DANIEL - Prisoner in Babylon

Here are a series of simple devotion dramas telling the story of Daniel. Adapt the lesson at the end to suit. Use some simple clothing to show the different characters and have fun.

Narrator, Daniel, 3 friends, King Nebuchadnezzar, Ashpenaz, Guard

Narrator: When King Nebuchadnezzar first marched into Jerusalem, he arrested King Jehoiakim, and took some of the treasures from the Temple back to Babylon. Something else King Nebuchadnezzar took too – he captured many prisoners. They were all carted away from their own country to a place called Babylon – thousands of kilometres away.
When the king got back to Babylon again after this time of war, he called for his chief official Ashpenaz to come and see him.

Ashpenaz: Yes your Majesty – how can I serve you?

King Nebuchadnezzar: I want you to look over all the prisoners. Choose from those who have royal or noble blood, ones that can be trained to serve in my royal court. Look for those that are handsome and fit. I want no physical defects.

Ashpenaz: Yes your Majesty.

King Nebuchadnezzar: Also they must be intelligent and quick to learn. I want them to become Babylonian citizens and serve me well. You know what to do.

Ashpenaz: It shall be done as you say your Majesty.

Narrator: So Ashpenaz went and looked over the young men who had been captured. He chose Daniel and 3 of his friends as well as some others.

Ashpenaz: You men are going to be taught to read and write in our Babylonian language. You will also learn our history, some philosophy, to study the stars and our literature. If you qualify well you will be chosen to become advisors at the royal court. There will be 3 years of this study and training.

Daniel: Thank-you. We will do our best.

Ashpenaz: Also the King has given orders that you are to eat the same food and wine as he eats. It is a real privilege as the meat is offered to the gods before it is given to the king.

Daniel: Could I have a quiet word with my friends?

Ashpenaz: Certainly, if you are quick.

Daniel: This royal food is offered to idols. God will not be pleased with this. I would like to ask for plain vegetables and water to drink instead. Do you agree?

Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: Yes, we agree with you.

Daniel: Ashpenaz, we need your help. We don’t want the king’s food. It has been offered to idols and that is against our belief. We want only plain vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Ashpenaz: But if you don’t eat well, you won’t look healthy, and then the king will be angry with me. He will blame me and then maybe kill me. Sorry, I can’t do this.

Narrator: So Daniel and his friends talked to the guard who had been put in charge of watching over them.

Daniel: Would you let us eat just the vegetables and give us only water to drink? You can eat the meat – we don’t want it as it has been placed before idols.

Guard: Well, what say you get sick because you don’t have the meat? I will be in trouble then.

Daniel: Give us a trial.

Shadrach: See how we look after 10 days.

Meshach: If we look sick then we will eat it all.

Abednego: Base your decision on how we look compared to the other students.

Guard: OK then. I will enjoy eating the meat and drinking the wine myself.

Narrator: So this is what happened. And after 10 days Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all looked healthier, stronger and more energetic than the other students.
So they continued with their simple food and stayed loyal to God. In return, God gave the four young men knowledge and skill in literature and philosophy. They learned the Babylonian language well and they were the top students. God also gave Daniel the gift of understanding dreams. At the end of 3 years all the students appeared before King Nebuchadnezzar. He wanted to know how much each one knew and if there were any especially gifted men worthy of serving him as his advisors.
After questioning them all, the king realised that Daniel and his 3 friends knew 10 times more that any other advisor in his kingdom.
King Nebuchadnezzar was impressed.

Lesson: To do what you believe is right, no matter how hard it is. And to be faithful to God.
Daniel and his friends didn’t want to eat food offered to idols as they felt this would be dishonouring to God. They kept worshipping God and God blessed them for their faithfulness.