Memory Verse
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
In 587 BC the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem and God’s people were exiled to Babylon. The people of God were forced to serve an enemy king for 70 years. Among these exiles was Daniel and three of his friends, who found themselves in the middle of a major test of faith.
Read Daniel Chapter 3
Younger Group Family Devotional Section
- What did King Nebuchadnezzar want people to worship? (a large golden statue, Dan. 3:1)
- Which three men refused to bow to the statue? (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Dan. 3:13)
- How did Nebuchadnezzar punish the friends? (They were thrown into the fiery furnace, Dan. 3:21)
- What did the king see when he peered into the furnace? (The three friends walking around with a fourth person who looked like a god, Dan. 3:25)
- Why do you think God allowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to go through the fire? Guide kids to see that God used this scary situation to build the friends’ faith in Him and to show Nebuchadnezzar that God is mighty to save His people. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went through the fire for God to be glorified.
- What are some idols that you are tempted to worship? Guide the kids to see that good gifts from God turn into idols if we love them more than we love God. When we repent, God forgives us and changes our hearts to love Him more.
- How does knowing that God does everything for His glory and our good help us when we face scary situations? Guide the kids to see that though God doesn’t promise us physical safety, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He will help us through hard times.
Older Group Family Devotional Section
- Who was the king of Babylon, what did he make, and what did he command all the people in Babylon to do? (Verse 1-5, King Nebuchadnezzar made a huge golden image and commanded all the people to worship it at the sound of instruments and music)
- What would be the punishment if the command was not followed? (Verse 6, whoever does not fall down and worship will immediate be thrown into a blazing furnace)
- Who were the 3 men that did not follow the king’s command? (Verse 12, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego)
- Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were brought before king Nebuchadnezzar and were given a chance to save themselves from being thrown into the fiery furnace. What was their response to the king Nebuchadnezzar’s offer? (Verse 17-18, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”)
- What was king Nebuchadnezzar’s response to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they refused to worship the idol? (Verse 19-20, He was furious and ordered the furnace to be heated 7 times hotter than usual and commanded some of his strongest soldiers to tie them and throw all 3 of them into the fiery furnace)
- How many men did king Nebuchadnezzar see in the furnace? (Verse 25, He leaped in amazement when he saw 4 men in the furnace!)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had so much faith in God that they knew He could save them from the fiery furnace. God sent an angel to protect them in the furnace and when they walked out, not only were their clothes not burned up, but they didn’t even smell like smoke from the fire! God saved them in miraculous fashion and rewarded their faith in Him! King Nebuchadnezzar saw the power of the true living God and ordered that no one would say anything against Him because the king saw that no other god could save the way God did!
