The Fiery Furnace Fails To Fry

This is the story of Daniel 3 in a script format. The theme is to learn to trust God and do what’s right.

Reporter: Good morning. We’re breaking in with an important news story. Something big is taking place in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream a while ago in which he saw a huge statue made up of four metals. He asked his counselors what the dream meant, but none of them knew. The king was so angry he was ready to kill them all. When Daniel, a captive from Israel, found out, he asked the king for time and said he would tell the king what the dream meant. It turns out that King Nebuchadnezzar is the golden head. I’m standing outside the palace throne room where the king is trying to decide what to do about the dream.

Scene 1: Palace

King: I just can’t get that image out of my mind. I’m the head of gold. Can you image that? Let’s see… what was the rest of the statue? Ummm… the chest and arms were silver. The belly and thighs were bronze and the feet of iron and clay mixed together. Wait a minute; I just got a great idea! Why don’t I make a statue? After all, I’m the head of gold. Then everyone can see it. But, I’ll have the whole thing made out of gold. This is going to be good!! Now where is that aid of mine? Melzar!

Aide: You called, your majesty?

King: How much work will it take to build a huge gold statue?

Aide: Well sir, we have expert craftsmen available at your call. They’re the best in the land and can have this completed in no time.

King: Great! Now this needs to be done right. The important question is… how big should we make it?

Aide: How big do you want it?

King: Let’s see. If we put it on the plain of Dura, and make it big enough it could be seen for miles.

Aide: It’d have to be quite large. I’d suggest something like 50 feet tall.

King: You’ve got to think BIG. (Pause) I want this statue to be 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide.

Aide: I’ll see to it right away, your majesty.

Reporter: This is Chester Newman from BNN, the Babylonian News Network. King Nebuchadnezzar has gathered all the kingdom leaders for a special announcement and to unveil something master craftsmen have worked on for weeks. There’s been a lot of speculation about the announcement, but the king has kept a tight lid on it. No one knows for sure what it will be. King Nebuchadnezzar is coming out now.

Scene 2: Unveiling the Image

King: This is great! What a beautiful day! I can’t wait any longer. Melzar, let’s get this thing going.

Aide: Attention! Attention everyone! We are here today to unveil a gold statue of King Nebuchadnezzar that expresses how great a ruler he is. The king has issued this proclamation. (Holds a scroll.) To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into a burning fiery furnace.

Reporter: This is Chester Newman with another urgent breaking story. Our cameras picked up three young men who refused bow when the music played. While everyone else was on their faces, they would not bow. Apparently the king didn’t see them, but others did. I’m told someone is on his way right now to inform the king. I wouldn’t want to be one of those guys. According to our records, they are Jewish young men that were taken captive several years ago and trained by the king himself. My sources tell me they continually talk about serving the “true and living God” and say he is always there to help in hard times. I guess we’ll find out if that’s true because they’re about to face a real hard time before the king.

Scene 3: Palace

King: What a fantastic day! All those people bowing to me. That statue was magnificent. This has been such a great day; I don’t think anything could ruin it.

Aide: Greetings, your majesty.

King: Ah, Melzar. It is good to see you. Wasn’t this a fantastic day?

Aide: I’m afraid that it wasn’t quite as good as you think.

King: What? It couldn’t have been better.

Aide: I’m sorry to be the one to inform you of this sir, but when the music played, three of your servants refused to bow.

King: Who would dare refuse to bow to me? I want them brought here right now.

Aide: Right away your majesty.

King: I can’t believe anyone would refuse to bow, especially with the threat of the fiery furnace.

Aide: O King Nebuchadnezzar, these are the men I told you about.

King: Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that you do not serve my gods or worship my gold image? Now if you are ready when you hear the music to fall down and worship the image, good. But if not, you shall be immediately cast into a fiery furnace. And who is the god that will deliver you from my hands?

Shad: O King Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to discuss this before answering you. If our God wants, he can and is able to deliver us from the furnace and he will deliver us from you. If he decides not to deliver us, understand this O king, we will not serve your gods or worship your image.

King: (To aide.) I want you to go tell them to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it’s ever been heated. Then get the best soldiers to tie up these men and throw them in.

Reporter: This furnace indeed is hot; hotter than I’ve ever seen it. Here come soldiers with the three tied up men leading them to the furnace. Wait a minute… I recognize them. They’re the ones who refused to bow before the statue. That fire must be hot! The soldiers aren’t even close to the furnace and already the heat is bothering them. Look at that! They threw the guys into the furnace but died before they could get back. That’s one hot fire. Nebuchadnezzar is at the doorway checking to see what happened to the men.

Scene 4: Furnace

King: Let’s see what’s going on in the furnace. I’ll teach those men to bow down to me!… Melzar! Didn’t we throw three guys into the furnace?

Aide: That would be correct your majesty.

King: Did one of the soldiers fall in by mistake?

Aide: No. They’re all accounted for, but they all died from the heat.

King: But I see four individuals walking around and one of them looks like a son of the gods. (To Shadrach.) You men, who serve the Most High God, come out and let us look at you.

Aide: Unbelievable. Nothing on them is burned. The only thing the fire did was set them free from their ropes. They don’t even smell like smoke!

King: Blessed is the God of these men who sent his angel into the furnace to deliver them. They have frustrated the king’s word and yielded up their bodies because they would not worship any god except their God. I now make a decree that anyone that speaks anything amiss against the God of these men shall be put to death and their houses destroyed because there is no God who can deliver like this. (To aide.) I want you to promote these men to better and more important jobs.

Aide: Right away, your majesty.

Reporter: So there you have it everyone. These young men chose to trust God and do what was right. They didn’t know God would deliver them and probably thought they were going to die, but kept trusting God. They kept their focus on God and he gave them strength to stand strong. If you are a child of God, he wants you to trust him when you go through hard times and ask him to help you stand strong for him. Will you choose to trust God when you go through hard times? This is Chester Newman saying so long for the Babylonian News Network.