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Shadrach, Meshach, and AbednegoDear Parents,
This week in The Gospel Project® for Kids, our journey takes us to Babylon during the exile. This week, kids will learn about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—Daniel’s three friends who stayed faithful to the one true God. Nebuchadnezzar built a tall gold statue and issued a new law: “When you hear music, you are to fall down and worship the statue.” Whoever did not bow to the statue would be thrown into a blazing furnace. (Daniel 3:6) So when the music played, all the people bowed down and worshiped the gold statue. Well, almost everyone. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the statue. They loved and worshiped the one true God. Only He was worthy of their worship. The Chaldeans—a group of astrologers and dream interpreters (see Daniel 2:2,4)—told on Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But not even the threat of death could convince the three friends to renounce God. Their trust in God enabled them to stand firm even as they were tied up and thrown into the fire. The Lord not only rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He was with them. Nebuchadnezzar saw four men in the fire, walking around unharmed! Only God could rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire. Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sin. On the cross, people mocked Jesus: “He saved others; He cannot save Himself!” (Mark 15:31). Jesus was not physically unable to save Himself; He chose to do the Father’s will. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided the way for us to be rescued and have eternal life |
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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Daniel 3
Nebuchadnezzar (neb yoo kad NEZ uhr) was the king of Babylon. He did not worship God; he worshiped false gods. Nebuchadnezzar made a tall statue out of gold. It was about as tall as a nine-story building! The statue stood in Babylon where everyone could see it. King Nebuchadnezzar called for all of the important of cials in Babylon to come and stand around the new statue.
Then one of the king’s heralds made an important announcement:
“When you hear the sound of music, you must fall down and worship this gold statue. Anyone who does not obey this rule will be thrown into a ery furnace!”
The rule was for everyone in Babylon. So when the people heard the sound of music, they fell down and worshiped the gold statue like the king commanded. But not everyone bowed down and worshiped the statue. Three men from Judah—who had been renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—refused to bow down to a statue.
Some men went to King Nebuchadnezzar to complain about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They did not like these men from Judah who did not obey their king.
“You have made a rule for all the people,” they reminded the king. “But some of the men from Judah do not bow down and worship your statue.”
This news made King Nebuchadnezzar angry! He called for the men. “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Come here!” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before the king. He asked them, “Is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I set up? If you do not bow down when you hear the music, I will throw you into a ery furnace! Then what god could rescue you from my power?”
The three friends answered, “King, we don’t need to answer your question. If the God we serve exists, He can rescue us from the ery furnace. He can save us from you. But even if God chooses not to rescue us, we won’t serve your gods. And we won’t bow down and worship the King Nebuchadnezzar was angrier than ever! The furnace was already very hot, but King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his workers to make it seven times hotter! He told the strongest soldiers in his army to come and tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the ery furnace. The furnace was so hot that the strong soldiers died when they threw in the three friends. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the furnace all tied up.
Suddenly, King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet. “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the re?”
“Yes, King,” his advisers said.
“Look!” the king shouted. “I see four men walking around in the re. They aren’t tied up, and they aren’t hurt! The fourth man looks like an angel!”
Nebuchadnezzar quickly went to the door of the furnace. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego—servants of the Most High God! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the re. The king and all his of cials looked at them. They had not been hurt by the re at all! Their bodies were not burned, their hair was not burned, and their robes were not burned. They didn’t even smell like they had been near a re!
Nebuchadnezzar praised God. “The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego sent an angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in Him—they were willing to die for Him—and He saved them!”
King Nebuchadnezzar made a new law for all the people. “Anyone who says anything against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God will be punished! No other god can save people like this!” Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego even more important jobs in the kingdom of Babylon.
Christ Connection: Only God could rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the re. Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sin. Jesus’ sacri ce on the cross provided the way for us to be rescued and have eternal life.
Daniel 3
Nebuchadnezzar (neb yoo kad NEZ uhr) was the king of Babylon. He did not worship God; he worshiped false gods. Nebuchadnezzar made a tall statue out of gold. It was about as tall as a nine-story building! The statue stood in Babylon where everyone could see it. King Nebuchadnezzar called for all of the important of cials in Babylon to come and stand around the new statue.
Then one of the king’s heralds made an important announcement:
“When you hear the sound of music, you must fall down and worship this gold statue. Anyone who does not obey this rule will be thrown into a ery furnace!”
The rule was for everyone in Babylon. So when the people heard the sound of music, they fell down and worshiped the gold statue like the king commanded. But not everyone bowed down and worshiped the statue. Three men from Judah—who had been renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—refused to bow down to a statue.
Some men went to King Nebuchadnezzar to complain about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They did not like these men from Judah who did not obey their king.
“You have made a rule for all the people,” they reminded the king. “But some of the men from Judah do not bow down and worship your statue.”
This news made King Nebuchadnezzar angry! He called for the men. “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Come here!” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before the king. He asked them, “Is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I set up? If you do not bow down when you hear the music, I will throw you into a ery furnace! Then what god could rescue you from my power?”
The three friends answered, “King, we don’t need to answer your question. If the God we serve exists, He can rescue us from the ery furnace. He can save us from you. But even if God chooses not to rescue us, we won’t serve your gods. And we won’t bow down and worship the King Nebuchadnezzar was angrier than ever! The furnace was already very hot, but King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his workers to make it seven times hotter! He told the strongest soldiers in his army to come and tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the ery furnace. The furnace was so hot that the strong soldiers died when they threw in the three friends. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the furnace all tied up.
Suddenly, King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet. “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the re?”
“Yes, King,” his advisers said.
“Look!” the king shouted. “I see four men walking around in the re. They aren’t tied up, and they aren’t hurt! The fourth man looks like an angel!”
Nebuchadnezzar quickly went to the door of the furnace. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego—servants of the Most High God! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the re. The king and all his of cials looked at them. They had not been hurt by the re at all! Their bodies were not burned, their hair was not burned, and their robes were not burned. They didn’t even smell like they had been near a re!
Nebuchadnezzar praised God. “The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego sent an angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in Him—they were willing to die for Him—and He saved them!”
King Nebuchadnezzar made a new law for all the people. “Anyone who says anything against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God will be punished! No other god can save people like this!” Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego even more important jobs in the kingdom of Babylon.
Christ Connection: Only God could rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the re. Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sin. Jesus’ sacri ce on the cross provided the way for us to be rescued and have eternal life.