They Would Not Bow Down

DO YOU remember hearing about these young men?  Yes, they are the friends of Daniel who refused to eat  was not good for them.  The Babylonians called them Sha'drach, Me'shach and A-bed'ne-go.  Why aren't they bowing down  tot his huge image like everyone else?  Let's find out.

Do you remember the laws that Jehovah himself wrote called the Ten Commandments?  The first one of these is : 'You must not worship any other god's except me.'  The young men here are obeying this law, even though it is not an easy thing to do.

Neb-u-chad-nez'zar, the  king of Babylon, has called many important people to honor this image that he has set up.. He has just finish saying to all the people: 'When you hear the sound of the horns, the harps and the other musical instruments, you are to bow down and worship this gold image.  Anyone who does not bow down and worship will be thrown into a  burning hot furnace right away.'

When Neb-u-chad-nez'zar, learns that Sha'drach, Me'shach and A-bed'ne-go have not bowed down, he is very angry. He has them brought to him. He gives them another chance to bow down. But the young men trust in Jehovah. 'Our God whom we serve is able to save us,'  they tell Neb-u-chad-nez'zar.  'But even if he does not save us, we will not bow down to your image of gold.

Next time: Conclusion of They Would Not Bow Down

From the jw. org publications