A Prophet Daniel
A Reputation of Courage
May 1, 2013
LESSON OBJECTIVE
Topics:
Choices, Courage, Fearing God, Protection, Stand Firm
After completing this lesson, the children will learn that God gives them the courage and encouragement they
need to remain obedient to him, even during tough times, worldly pressures, and persecution.
AS KIDS ARRIVE (5 minutes)
Fire Escape (Maze)
Fire Escape
by Craig
Children help Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego find their way to safety in this maze.
Taken from Daniel 3:12-30
Materials:
Copy of maze for each child
Pencils or markers
Topics:
Daniel, Protection
Duration:
Approximately 5 minutes
Target Audience:
Grades 1-6 (Ages 6-12)
What you will do:
Have each child look up and read Daniel 3:12-30 in his or her Bible. Then, give each child a pencil or a marker
and a copy of the Fire Escape maze. Explain that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to give up
their lives instead of falling down to worship another god in the form of a golden image.
OPENING PRAYER
MEMORY WORK (6 minutes)
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be
with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 KJV
9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for
the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Write the memory verse on the board and have the kids say it a few times. Then erase one of the words, such
as "discouraged" and have them say it again. Then erase another word, then another, each time having the kids
say the verse correctly from memory. Continue until all the words are erased.
SCRIPTURE READING AND DISCUSSION (15 minutes)
Introduction:
Now that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were acting as administrators over the province of Babylon, you
would think their troubles would be over. Well think again. What happened next was totally unexpected. King
Nebuchadnezzar decided to make an image of gold. A huge golden statue, nearly nine stories tall. When it was
finished, all of the court officials were invited to the dedication ceremony. During the ceremony, a special
announcement was made to all the people. Everyone must fall down and worship the statue whenever they
heard certain music playing, or else be killed. But Shadrach, Meshach and Adednego belonged to God. Would
they worship this golden image to stay alive, or remain faithful to God even if it meant death? Let's find out what
happened.
Daniel 3:10-30
10
Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden
image:
11
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace.
12
There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor
worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Then they brought these men before the king.
14
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not
ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
15
Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well:
but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who
is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not
careful to answer thee in this matter.
17
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.
19
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one
seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20
And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and
were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22
Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames
of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace.
24
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his
counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto
the king, True, O king.
25
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no
hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither.
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
27
And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw
these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither
were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's
word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
29
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss
against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be
made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
30
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
Have the children follow along in their Bibles as you read this passage. Except each time you come to the
names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, have the kids say these names with you out loud. (Each name is
said 12 times in this short passage.)
Discussion Questions:
1. When were the people supposed to worship the golden image? (Whenever they heard the music played.)
2. What would happen to someone who was caught not worshiping the image? (Killed in a furnace.)
3. Why did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have the courage to refuse to bow down to the statue?(They
had faith that God would save them.)
4. What did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego do in verse 28 that impressed the king so much?(They trusted
in God and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any other god.)
5. Who did the king praise after the three came out completely unharmed? (God.)
6. How can we find the courage we need to remain faithful to God during times of trouble, pressure or
persecution? (Answers will vary.)
APPLICATION (2 minutes)
Give each child a sheet a paper and a pencil, and ask them to write down at least three situations in which they
might find themselves where they would have to be courageous in order to remain obedient to God. Some
examples include when other kids are making fun of a students Christianity, or when someone refuses to listen
to a Christian's views on creation. If time permits, have the children share one of their situations and ask them
how they would react in that situation. What can we do as Christians to build up courage to stay obedient to
God during these times?
Last week, we discovered that a reputation is built by doing something over and over. To have a reputation for
being courageous and obedient during times of difficulty and worldly pressure, we must seek God's help over
and over through prayer and reading God's Word. Hopefully we will never be faced with a life or death situation
like that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. However, during our life we will find ourselves in many
situations that if we give in to the pressure or turn our backs on doing what it right, it could be very damaging to
us or to others. It takes courage to tell others what the Bible says, what the truth is, and how Jesus is the Lord.
But we can do it because God will always be there to help.
NEXT WEEK
Come back next week to see how some fingers frightened a ruthless king.
CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)