Lesson 147

Daniel 3–5

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to be taught by the Holy Ghost. You will be ready to learn when your mind is alert and when your attention is focused on the learning experience.

Begin your study with prayer.

Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying on Him and trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. It also includes believing His teachings. Why is having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ important to you?

Listen as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then a member of the First Presidency, teaches about faith.

Possible Consequences

Think about the consequences that could result from making the following choices: choosing to do your own work rather than cheat as your friends want you to do, choosing not to wear a popular but immodest uniform chosen by your team because it goes against the Lord’s standards, and walking out of a movie with inappropriate content.

How might thinking about possible consequences influence your choices?

As you study Daniel 3, look for truths that can help you choose to obey the Lord no matter what the consequences are.

King Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 3:1–7 records that King Nebuchadnezzar had a large golden image, or statue, made that was approximately 90 feet (27.4 meters) high and 9 feet (2.74 meters) wide. The king then gathered leaders from his kingdom for “the dedication of the image” (verse 2). At the dedication, the king’s official messenger announced that when music sounded, everyone was to “fall down and worship the golden image” (verse 5). Those who did not worship the golden image would be cast into “a burning fiery furnace” (verse 6), similar to a very large wood-fired oven.

According to Daniel 3:8–12, a group of important Babylonians came to King Nebuchadnezzar to tell him that three Jewish men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—would not bow down to worship the golden idol.

Read Daniel 3:13–18, looking for the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when they were brought before Nebuchadnezzar. Consider marking the statements that stand out to you.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

When these men were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar, the furious king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego another chance to worship the idol. The men responded, “We are not careful to answer thee in this matter” (Daniel 3:16), which could be interpreted as “We have no need to discuss this matter.”

In other words, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were firm in their decision to not worship the image. They knew that God could save them from death, but they did not know if God would save them. Notice the phrase “but if not” in verse 18. Because of their love for the Lord, these men were willing to die rather than disobey His commandment to not worship idols.

What truth can you identify from the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego about how to show faith in the Lord?

Faith in the Lord

From the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, we can identify the following truth: We show our faith in the Lord by choosing to obey Him, regardless of the consequences. Consider writing this principle in your scriptures.

Elder Dennis E. Simmons, who served as a member of the Seventy, taught how the faith shown by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego relates to our lives. You can read the text for this video here: “But If Not … ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 74–75.

Elder Dennis E. Simmons, who served as a member of the Seventy, taught how the faith shown by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego relates to our lives.

“Our scriptures and our history are replete with accounts of God’s great men and women who believed that He would deliver them, but if not, they demonstrated that they would trust and be true.

“He has the power, but it’s our test.

“What does the Lord expect of us with respect to our challenges? He expects us to do all we can do. He does the rest. Nephi said, ‘For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ [2 Nephi 25:23].

“We must have the same faith as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

“Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not. … He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, …. we will trust in the Lord.

“Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has [see D&C 84:35–38]” (Dennis E. Simmons, “But If Not … ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 74–75).

As you face trials and persecution in your life, think about what you can do to develop the kind of faith in the Lord that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had.

A Reflection of Our Faith

Let’s review the choices that were presented at the beginning of the lesson: choosing to do your own work rather than cheat as your friends want you to do, choosing not to wear a popular but immodest uniform chosen by your team because it goes against the Lord’s standards, and walking out of a movie with inappropriate content.

How would choosing to obey the Lord in these circumstances, regardless of the consequences, reflect your faith?

Read Daniel 3:19–20, looking for how King Nebuchadnezzar reacted to the faithful response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

The Fiery Furnace

Imagine that you are Shadrach, Meshach, or Abed-nego and that you are about to be thrown into the furnace. What might you think and feel as you watch the furnace being heated?

Read Daniel 3:21–27, looking for what happened as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were “cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace” (verse 21). Notice what King Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed about the fourth individual he saw within the fiery furnace (see verse 25).

What principle can you identify about what the Lord will do for you if you choose to obey Him regardless of the consequences?

The Choice to Obey

From the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, we can identify the following principle: If we choose to obey the Lord, He will be with us, help us, and bless us. Consider writing this principle in your scriptures.

1. Answer two of the following questions:

• What are some ways the Lord shows He is with those who obey Him?

• When have you or someone you know shown faith in the Lord by choosing to obey Him regardless of the consequences? How did the Lord show He was with you or the person you know?

• How will you show your faith in and love for Jesus Christ the next time you are faced with the choice to obey or disobey one of His commandments?

Positive Consequences

The examples of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego allow us to learn important lessons about obedience that will help strengthen our faith.

Read Daniel 3:28–30, looking for the positive consequences of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego’s choice to obey the Lord.

Lessons Learned

As recorded in Daniel 4, after the three men were saved from the fire, Daniel interpreted another of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. The dream was a prophecy of the king’s removal from the throne and loss of sanity. The scriptures state that Daniel counseled the king to repent and to take care of the poor, in hopes that this dire prophecy could be avoided. A year later, while the king was boasting of his accomplishments in his kingdom, the events in his dream began to be fulfilled. From the suffering Nebuchadnezzar experienced, he learned several lessons about the Lord.

Read Daniel 4:34–37, looking for some of the lessons Nebuchadnezzar learned.

Humility

One of the truths we can identify from King Nebuchadnezzar’s experience is that God has power to humble the prideful. You may want to write this truth in your scriptures.

Why do you think God cares about whether you are humble?

Belshazzar

As recorded in Daniel 5:1–21, more than 20 years after King Nebuchadnezzar died, Belshazzar, the king in Babylon at that time, hosted a feast for leaders in the kingdom. Belshazzar had the vessels (golden cups) that had been taken from the temple in Jerusalem brought to the feast. The king and the people mocked the Lord by drinking wine from these vessels while they praised their false gods. During the feast, a hand appeared and wrote on a wall in the king’s palace. When Belshazzar saw the hand and the writing, he was very concerned. His wife then reminded him about Daniel. The king had Daniel brought before him. Before interpreting the writing, Daniel reminded Belshazzar about what had happened to King Nebuchadnezzar because “his mind [was] hardened in pride” (verse 20).

Read Daniel 5:22–23, 26–28, looking for what Daniel taught Belshazzar about his actions and about what was written on the wall.

What do you think it means that the Lord has weighed someone in the balances and found him or her wanting (see verse 27)?

The Writing on the Wall

Even though Belshazzar knew that Nebuchadnezzar had suffered because of his pride, Belshazzar did not humble himself.

In Daniel 5:30 we learn that later that same night, Belshazzar was killed and the Babylonian empire was conquered.

Consider what you have learned today about the consequences of pride. What can you do to avoid being prideful?

Additional Thoughts and Insights

2. Write at least three thoughts or insights that you have had while studying the truths identified in today’s lesson. These truths were about trusting the Lord, being willing to obey the Lord, and being humble.