Leader Guide

Teaching Time

Make one copy of each of the three Bible Story Pages with eight images on cardstock, in color or black and white.
Cut out the eight individual cards and follow these instructions:

• Cut the other paper towel tube into three 2-inch sections, for three short tubes.

• Tube #1: Glue, tape or staple the #1-A Happy King card on one side. Make sure the bottom of the card is positioned just above the bottom of the tube so it will stand flat on the table. On the other side of that same tube, attach the #1-B Angry King card.

· Tube #2: Attach the #2-A Serious Friends card on one side, then on the other side put the #2-B Rescued Friends card.

· Tube #3: Attach the #3 Jesus in the Fire card.

· Flame Box: Glue, tape or staple the Flame card on the box front. Position the flame so the top portion of it is one inch over the top edge of the box. This is important.

Tell the Bible story slowly using the bullets provided and the Image Tubes you’ve made. Keep the Image Tubes not being used at one end of the table, moving them in and out as the teaching progresses. Bold words suggest actions to do with the tubes. For example, when the King is excited or happy, make the #1-A tube “jump” up and down. When Jesus appears and is walking with the three friends in the furnace, slide the #3-B tube back and forth. Engage the children with questions. Vary facial expression, voice, and volume level to add interest to the story.

Prior to class, practice telling the story using the Image Tubes so the teaching flows smoothly.

● (Use Tube #1-A Happy king) There was a king who ruled over Babylon. This king worshiped idols instead of the one true God we serve and worship.

● The king was felt so excited he could not control himself. Make king jump up and down.

● Why was he so excited? Because he had his workers make a statue of him, and it was finally finished!

● (Add Tall Tube – Golden Statue) This statue was big, really big, bigger than big, it was HUGE! The statue was 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. And it was made of gold!

● The king loved his statue so much that he wanted everyone in his kingdom to love it too. And, he wanted everyone to bow down and worship it. This was bad, really bad!

● Anything that is worshiped instead of God is called an idol. God is the one true God, and He is the only one we should worship!

● But the king ordered all of his people to bow down and worship his statue when the music started to play. Optional: kids pretend to play instruments, drums, tambourine, trumpet, etc.

● The king said that anyone who did not obey his command to bow down to worship the idol would be thrown into a blazing hot furnace!

● (Add Tube #2-A Serious Friends) This was a big problem for Daniel’s three friends named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They felt sad and probably afraid when they heard the king’s order. They knew they could only worship God–even if it meant being thrown into the blazing hot furnace!

● The music began to play. Optional: kids pretend to play instruments.

● Do you think Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bowed down and worshiped the statue? No.

● These three men exercised self control to trust and obey God, even when it was dangerous!

● (Turn Tube #1-A Happy King, to show #1-B Angry King) Do you think the king used self-control and forgave the three men for not obeying his order? Children respond.

● (Add Flame Box) No, he didn’t! He was so angry that he lost control and told his men to make the fire in the furnace seven times hotter! Use fingers to slowly count aloud to seven with children.

● (Put Tube #2-A Serious Friends into Flame Box) The king ordered his soldiers to tie the three men up and throw them into the furnace that was seven times hotter!

● (Add Tube #3 tube Jesus in the fire) The king looked into the furnace and couldn’t believe what he saw. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. How many men are in there now?

● Let’s count them! 1, 2, 3, 4! The king only put three men in the fire; how can there be four?

● (Move Tubes #2 and #3 back and forth behind the flames.) And the men were tied up—but what are they doing now? Walking around in the fire!

● The king said the fourth man looked like a god. Who do you think the fourth man in the fire was? God, Jesus.

● It was the one true living God that the three men worshiped!

● (Turn Tube #1-B Angry King, to show #1-A Happy King) The king was excited. He saw that the living God was able to protect Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego because they trusted in the Lord!

● The king shouted “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come here!” Say this in a deep voice as you move the king up and down.

●(Remove Tubes # 2 and #3 from furnace. Display #2-B Rescued Friends by king in front of the furnace. Place #3 Jesus at far side.) The three men stepped out of the fire. The fire had not touched their bodies or their clothes. Not even one hair on their heads was burnt!

· The king then declared that the Most-High God is truly the Lord, and no one could rescue like Him. (Optional: push statue tube over).

Conclusion: In the Bible story, the king did not show self-control. He couldn’t control his anger and tried to hurt the three men. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego showed self-control and chose to trust and obey God in a very scary time. Jesus rescued the three men because they resisted temptation to do what everyone else was doing and bow down to the gold statue. The three men did what they knew was right. God sent Jesus to rescue and save us from our sins. He is the only one who can do that! Jesus was with the men in the fire and He is always with you too.