This is a new song and lesson that I wrote. After the song, I created a ready to use lesson plan. This would work great for Sunday School teachers, Children’s Church leaders, Awana leaders, Homeschoolers, Road trips or just something to help bring this story to life. The lesson is ready to teach, just follow along. No extra work involved unless you want to. This could be used as a full lesson or a filler if you need 10-15 minutes or more.

STORY CLUE: 3 friends-90 ft gold statue-fiery furnace.  Who do you think we are going to learn about today?

Lyrics: These can be used to teach the children the song or can be used as a bible story for younger children or as a poem.

3 Brave Friends

Three Brave friends stood tall and true

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego too

The King said “Bow down to my statue of gold”

But these brave friends had faith so bold.

 

They were told you must Bow or face the flame

But they chose to honor God’s Holy Name

Furnace a blazing 7 times hot

The guards fell down but they did not

 

Bow Down, but they shook their heads

We’ll stand for our

God instead

Not a hair was burned upon their head

God was with them just like He said

 

They were told you must Bow or face the flame

But they chose to honor God’s Holy Name

Furnace a blazing 7 times hot

The guards fell down but they did not

 

When the King looked into the fire that day

He saw 4 men not 3 is what they say

The fire it burned the rope

But they didn’t smell like smoke

 

They were told you must Bow or face the flame

But they chose to honor God’s Holy Name

Furnace a blazing 7 times hot

The guards fell down but they did not

 

Three Brave friends they showed us The Way

To trust in God every single day.

THREE BRAVE FRIENDS

• I included 2 different versions of the song.  The first would work great for kids, the second maybe youth or adults.

 

Bible Story: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace

Scripture Passage: Daniel 3

Memory Verse: Because there is no other God who can deliver like this. Daniel 3:29(b)

Daniel 3

The Image of Gold

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 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; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Saved in Fiery Trial
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

QUESTIONS

1. Why were Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego thrown into the fiery furnace? They did not fall down to worship the gold statue/another god. Verse 12,18
2. Did Shadrach, Meshach and AbegNego have to buy new clothes or take a bath? No Verse 27
3. How many men were thrown into the fiery furnace that day? 3      Verse 20
4. How many men did the King see walking around in the furnace? 4 Verse 25
5. What were the 2 decrees the King made in our story? 1) Fall down and worship the gold statue Verse 4     2) Anyone who speaks against the True God shall be cut in pieces Verse 29

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE (FUN FACTS)

*The statue of gold was 60 cubits High and 6 cubits Wide or 90 ft by 9 ft   **The distance between baseball bases is 90 feet.  This may help kids understand how tall 90 feet is.

*This event took place during the dedication of the statue.  Verse 2

*# of men that are mentioned in the bible named Shadrach (1), Meshach (1) AbedNego (1)

*Occupation/Job of Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego: They were Royal Ambassadors/Advisors to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

*Famous friend- Daniel

*Timeline: Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego were born in 621 BC.  Daniel was born in 620 BC    The fiery furnace event took place around 586 BC   *They were around 35 when they were thrown into the furnace.

*Originally, these three men were known by their Hebrew names: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Upon their arrival in Babylon, they were given new names—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—as part of an effort to integrate them into Babylonian culture and religion **Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were originally named Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These Hebrew names hold significant meanings: Hananiah (Shadrach): “Yahweh is gracious” Mishael (Meshach): “Who is what God is?” Azariah (Abednego): “Yahweh has helped.”

DISCUSSSION POINTS

*How did the King’s actions/attitudes change in the story?  He went from Angry to Astonished to Admitting

*How did Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego respond to the King when he gave them another chance to fall down to his statue? They were brave and stood for their True God. “we will not serve your gods” Verse 16-18

*What would be one word to describe Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego?     Brave     *See what other words the kids or group comes up with

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY:  This would be a great song for the kids to come up with hand motions to act out the song and then present to church or group as a special.

STORY CLUE REVIEW: OK kids, now that we have finished the lesson, does the Story Clues make sense?  Can anyone explain the Clues and why those clues were given. (3 friends-90 ft gold statue-fiery furnace).

Does anyone have any questions about the story?

 

***We do not know what exactly the fiery furnace looked like, but these might be what they looked like.

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: The Woman’s Study Bible 2nd Ed, Who’s Who and Where’s Where in the Bible(Stephen Miller), The Complete Book of People and Places in the Bible(Pamela McQuade), The Essential Bible Companian(Walton-Strauss-Cooper), The Ultimate Infographic Guide to the bible, The Everthing Bible

Song written by Robin McMullen Produced by AI program (Suno.com) (AITubo.com)