1. What did Nebuchadnezzar make and what did he command all his people in Babylon to do?

He made a gold statue and commanded that all the people should bow down to it when they heard the sound of all the musical instruments.

2. When the king found out that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow down to his statue, what did he threaten to do to them?

Nebuchadnezzar gave them another chance to bow down to the statue. If they bowed, everything would be fine. If they didn’t, he would throw them into the fiery furnace.

3. How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respond to the king? How did the king respond to them for disobeying him?

They defied his order and said they would never bow to the king’s golden image. They believed that God would deliver them from the flames. But, even if God didn’t deliver them, they still would only worship God alone. God is worthy to be worshipped whether or not he chose to save them. The king was in a fury. He made the fire 7 times hotter, so hot that the servants of Nebuchadnezzar died from the fire when they threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it.

4. What did the King see when he looked into the furnace? How did he describe the rescuer?

The king saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking around in the middle of the fire. He had bound them, but now they were walking around. And there weren’t just three men, but four! The fourth looked like a son of the gods. There was something special about this fourth man, and Nebuchadnezzar knew it. He called the men to come out, and the three men came out of the furnace.

5. How do we know God fully delivered his people? What does this tell us about who God is?

We know God delivered them because they didn’t die. Even though the fire was 7 times hotter, the men didn’t even smell like smoke. They had no burned hair, nothing; they were completely delivered. God alone is worthy to be worshipped, and God is a mighty savior of his people. He saved them from the flames of the fiery furnace, totally, and completely.

6. What does this teach us about Jesus?

Jesus is with his people in the worst of situations. Sometimes he delivers his people from them; sometimes he doesn’t. But, even if he doesn’t, he will eventually come back and make everything right. He will bring justice for his people and deliver them. We can know that, no matter what, Jesus has said he will never leave us nor forsake us. He will always be with us, no matter where we are and no matter what we go through. Jesus is our mighty savior that alone is worthy to be worshipped.