Three Brave Friends

King Nebuchadnezzar built a GINORMOUS gold statue—as tall as a nine-story building! He told everyone, 'When the music plays, bow down and worship my statue. If you don't... you'll be thrown into a fire!'

The music played. Everyone bowed down.

Well, almost everyone.

Three young men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stayed standing. They only bowed to GOD, not statues!

Some tattletales told the king. Nebuchadnezzar was FURIOUS!

'Is it TRUE?!' he roared. 'Bow down now, or into the fire you go! What god can save you from ME?'

The three friends answered bravely, 'O King, our God CAN save us from the fire. But even if He doesn't, we still won't bow to your statue. We only worship the true God!'

Now Nebuchadnezzar was REALLY mad. 'Heat the furnace SEVEN times hotter!' The soldiers tied up the three friends and threw them in. The fire was SO hot that the soldiers died just from being near it!

But then the king jumped up, eyes wide. 'Wait... didn't we throw THREE men in? I see FOUR people walking around in there! And one of them looks like... a son of the gods!'

God had sent someone special to protect them!

'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! Come out!'

They walked out. Everyone stared. Not one hair was burned. Their clothes weren't scorched. They didn't even SMELL like smoke!

The king was amazed. 'Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! No other god can save like this!'

God is with us even in the scariest times—and His power is greater than any fire!