"Choose Your Kingdom"
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
The consequences of striving to live in the kingdom of God while living in a kingdom with an earthly ruler can be fierce—and deadly. Daniel and his friends chose to take them, no matter what the cost.
Royalty in Ruin (Prophets and Kings)
Chapter 41 - Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace
Wow, it’s hot. Most places in the northern hemisphere are still very warm this time of year. In Arizona one can almost count on being able to fry an egg on the roof of a car. Imagine what it would be like to be in a furnace that is heated seven times hotter than that. Have you ever wondered why there was a furnace out on the plain of Dura? I am guessing that it had to do with the smelting required for Nebuchadnezzar’s image, but no matter what the reason, it was there. Today’s lesson is about following one’s beliefs even when it might cost your life.
Supplies: Phone, iPad, or another device
Make a playlist of between 12 and 15 Christian songs. Choose a variety of music. Play about three seconds of the song which can be taken from any section of the song. Ask for people to guess the name of the song. This can be done through voice or chat. If nobody guesses the song, continue playing the song for a few more seconds. If nobody guesses correctly, tell them what it is and play a short section.
Music may not seem like a big deal, but it surely was in Daniel 3. It wasn’t the style of music that was important, but the action required when the music played. Imagine yourself standing on the plain of Dura with thousands of others waiting for the music to play, knowing that your actions would have a huge impact on how the rest of the day went.
Read Daniel 3:1-7.
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Read Daniel 3:8-12.
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Read Daniel 3:13-15.
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
Read Daniel 3:16-24.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 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. 18 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.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
Read Daniel 3:24-25.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Here’s the really interesting part of the story. Nebuchadnezzar stood with his mouth open because throwing the three Hebrews into the furnace hadn’t had the desired effect. Standing in the furnace were now four figures. In amazement, the king asked those around him if he was seeing correctly. Sure enough, there were four figures walking in the furnace.
King James Version: 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.
New American Standard Bible: He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”
New International Version: He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Here’s what Ellen White has to say:
“How did that heathen king know what the Son of God was like? The Hebrew captives filling positions of trust in Babylon had in life and character represented before him the truth. When asked for a reason of their faith, they had given it without hesitation. Plainly and simply they had presented the principles of righteousness, thus teaching those around them of the God whom they worshiped. They had told of Christ, the Redeemer to come; and in the form of the fourth in the midst of the fire the king recognized the Son of God.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 590)
Read Daniel 3:26-30.
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Read Proverbs 10:25.
25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Read Matthew 10:16-20.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-8.
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
Read James 5:8.
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Today’s lesson provides a close-up view of what it is like to follow Jesus. Being a Christ follower isn’t always easy. In fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that His followers have always been persecuted and that they should expect it. Those words don’t bring a lot of comfort, do they? However, if one looks through the scriptures, God promises to always be with us no matter what the circumstance. David, Esther, Noah, and Job, to name a few, were tested and found to be faithful. In the grand scheme of life, being faithful is what really matters, not what others think about you!
Two weeks ago, in the Follow Up, you were asked to make a list of areas of your life that God is prompting you to examine, and to pick one to focus on for the next two weeks. You were encouraged to give up something such as social media or news to see if God would help you see areas where you could allow Him greater access to your life. Well, it’s been two weeks!
If you weren’t able to do this exercise, maybe God is prompting you to give it a try now. And if you did, maybe God is wanting you to continue. One never knows where or how God is going to lead.
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
Jerusalem had been ransacked. Jeremiah had prophesied correctly, and the city was besieged and thousands were taken as captives. Because the messages from God, delivered through Jeremiah, had been ignored, the people of Jerusalem had been banished as captives in a foreign land. But even in this time, God was with His children
For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been studying Daniel and his three friends and the beginning of their journey to and in Babylon. After being captured in their home city, Jerusalem, when it was raided, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were chosen among the best of the captives to be trained in the king’s service.
They faced challenges from the beginning. The four friends found the king’s food unacceptable because it did not meet the standards laid out by God in Scripture. By the end of their three years of training, Daniel and his friends were the cream of the crop. They were 10 times more knowledgeable then the other students, and Daniel was able to interpret dreams. Because of their accomplishments, these four were given jobs close to the king.
Last week we studied King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue which Daniel interpreted. When the king’s wisemen failed to interpret the dream, the king was enraged and threatened to kill them all. When Daniel heard of this, he asked for time to understand the meaning of the dream. God came to Daniel in a dream that night and gave the king’s dream and its meaning to Daniel. The next day, Daniel was able to give the correct interpretation to the king. This led to the promotion of Daniel as well as his three friends.
In this chapter, we find Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego facing a life-or-death situation without their friend who had previously spoken for them. They were not only risking their jobs, but their lives as well. This passage is an excellent example of how God always cares for those who trust Him and surrender full control of their lives to Him.
What is an object that is very important to you?
Read Daniel 3:1-30.
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 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. 18 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.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Although these three friends were put through major tests, they always came through on the right side. God never forgot to care for these three as well as Daniel; He never forsakes His children. They put complete faith in God and His will. Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we will be put through an increasing number of experiences that test our spiritual strength. We will always be able conquer our troubles with God by our side. These three and Daniel would continue to find more obstacles as Jews in Babylon, but God would help them through each and every one. The three in the fiery furnace were promoted and Daniel continued to rise in status. The faith they demonstrated had a great effect on Nebuchadnezzar and he began to believe more in the God of the Jews. Next week we will study an important dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s and the interpretation that Daniel supplied.
Throughout our lives we face obstacles which test our faith. Even the simplest things may take our attention off God and make us lose sight of Him. It is our responsibility to keep our eyes and hearts on God.
No matter how difficult these decisions might be, sometimes the fiery furnace is safer in the long run.
In each and every action we should keep in mind Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ̶ if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” (NIV)
IDEA: View the apps on your phone. How much time do you spend on games, messaging, or social media? Looking at your most used apps can give you an idea of your priorities. Do you need to get rid of or lessen time spent on any of them?
