The Three Friends in the Furnace
Ilumi Kids · Stories
In the land of Babylon, there lived a very powerful king named Nebuchadnezzar. He built a giant statue, all made of shiny gold, that was as tall as a building!
The king gave an order to all the people: 'When you hear the sound of the trumpets, flutes, and harps, everyone must bow down and worship my gold statue!' But three brave friends, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, loved God more than anything.
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered everyone to worship a gold statue. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, because they worshiped only God. They were thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. The king saw four men walking in the fire, and the fourth looked like an angel. They came out without a single hair singed or any smell of smoke.
Where it is in the Bible: Daniel 3
Being faithful to God is worth it, even when everyone else does the opposite; he is with us in the fire.
After reading, use these questions to help your child remember and apply the story.
In the land of Babylon, there lived a very powerful king named Nebuchadnezzar. He built a giant statue, all made of shiny gold, that was as tall as a building!
The king gave an order to all the people: 'When you hear the sound of the trumpets, flutes, and harps, everyone must bow down and worship my gold statue!' But three brave friends, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, loved God more than anything.
The music began to play all over the city. Everyone knelt with their faces to the ground before the golden statue. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained standing, looking up at the sky.
They knew they should only worship the one true God. Some people who didn't like them saw this and ran to tell the king.
King Nebuchadnezzar became very, very angry! He called the three friends and gave them one more chance, but they answered bravely.
They said that their God could save them from the hot furnace. But even if God chose not to save them, they still would not worship the gold statue.
The three friends: Oh king, our God can save us. But even if He doesn't, we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue.
The king's fury was so great that he commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. The fire was so strong that flames shot out of the opening. The king's strongest soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and threw them inside.
The fire was so hot that the soldiers who threw them into the furnace died from the flames. It seemed like the end for the three friends faithful to God.
Suddenly, the king stood up in shock and looked inside the furnace. He saw not three, but four men walking calmly in the middle of the fire, not getting burned! And the fourth man looked like an angel, shining like light.
The king shouted for them to come out, and they came out without any smell of smoke and not a single hair burned. That day, the king learned that the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was the most powerful of all.
Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent his angel and saved his servants! — Daniel 3:28
