Narrative Lectionary reading for Advent 1 as impromptu congregational play

The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace

Note: bring several musical toys and instruments, colored cloth for shawls etc. large name tags on string to hang around peoples necks, helium balloons on long strings with gold crepe paper you can let go to the ceiling for the idol, a fiery furnace drawing on one wall. The congregation I serve is kind of Norwegian Lutheran so I have changed Abednego to Abednegoson which could be modified any way you wish. Have fun.  let me know if you use it.  

King Nebuchadnezzar (pointing to his golden statue)  Look what I have made, or perhaps I should say, look what I had someone else make for me. (to the congregation)  Isn’t it wonderful, isn’t it magnificent, isn’t it marvelous?  (Congregation Ooohs and Awes ) 

King Nebuchadnezzar: (pointing again to the golden statue) This Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god is made of solid gold.  It is 90 feet high and 9 feet wide.  See, I have set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of  Babylon.  (motions to satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials in the congregation) Come up here, (the officials all come up front) come up to the front all you satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials. Come to the dedication of the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god I have set up. ( the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials gather before the golden god and bow to it again and again )

Herald the herald: (comes to the front of the church and proclaims loudly)  “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do:  As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, (everyone with a musical instrument makes lots of noise until Herald the herald motions for you to be quiet) When you hear that wonderful music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Herald the herald points to the fiery furnace and the congregation gasps in horror followed by a pregnant pause )

(then Herald the herald motions and everyone with a musical instrument makes lots of noise. As soon as the congregation hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, they wave their arms in a bowing motion to Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god)

Some Devious Astrologers: (come forward and speak to King Nebuchadnezzar), “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music (musical instruments make lots of noise until the Devious Astrologers tell you to be quiet) Boy they are loud.  Anyway, when the people hear that sound, your decree mandates that all must fall down and worship the image of Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god and whoever does not fall down and worship the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god will be thrown into a blazing furnace (congregation gasps in horror) But there are two Jews, and a Norwegian Lutheran whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson —who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god you have set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar: (yelling with great anger)   Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson, come here now.  Don’t make me come down there. (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson come to the front of the church). “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god I have set up? (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson nod yes and murmur “ya sure, you betcha or something like that)  Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music (musical instruments make lots of noise until the Devious Astrologers tell you to be quiet)  yes, well, when you hear that wonderful sound,  if you are ready to fall down and worship the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god I have made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. (congregation gasps in horror) Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”(Nebuchadnezzar does a devious laugh)

Shadrach: (to Nebuchadnezzar) “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 

Meshach: If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the Most High God we serve is able to deliver us from it. Yes, our Most High God will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  

Abednegoson: But even if our Most High God does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god you have set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar: (in great anger)  Guards, come here (the guards come forward) Heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual and since you are so strong (Guards flex some muscle)  tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson and throw them into the blazing furnace. (the guards tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson and throw them in the furnace) (God comes forward and walks around with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson in or near the fiery furnace)

Guards:   This furnace is too hot, aaawwwwweee, we can’t stand the heat and we can get out of the kitchen. (Guards fall down dead, while Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson walk around near the fiery furnace, a fourth person, God, walks around with them)  

King Nebuchadnezzar: (jumping up and down and pointing to the fiery furnace) “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

Some Devious Astrologers & Herald the herald:  “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

King Nebuchadnezzar: “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (King Nebuchadnezzar approaches the fiery furnace and yells loudly) “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers come forward and crowd around them checking out and smelling them)

Satrap: The fire did not harm their bodies.

Prefect:  Nor was a hair of their heads singed.

Governor:  Their robes are not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

King Nebuchadnezzar: “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson, who has sent an angel and rescued the servants of the most high God! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson trusted in the Most High God and defied my command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god, even the Wonderful, Magnificent, Marvelous golden god I have made. In their loyalty, they will worship only their own Most High God.  Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the Most High God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson, will be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, (congregation gasps in horror) for no other god can save in this way.” I hereby promote Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoson to be high and mighty muckity mucks in the province and proclaim locs, bagels and lefsa to be official foods of Babylon