April 26th & May 3rd: The Fiery Furnace

This story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego happens a few chapters earlier than the well- known story of Daniel in the lions’ den. It provides another dramatic example of God’s protection. The people of Judah had been taken captive in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, ordered the healthiest and wisest young men to come to the palace. Daniel and the trio of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among those called. They were instructed to learn the language and writings of their captors, the Chaldeans.

Despite tremendous risk, these men continued to follow God. The Bible tells us that God intervened in a dramatic way to protect them from the fiery furnace. This story describes a fourth man who had the “appearance of a god” (Daniel 3:25). After they emerged from the fire, God softened the hearts of their captors, which allowed them to witness to God’s greatness. This story reminds us that God’s work is done in all sorts of circumstances.

A Child’s View of the Story:

The Frolic Preschool Bible can help children envision what happened in this vivid, fiery story. Most people worshipped a golden statue instead of God, but three men who were followers of God did not! For older
kids and adults, this story illustrates the high stakes of publicly professing faith in God. But preschoolers may wonder why people would waste time worshipping a statue. They may also wonder why these men were thrown into a hot furnace as punishment because they worshipped God. Most children will not have any framework for understanding this dramatic action.

This story can provide an opportunity to teach about God’s protection in scary situations. While we cannot guarantee to children that our Christian faith makes us fireproof, we can introduce many ways of understanding God’s presence and protection. Preschoolers’ relationships with trusted adults help them experience firsthand how it feels to be protected, safe, and in good hands.