here are 5 lessons from the Bible story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that we can apply to our own faith.
The Pressure Will Come
You might expect a fully persuaded attitude would cause breakthrough. Not necessarily. When Nebuchadnezzar heard Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s words of defiance, he did not back down either. He turned up the pressure. Things got even hotter .
Things may be heating up in your life – divorce, custody battles, sickness, mental illness. You took a stand for God but things just got worse. You found yourself staring down a fire. A fire like none you’ve seen. You thought God would save you from the fire. You prayed God would save you from the fire. But it remains.
Don’t despair. Because when the devil turns up the heat, God does too.
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Lesson #: Promotion After The Fire
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego exited the fire, they received a promotion. King Nebuchadnezzar saw the goodness and favour of God on their lives and promoted them in his worldly kingdom .
The fire may have been your greatest test, but on the other side you will see promotion. You will experience spiritual promotion, for fire always refines. You may also encounter physical promotion in your job and experience greater favor with those you know. Others will recognize the goodness of God through your faith.
If the fires of life are threatening, take heart. The miracle of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is a miracle for you too. Be fully persuaded. Believe the promise, so when the pressure increases, you receive protection and ultimately promotion.
Don’t give up. Your miracle is in the fire.
I’m Sarah Coleman, an Aussie passionate about Jesus & family. Through blogs and books, I minister life and encouragement. Check out my book, Be Amazing: You Know You Want To.
Lesson #: The Promise In The Fire
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you I have called you by your name You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you .
God isn’t going to save you from the fire. He will bring you through it. When you walk through the fire of cancer, sickness, divorce, financial ruin – you shall not be burned.
Nebuchadnezzar made the fire so hot it killed some of his strongest soldiers . Fire is deadly – for some. But you will not be truly burned. If you are fully persuaded of the promises of God, you will not be destroyed.
You expected the miracle outside the fire. You thought God would save you before things went that far. But for you, the miracle is in the fire.
Like it was for three Hebrews.
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