金像與火窯The Statue and the Fiery Furnace

The king of Babylon is a great king.

There are people from many different countries living in Babylon.

One day the king tells all the leaders to come and see him. Everyone comes.

The king wants to make an important announcement.

They blow the trumpets.

The king’s helper comes to read the announcement.

Everybody is quiet and listens to the announcement.

Everyone from every country must listen and obey the king.

The king shows them a gold statue. It is 30 meters tall. The statue looks like the king.

The helper reads: “The king says, when people hear the music they must bow down and worship the gold statue.”

“Anyone who does not bow down will be thrown into a fiery furnace.”

The music plays.

The people bow down to worship the statue. They all obey the king.

People see that there are three men who do not bow down.

The three men are Daniel’s friends.

They want to obey the king, but they know that they can only worship God in heaven. So they are standing.

People go tell the king that there are three people who do not bow down.

The king is angry. “Bring those people to see me!”

The three men come to see the king. The king asks: “Is it true? People say you did not bow down.”

The king says he will give them another chance. If they bow down he will not throw them in the fiery furnace.

The men say “Our God will save us. We cannot worship your gods nor can we worship the gold statue.”

The king is very, very angry. He tells the soldiers to make the fiery furnace seven times hotter.

The king orders the three men to be thrown into the fiery furnace.

The fiery furnace is seven times hotter.

Daniel’s friends are tied up.

One by one the men are thrown into the fiery furnace.

The fire is so hot that it burns the soldiers who throw them into the fiery furnace.

The king watches. Then he sees something.

The king asks: “What do you see?”

The people look. The king asks: How many men did we throw into the fiery furnace? It thought it was three!”

“Why can I see four men walking around inside the fiery furnace? The fourth man looks like the Son of God.”

The king calls to the three men and tells them to come out of the fiery furnace.

Everyone is surprised that they walk out of the fiery furnace. Even their clothes do not smell like smoke.

The king bows down. He worships the God in heaven who can save people from the fiery furnace.