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Babylon’s Palace
based on the book of Daniel.
Act one: (10 mins)
Parts: Narrator, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, & Evil Advisor. Special props: Neb’s throne.
[DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACH & ABEDNEGO SITTING ON FLOOR AT BACK OF HALL]
[NEBUCHADNEZZAR UNSEEN IN HALL KITCHEN] [NEB’S THRONE ON STAGE]
Narrator: Here we are 2600 years ago and we can see the young Daniel and his friends
enjoying a bit of catch-
Nebuchadnezzar: [GO TO BACK OF HALL & POINT AT THE 4 ] Soldiers, get those four young people and take them back to my country! I want to train them to work in the Babylon Palace!
[DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACH & ABEDNEGO STAND ON STAGE RIGHT]
Narrator: And so it happened, Daniel and his three friends found themselves in a large group of young people who had also been taken from their homelands. They knew that they had to obey every word their new masters said to them, otherwise they would be killed.
Nebuchadnezzar: [GO TO STAGE LEFT] We are a very educated country.
It is the biggest, the most powerful country in the world, and whatever I want, I get!
All the world’s riches and treasures are mine, so you [POINT AT THE 4] are going to obey me and you will become good slaves in my palace!
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: Yes your Majesty! [BOW LOW] We will obey your every word.
Nebuchadnezzar: Your reward will be to eat the same rich food that I eat. You will feast like kings, but don’t get any big ideas, I am the king and you are my slaves! Do you understand?
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: Yes your Majesty! [BOW LOW] We will obey your every word.
Evil Advisor: [SLIMY CHARACTER. STAND AT SIDE OF STAGE & SPEAK TO CHILDREN. BE ANGRY:] I am the king’s advisor! What does he want all these people for?! I get a good wage and now these [POINT] may challenge my position! I hate them all!
Adults & children: Boo!
Evil Advisor: [CRAFTILY] I shall wait for an opportunity to turn the king against them! [TOUCH NOSE & NOD]
And you know what happens to anyone who falls from favour with the king, don’t you? They die! [WICKED LAUGH & EXIT STAGE]
Adults & children: Boo!
Nebuchadnezzar: Guards, I want these young men [POINT] to learn our ways the way of the Babylonians. Make them study all day and every day. [EXIT STAGE]
Daniel: Shadrach, I don’t want to eat the king’s food!
Shadrach: Oh no Daniel! [FEARFUL] Many of our people have been killed by the king!
Meshach: The king has chosen not to kill us! In fact he appears to want to treat us well.
Abednego: He is even going to give us all that wonderful food! So why are you being so ungrateful?
Daniel: [PATIENT] A lot of that food will have been offered up to the king’s god and blessed by that god.
Meshach: But we don’t believe in that god, so what’s wrong with eating that food?
Daniel: Meshach, we believe in the God who made heaven and earth. So it would be wrong for us to eat the food that has been offered to the king’s god.
Abednego: OK, so we know that it would be wrong for us to eat it, but what can we do?
Meshach: If we say to the king that we refuse to eat his food, he will put us to death!
Daniel: [BRIGHT IDEA] I know! We’ll speak to the guard and say that for a ten day trial period, we only want to eat plain food and vegetables. After that, if we look underfed then we will have to eat the king’s food!
Shadrach: That sounds good to me.
Abednego: And me!
[ALL EXIT STAGE]
Narrator: The guards were very worried about them not eating the king’s food, because they were likely to look under fed. But the guards agreed to their suggestion when they realised that it would only be for a limited time.
Evil Advisor: [STAND AT SIDE OF STAGE & SPEAK TO CHILDREN. BE HAPPY:] O excellent news! Perhaps I won’t need a plan of my own to get the king angry with them. [CHUCKLE] They’re going to upset the king by rejecting his food! O such joy! It will soon be just the king and me again! [RUB HANDS & WALK OFF STAGE]
Adults & children: Boo!
Narrator: Ten days later, Daniel and his three friends looked really healthy and full of energy!
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: [ENTER STAGE, LOOK SUPER FIT – SHOW OFF YOUR MUSCLES! THEN EXIT STAGE]
Narrator: Whereas the other young men looked bloated and lifeless. So the guards gave the order that all the young people would only be fed on plain food and vegetables! The God of heaven was delighted with Daniel and his three friends because they had wanted to please Him by not eating the food that had been offered to the king’s god. Daniel really shone in his years training and he was well on the way to being one of the kings advisors.
Evil Advisor: [STAND AT SIDE OF STAGE]
Adults & children: Boo!
Evil Advisor: [SPEAK TO CHILDREN. ANGRY] O curses, curses, curses! Things are not going at all well here. I will have to devise a cunning plan to make those young Advisors fall from the kings favour.
Nebuchadnezzar: [ENTER STAGE & SIT ON THE THRONE] I have had a very worrying dream.
Evil Advisor: [SLIMY CHARACTER] Have you, your majesty. Was it a nightmare?
Nebuchadnezzar: No, it was a dream. But it was a dream that seemed to be telling me something.
Evil Advisor: More of a vision from one of our gods?
Nebuchadnezzar: Yes, I believe it was a dream from god.
Evil Advisor: [THOUGHTFUL] So, a message from god. I am glad that you have called for me because you obviously need the correct meaning to this dream. I am your most important Advisor, and I am well able to give you the answer that you require.
Nebuchadnezzar: Yes, I believe that it is an important message to me, so I want you to tell me the meaning of this dream.
Evil Advisor: I am well able to tell you what this dream means. So, your majesty, please tell me what your dream was about.
Nebuchadnezzar: No, you tell me what I dreamt and then you can tell me its meaning!
Evil Advisor: [PANIC] Oh your majesty! That is impossible!
Nebuchadnezzar: If you don’t tell me what the dream was and what it means, you will die! But if you do tell me then I will make you very rich.
Evil Advisor: Thank you, your majesty! [RUB YOUR HANDS] But I need to know what your dream was.
Nebuchadnezzar: No! You tell me what I dreamt and then tell me the meaning!
Evil Advisor: Oh your majesty! [PANIC] This is not fair, no human could tell you what you dreamt!
How could anyone know such a thing? [DESPERATE] Please tell me your dream!
Nebuchadnezzar: [ANGRY] No! You tell me what I dreamt! I think that you plan to mislead me and trick me! So tell me the dream now!
Evil Advisor: Oh your majesty, this is impossible, only god would know such a thing.
Nebuchadnezzar: Guards arrest him and all of my advisors and kill them! [EXIT STAGE]
Evil Advisor: [HANG HEAD & EXIT STAGE]
Daniel: [ENTER STAGE]
Narrator: When the guards came to arrest Daniel, he said:
Daniel: Just a minute! Why are you going to put us all to death? What have we done that deserves this?
Narrator: The guards explained that the king had had a dream and that his top Advisor couldn’t tell him the dream and so he couldn’t tell the king what it had meant.
Daniel: Well, this is the first time I’ve heard about it. I’m sure if the king would give us a little more time, we could pray and get the answer from the God of heaven. [EXIT STAGE]
Narrator: The guards agreed to let Daniel go to see the king.
Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: [ENTER STAGE & WAIT]
Daniel: [ENTER STAGE]
Shadrach: Daniel, what’s happening?
Meshach: We’ve heard that we and all the other Advisors are going to be killed!
Abednego: But then we heard that you had gone to see the king!
Shadrach: What did he say? Are we going to be alright?
Daniel: The king has given us some time to come up with the answer. Let’s pray and let’s hope that God will give us the answer!
[ALL EXIT STAGE]
[TAKE THRONE OFF STAGE]
Act 2: (8 mins)
Parts: Narrator, Nebuchadnezzar, Evil Advisor, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego. Special props: Powerpoint statue.
[DANIEL SITTING ON FLOOR OF STAGE. SHADRACH, MESHACH & ABEDNEGO WITH DANIEL BUT ASLEEP]
Daniel: Wake up you guys! God has answered our prayers!
Shadrach: What! The God of heaven has really told you what the king has dreamt?
Daniel: Yes, I know it sounds impossible, but it is true!
Meshach: And you know what the dream means?
Daniel: Yes, He has even told me that! Let’s give thanks to God, for he knows everything and is so full of wisdom and power!
Abednego: You sound confident!
Daniel: Yes, it’s amazing that he is able to speak into our situation! He is able to turn things around so that the king will change his mind and not kill all of his Advisers!
Shadrach: Well, let’s hope you are right!
Daniel: There is no way that any human could possibly know what the king’s dream was! But the God of heaven reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what is hidden in the darkness.
Evil Advisor: [ENTER STAGE] What’s this I hear? You think you know what the king dreamt! That’s just your stupid arrogance!
Daniel: I know when God tells me something! [LIFT HEAD & HANDS UP] I thank and praise you, God of all people, that you gave me the courage to ask the king for more time. I thank you that you have told me what the king’s dream was about.
Evil Advisor: How can you be so sure?
Daniel: I know that the God of heaven will not let us down. When he speaks it is true and not a lie.
Evil Advisor: [THREATENING] You had better be right! Our lives are in danger!
Daniel: You need to trust in the God of heaven. He won’t let you down.
Evil Advisor: [MOODY] I’ve got enough gods of my own! I don’t need any more!
Daniel: But your gods haven’t helped you, have they? You still don’t know what the king dreamt!
Evil Advisor: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re so cocky sometimes! You had better be right or we’re all dead!
Daniel: I know what God has shown me, so I’m going to see the king now. Everyone, please pray that the king will be in a good mood!
[EVERYONE EXIT STAGE] [PUT THRONE BACK ONTO STAGE]
Nebuchadnezzar: [SIT ON THE THRONE ON STAGE]
Daniel: [WALK TO THE KING & BOW BEFORE HIM]
Nebuchadnezzar: Are you able to tell me what I dreamt? And then tell me what it means?
Daniel: It is impossible to know what another man dreams.
Nebuchadnezzar: Then why do you come to see me? Do you want to see me lose my temper?
Daniel: No your majesty. No human is able to do this, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
Nebuchadnezzar: I have got my own gods, but this God of heaven, [PAUSE] I have not heard of him.
Daniel: This is the God who made the world and he made the whole universe. Nothing is hidden from his sight and therefore he is able to reveal this mystery.
Nebuchadnezzar: You have my attention, go on.
Daniel: God has shown you O king, what will happen in the future. This dream of the future was revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else, but because I prayed to the God of heaven and he wanted me to give you the meaning of your dream.
Nebuchadnezzar: This sounds promising. Carry on and tell me what I dreamt.
Daniel: You saw a huge, dazzling statue even higher than the tallest buildings!
Nebuchadnezzar: Yes that’s right!
[PROJECT golden_statue.jpg ON POWERPOINT]
Narrator: Daniel went onto describe the statue and what it symbolized. The head was of pure gold.
Daniel: You O king are the head of pure gold because you are a very powerful king. The God of heaven has given you this power, and he has allowed you to rule over many countries.
Narrator: The chest and arms of the statue were made of silver.
Daniel: After you another kingdom, a world super power, will rule, but it won’t be such a great kingdom as yours.
Narrator: The statues belly and upper thighs were made of bronze.
Daniel: Then another kingdom will follow that one.
Narrator: The statues legs were of iron.
Daniel: Finally there will be a fourth kingdom, another world super power, which will be as strong as iron, and it will break and smash everything in its way.
Narrator: And the feet were a mixture of iron and clay which didn’t stick together very well.
Daniel: But because this last kingdom will be such a mixture of different people, they will have different ideas and they will become disunited and they will not be so strong.
Narrator: During the time of this kingdom, the God of heaven will set up his own kingdom on this earth.
Daniel: O king, you saw in your dream a rock which symbolised God’s kingdom. This rock hit the statue on its toes, and smashed them.
[PROJECT statue_rock.jpg ON POWERPOINT]
Narrator: The whole statue fell to the ground and smashed into little bits. This was showing that all the leaders and kings of all countries and kingdoms are only human and that one day they will die. But God’s Kingdom will never end, because God can never die, he is eternal.
Daniel: O king, the Great God has shown you what will take place in the future. Your dream was a true picture of the super powers that will follow your powerful kingdom. The meaning to the dream that I have just told you is trustworthy and is not a lie. It has come from the God of heaven.
[TURN POWERPOINT OFF]
Nebuchadnezzar: [KNEEL ON FLOOR AND BOW DOWN AT DANIEL] You are a very wise person. I give you honour! [STAND UP] Your God is a God over all other gods and idols.
Daniel: Yes, I did not do this through my own wisdom. It was God who revealed this to me.
Nebuchadnezzar: Your God is able to reveal all mysteries! Your God is Lord of all kings and leaders everywhere!
I don’t want any of the Advisors killed, this is a good day!
Evil Advisor: [WALK TO STAGE EXCITED] Yes! [PUNCH THE AIR] We’re no longer going to be killed! [BOW BEFORE KING] Your majesty. I am pleased to return as your most important Advisor!
Adults & children: Boo!
Nebuchadnezzar: I think not! [POINT AT DANIEL] Daniel will be my right hand man over my whole kingdom.
Adults & children: [CHEER] Yeah!
Evil Advisor: [ANGRILY MUTTER] Daniel in charge! Grrr! Daniel in charge!
Nebuchadnezzar: What did you say?
Evil Advisor: [INNOCENTLY] Nothing your majesty. I was just saying that it was a wonderful day!
Nebuchadnezzar: Good! Daniel, have you got anything to say?
Daniel: O yes your majesty. I know of 3 men who would make really good leaders in your government.
Nebuchadnezzar: Yes Daniel, and who may they be?
Daniel: They are here, your majesty. [POINT TO SHADRACH, MESHACH & ABEDNEGO]
Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: [STAND NEXT TO DANIEL]
Daniel: There names are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They are very wise and will be very loyal to you, your majesty.
Evil Advisor: [ANGRILY MUTTER] No! No! No! Not them!
Nebuchadnezzar: Daniel, I trust your decisions. Yes, make these 3 men the top leaders in my government.
Evil Advisor: [SPEAK TO CHILDREN] Aaaaaagh! Well I’m not finished yet! They may have won this little battle, but they haven’t won the war!
I’ll have to lay some traps, don’t you think? [EVIL LAUGH]
Adults & children: Boo!
[ALL EXIT STAGE]
[REMOVE THRONE FROM STAGE]
Act 3: (2 mins + DVD)
Parts: Narrator, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego.
[DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACH & ABEDNEGO SEATED ON STAGE]
Shadrach: That was just amazing. There we were about to be led out to be killed and you, Daniel, decide that you want to speak to the king!
Meshach: To say that we needed time to pray about it!
Abednego: I thought our time was up.
Daniel: I was prepared to die, but I believe that God has got a plan for us being here at the Babylon Palace.
Shadrach: That was weird about the king’s dream and what it meant.
Meshach: Yeah, what was it now? Something about that last kingdom will be such a mixture of different people.
Abednego: That they will become disunited and they will not be so strong.
Shadrach: That during the time of this kingdom, the God of heaven will set up his own kingdom on this earth. What does that mean?
Daniel: I don’t know. I wonder what God’s Kingdom on this earth be like?
Narrator: The 4th and last kingdom in the dream was the Roman Empire. God had revealed to the king and everybody listening, what would happen 600 years on from Daniel’s time! So what did happen during the time of the Roman empire? God would set up his own kingdom on this earth.
Do we know whether this happened? Was anything ever written about this? Well let’s look at this DVD to find out......