King Nebuchadnezzar was pleased with them, more than with any others who stood before him.  He found them wise and faithful in the work given to them, and able to rule over men under them.  And these four men came to the highest places in the kingdom of the Chaldeans.

At one time King Nebuchadnezzar caused a great image to be made, and to be covered with gold.  This image he set up, as an idol to be worshipped, on the plain of Dura, near the city of Babylon.  When it was finished, it stood upon its base or foundation almost a hundred feet high; so that upon the plain it could be seen far away.  Then the king sent out a command for all the princes, and rulers, and nobles in the land, to come to a great gathering, when the image was to be set apart for worship.

The great men of the kingdom came from far and near and stood around the image.  Among them, by command of the king, were Daniel’s three friends, the young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.  For some reason, Daniel himself was not there.  He may have been busy with the work of the kingdom in some other place.

At one moment in the service before the image, all the trumpets sounded, the drums were beaten, and music was made upon musical instruments of all kinds, as a signal for all the people to kneel down and worship the great golden image.  But while the people were kneeling, there were three men who stood up, and would not bow down.  These were the three young Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.  They knelt down before the Lord God only.

Many of the nobles had been jealous of these young men, because they had been lifted to high places in the rule of the kingdom; and these men who hated Daniel and his friends, were glad to find that these three men had not obeyed the command of King Nebuchadnezzar.  The king had said that if any one did not worship the golden image he should be thrown into a furnace of fire.  These men who hated the Jews came to the king and said: 

“O king, may you live for ever!  You gave orders that when the music sounded, every one should bow down and worship the golden image; and that if any man did not worship, he should be thrown into a furnace of fire.  There are some Jews, whom you have made rulers in the land, who have not done as you commanded.  Their names are Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.  They do not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you have set up.”

[Illustration:  Nebuchadnezzar was fitted with rage]

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage and fury at knowing that any one should dare to disobey his words.  He sent for these three men and said to them: 

“O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, was it by purpose that you did not fall down and worship the image of gold?  The music shall sound once more, and if you then will worship the image, it will be well.  But if you will not, then you shall be thrown into the furnace of fire, to die.”