Fiery Furnace Series

Fiery Furnace

There was in the land of Judah a wicked king-named Jehoiakim, son of the good Josiah. While Jehoiakim was ruling over the land of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, a great conqueror of the nations, came from Babylon with his army of Chaldean sersoldi. He took the city of Jerusalem and made Jehoiakim promise to submit to him as his master. Moreover, when he returned to his land, he took all the gold and silver he could find in the Temple; he carried away as captives many of the princes and nobles, the best people in the land of Judah.

When these Jews were brought to the land of Chaldea or Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to the prince, who had charge of his palace, to choose among these Jewish captives some young men who were of noble rank, and beautiful in their looks and also quick and bright in their minds; young men who would be able to learn readily. These young men were to be placed under the care of wise men, who should teach them all that they knew and fit them to stand before the King of Babylon so that they might be his helpers to carry out his orders; and the King wished them to be wise so that they might give him advice in ruling his people.

Among the young men thus chosen were four Jews who had been brought from Judah. By order of the King, the names of these men were changed. Daniel was called Belteshazzar; the other three young men were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They were taught all the Chaldean's knowledge; after three years of training, they were taken into the King's palace.

King Nebuchadnezzar was more pleased with them than any others who stood before him. He found them wise and faithful in the work given to them and able to rule over men under them. Furthermore, these four men came to the highest places in the kingdom of the Chaldeans.

At one time, King Nebuchadnezzar caused a great image to be made and covered with gold. This image he set up as an idol to be worshipped, on the plain of Dura, near the city of Babylon. When finished, it stood upon its base or foundation almost a hundred feet high; so it could be seen far from the plain. Then the King sent out a command for all the princes, rulers, and nobles in the land, to come to a great gathering when the image was to be set apart for worship.

The great men of the kingdom came from far and near and stood around the image. Among them, by command of the King, were Daniel's three friends, the young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. For some reason, Daniel himself was not there. He may have been busy with the kingdom's work elsewhere.

At one moment in the service before the image, all the trumpets sounded, the drums were beaten, and music was made upon musical instruments of all kinds to signal all the people to kneel and worship the great golden image. However, while the people were kneeling, three men stood up and would not bow down. These were the three young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They knelt before the Lord God only.

Many of the nobles had been jealous of these young men because they had been lifted to high places in the kingdom's rule; these men who hated Daniel and his friends were glad to find that these three men had not obeyed the command of King Nebuchadnezzar. The King had said that if anyone did not worship the golden image, he should be thrown into a furnace of fire. You gave orders that when the music sounded, everyone should bow down and worship the golden image; and that if any man did not worship, he should be thrown into a furnace of fire. These men who hated the Jews came to the King and said: "O King, may you live forever! Some Jews, whom you have made rulers in the land, have not done as you commanded. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up." Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage and fury at knowing that anyone should dare to disobey his words. He sent for these three men and said to them: "O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, was it by a purpose that you did not fall and worship the image of gold? The music shall sound once more, and if you worship the image, it will be well. But if you will not, you shall be thrown into the furnace of fire to die."

These three young men were not afraid of the King. They said: