The Story of the Three Young Men  (From Daniel 1-3 TLW)

Suggested Ideas:  This story may be told by one story teller using this or the Living Bible (LB) translation.  Or consider the following version for four or more voices (there could be voices for each character of the story).  Note that there is a little bit of movement in this version suggesting a little acting of the parts.  Memorization is not required.

VOICE 1:  (standing alone front center near the people)  

The Story of the Three Young Men.

Nebuchadnezzar was the noble king of Babylon, a great country with a strong army. He had led that army to defeat the city of Jerusalem and to take the people of Judah into exile in his fair country. He did not know the God of the Jews, but he knew the Lord's prophet Daniel. And the king greatly respected Daniel for his wisdom and his faith and his ability to interpret the king's dreams. So he made Daniel a counselor to the king regarding the people of Judah and a ruler over the province of Babylon and over all his wise men. At Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as Daniel's assistants to help him in ruling the province of Babylon.

Now King Nebuchadnezzar decided to make a huge gold statue of his god. And he commanded that it be made 90 feet high and nine feet wide. After it was made, the great gold statue was set up in the Plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon, where Daniel and his three young assistants were rulers.

Then the king sent messages to all the princes and governors, captains and judges, counselors and rulers of all the provinces of his empire. And he invited them all to come to the dedication of his statue.

When they had all arrived in the plain and were standing before the great gold statue, a herald called out:

VOICE 2:  (rises from being seated in cong.): "O people of all nations and languages, this is the command of the great King Nebuchadnezzar: when the sounds of instruments begin to play, you must all fall down upon the ground and worship the statue that our great king has made. And if you do not fall down to the ground and worship the statue, you will be thrown immediately into the burning fiery furnace." (Walks to front center beside Narrator)

VOICE 1:  As soon as the command had been given, the instruments began to play. And the people assembled before the statue -- from every nation and language -- all fell down upon the ground and worshiped the statue.

But after looking around, some of the king's officials went to Nebuchadnezzar and said to him,

VOICE 2:  "O great king, there are some Jews who are not obeying your wise command to fall down and worship your wondrous gold statue, your majesty."

VOICE 3:  (standing and walking to front center) "And just who are they?"

VOICE 1:  asked the king.

VOICE 2:  "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, your majesty"

VOICE 1:  they answered,

VOICE 2:  "whom you have put in charge of your affairs in the Babylon province. They have defied your majesty and refused to serve your gods or to worship your great gold statue, O wise king."

VOICE 1:  Nebuchadnezzar went into a furious rage and ordered the three young men to be brought before him immediately.

VOICE 3  "Is it true,"

VOICE 1:  he asked them,

VOICE 3  "that you have refused to serve my gods and to worship the great gold statue that I have set up?"

VOICE 1:  The king did not wait for an answer.

VOICE 3:  "I will give you one more chance. When the instruments sound, you will fall down and worship the statue, and all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown into the burning fiery furnace within the hour. Then we'll see what god can deliver you out of my hands!"

VOICE 1:  But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied,

VOICE 4:  (standing and walking to center, while saying) "O great King Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you. Our God is able to deliver us even out of the burning fiery furnace if it is his will. But even if he doesn't, please understand, sir, that we can never under any circumstance serve your gods or worship the statue of gold erected by you."

VOICE 1:  Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fearsome fury, and his face became dark with anger at the three young men. He barked out his command:

VOICE 3:  "Let the furnace be heated up seven times hotter than usual!"

VOICE 1:  And he called for the strongest soldiers to bind up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. With ropes, they bound the three young men tightly so they could not escape. Then the soldiers threw the three young men into the flames of the burning fiery furnace. The furnace was heated so hot that the flames immediately leaped out and killed the solders as they threw them in. So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fell bound into the roaring fire. (pause)

Suddenly, as he was watching, the king jumped up in amazement. Quickly he asked his advisors,

VOICE 3:  "Didn't we throw three men into the burning fiery furnace?"

VOICE 2:  "Yes, your majesty. We did indeed, your majesty."

VOICE 3:  "Well how is it then that I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and not even hurt by the flames?"

VOICE 1:  Nebuchadnezzar was astonished.

VOICE 3:  "And the fourth one looks like a god!"

VOICE 1:  The king moved in closer, as close as he could get to the open door of the fiery furnace. He yelled in,

VOICE 3  "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego! Servants of the Most High God! Come out! Come out here!"

VOICE 1:  So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stepped out of the burning fiery furnace where the king and all the princes and governors, captains and judges, counselors and rulers of all the provinces moved in close to examine them. Not a hair on their heads was singed. Their clothes were unscorched. They didn't even smell of smoke!

Then King Nebuchadnezzar said in everyone's hearing,

VOICE 3:  "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. For he sent his angel to deliver them when they trusted in him over the king's command. They were willing to die rather than worship any god except their own. Therefore, I make this decree: Any person of any nation or language who speaks against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses laid in ruins. For no other god can save like their God."

VOICE 1:  So that is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And this is the song that the three men sang with the angel in the burning fiery furnace.

(The Canticle of the Three Young Men is sung by the congregation.)

From

Six Stories for the Easter Vigil

Source: The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel