Opening Activity

• Show traffic signs and ask the children what each one means. Discuss why it is important to obey these rules. What would happen if people did not obey the rules?
• Sometimes rules can help us all be safe. If people disobey some of the rules then it makes all of us unhappy. God knew that His people needed rules so that they would know how to worship Him and how to treat other people.
• Today we are going to learn about the first two of God’s rules.
  No other gods besides God. This means that you should not put anything or anyone higher than God. God is the most important part of life, He is the Lord our God, and loves us so much, and we are to love him in return. It is not wise or good to love or put other things as a higher priority in life.
• No idols, worship only God. This means that you should not make things and worship them. A lot of times, things may seem like they are similar to God, but that is a false god, and should not be put above the one true God. Nothing that humans create can even compare to the importance that God holds.

Bible Story

• King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue covered with gold. It was 90 feet tall.
• He set it up near Babylon. Then a messenger called out, “Worship the gold statue. If you don’t you will be thrown into a blazing furnace right away.”
• Some men said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego don’t pay any attention.They refuse to worship the statue.”
• Nebuchadnezzar burned with anger. The king said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, worship the statue I made. If you don’t you will be thrown into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to save you?” They replied, “The God we serve is able to bring us out of it alive. But even if our God wouldn’t save us, we still wouldn’t worship the gold statue.”
• Then Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. He told his men to throw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the blazing furnace. The furnace was so hot that its flames killed the soldiers who threw them into it.
• The three men were firmly tied up.And they fell into the blazing fire. Then Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet. “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods.”
• Then the king shouted. “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out!” So they came out of the fire. The fire hadn’t harmed their bodies. Not one hair on their heads was burned. Their robes weren’t burned either. And they didn’t even smell like smoke.
• Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “May the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be praised! No other god can save people that way.”

Questions

1. Why do we need rules?
2. What is the first commandment/ rule?
3. What is the second commandment/ rule?
4. Why did King Nebuchadnezzar build the statue?
5. Who did the King ask to come to the dedication of his statue?
6. What did he command all the people to do when the musical instruments played?
7. What was the punishment for disobedience to his command?
8. Why did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not bow before the statue?
9. How did the King react when he heard that they disobeyed?
10. Why did the strong soldiers die when they threw the three men into the furnace?
11. What amazed the King?
12. How was God glorified when He delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?