This chapter, with the well-known account of the fiery furnace, deviates from the personal life of Daniel and shows the testing of faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three men have been living in Babylon just like Daniel, trying to stand firm in their faith in the God of Israel and obedience to Torah. These three men face a literal ‘trial by fire’ by standing against a king who challenges them to submit to his authority rather than the authority of God. They refuse to bow down to the king’s idol and are thrown into a furnace, only to be protected by “one who looks like a son of God.”
1. Locate the Plain of Dura in Babylon.
2. What is the measurement of a cubit? How high and wide was the image?
3. What do you think the image was? A geometrical shape or astronomical body? One of the Babylonian gods? The form of a man, the self-image of Nebuchadnezzar. ? Does the Scripture actually reveal what the image was?
4. What is the requirement regarding the image?
5. Why do you think that Nebuchadnezzar had music with instruments rather than just a blast of a trumpet?
6. What was the consequence for disobeying his edict?
7. Put yourself on that plain and what would you do? How easy is it to ‘bow down’ to government edicts when there are uncomfortable consequences?
8. Do you know God’s Law well enough to know what He considers idolatry in our world culture? Our religious culture?
9. Read Daniel 2:8, 12. Who do the Chaldeans single out and accuse? Why?
10. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 13:14-15, 14:9-11. Compare these prophesies to what was happening in Babylon.
11. How does one prepare oneself for the future from what is gleaned from Daniel?
12. How did Nebuchadnezzar react to the news about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Why do you think he reacted that way?
13. How did the boys respond to the King’s ultimatum? (Isaiah 53:7)
14. What was Nebuchadnezzar’s response?
15. Read the “Prayers of the Three Holy Boys.”
16. After reading the prayers, why do you think these Jewish prayers, prayers and praise that kept these boys alive, were removed from the canon of Scripture?
17. What do you think about the description of the ‘angel of Adonai?’ Who do you think is the ‘angel of Adonai?’ What does this tell you about the faith of these three young men?
18. What do you read in these prayers and praises that can enhance your own worship of the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?
19. What did Nebuchadnezzar see in the furnace?
20. According to the prayers of the Three Holy Boys, what actually occurred in the furnace?
21. How does the King react when he sees the fire had no affect on the boys?
22. The Scripture says that “they yielded their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except the God of Israel.” What does that mean?
23. Read 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1. What does Paul say about ‘clean and unclean’ and perfecting holiness in our ‘flesh’ bodies as well as our spirits? Did these three boys understand these verses? Explain.
24. The Scripture says that the king caused these three boys to prosper. Is it the king or the hand of the God of Israel that caused the prosperity?
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