1. What did Lucifer want to receive in heaven?

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Isaiah 14:12-14

The Bible describes Lucifer as the “anointed cherub that covereth” (Ezekiel 28:14) God’s throne, and his position was depicted by the golden cherubs mounted on the Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness sanctuary. His job was to stand as a guardian of God’s holy law.

The golden cherubs in the wilderness sanctuary were mounted directly above the Ten Commandment law of God. God told Moses, “And there I will meeting with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 25:22).

Personal Response

Why would God create an angel that He knew would one day rebel against Him? What does this reveal about God’s character and His respect for freedom of choice?

Review

What did Lucifer want to receive in heaven? (Select all answers that apply.)

2. What will be the central issue in the battle between good and evil?

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelation 13:15-17

Worship will be the central issue in the final battle between good and evil. Every person living on Earth will have to choose whether or not they will worship God.

Personal Response

In what ways do the things we worship, and the ways we worship those things, reveal who we really are?

Review

According to Revelation 13:15, what will be the final issue in the battle between good and evil? (Fill in the blank.)

3. What did Jesus say about the relationship between whom we worship and whom we serve?

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behindme, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lordthy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Luke 4:8

According to Jesus, willfully serving somebody or something is the same as worshiping that person or thing. Moses explained the same connection centuries earlier when he said, “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them” (Deuteronomy 11:16).

One of the Bible’s most powerful illustrations of the battle between true and false worship is found in the story of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. Scripture reveals a number of parallels between the experience of Daniel’s three friends and those who remain faithful to Jesus Christ at the end of time.

Reflection Question

For what reasons are worship and service so closely connected? What things in our lives today might we be serving without realizing it?

Review

What did Jesus say about the relationship between whom we worship and whom we serve? (Select the best answer.)

4. What did King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon set up in the plain of Dura?

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Daniel 3:1-2

Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image 60 cubits (90 feet) high and six cubits (9 feet) wide. He then called representatives from all levels and branches of his government to come to the dedication of the image.

Revelation 13 predicts that at the end of time, powers within spiritual Babylon will also erect an image. “And [he] deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live” (Revelation 13:14). As with Nebuchadnezzar’s image, the number six plays a large part in the identification of the image of the beast—it’s number is “Six hundred threescore and six” (Revelation 13:18), or 666.

Review

According to Daniel 3:1, what did King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon set up in the plain of Dura? (Fill in the blanks.)

5. What ultimatum did King Nebuchadnezzar give the people assembled before the golden image?

4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Daniel 3:4-7

Nebuchadnezzar commanded the people to serve and worship the golden image that he had set up. Refusal to do so would bring swift and certain death.

In Revelation 13, a death penalty is also brought against all who refuse to worship the image of the beast. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Revelation 13:15).

Review

What ultimatum did King Nebuchadnezzar give the people assembled before the golden image?  (Fill in the blank.)

6. How did the three Hebrews reply to King Nebuchadnezzar?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Daniel 3:16-18

They chose to serve and worship God, no matter what the consequences. Their choice is reflected in the decision of the saints at the end of time. Of them the Bible says, “Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

Personal Response

What would be willing to give for the kind of faith and trust that is necessary to stand for truth and for God when that decision might cost you your life?

Review

How did the three Hebrews reply to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand that they fall down and worship the golden image that he had set up?  (Select the best answer.)

7. How did God reward the three Hebrews for their obedience to Him?

21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. … 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Daniel 3:21, 24-27

Jesus delivered them from the flames and walked with them through their trial.

In Revelation 15:2, victory is promised to all those that remain faithful to God and choose to serve Him: “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.”

Personal Response

What confidence and peace can the experience of Daniel’s three friends give us today? 

Review

How did God reward the three Hebrews for their obedience to Him? (Select all correct answers.)