A Walk-through Solomon's Temple

Lesson: A Walk-through Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 7, 2 Chron 4)

• Set up room according to the following layout

• Prepare kids outside the room:
• Today, we’re going to take a special tour of the temple of God that King Solomon built.
• Let’s walk slowly and very quietly so we can see all the different things inside.
• Note: Depending on crowd control, you may choose to have all the kids sit down in the “outer court area” while you talk about different parts of the temple, or have them follow you

The Temple’s Furnishings

1.         Lesson: The Temple’s Furnishings (1 Kings 7, 2 Chron 4)

• Last week, we learnt about how Solomon built a temple to God. It was built:
• with the best materials and by the best craftsmen
• as God’s house where God’s people could come to pray and receive forgiveness of their sins 
• We also learned that the temple was temporary … a picture of who us today — we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that God lives in us forever!

• The layout and furnishing of the temple is similar to the tabernacle that the Israelites used to worship God in since they came out of Egypt. (Exodus 25-27). The temple was about double the size of the tabernacle, and some of the furnishing were multiplied (10x).
• Everything about the temple — layout and furnishings — are made according to perfect specifications because it serves as “a copy and shadow of what is in heaven”. (Heb 8:5)
• Today we will looks at some of the furnishings in the temple and see how they are a picture of Jesus and His finished work on the cross.

Solomon builds a Temple

1. STORY: Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 5-9)

• King David wanted to build a physical temple for God. But God said his son, Solomon, would build it. So David could only make all the preparations for it and set aside all the wood, gold, silver, stone and treasures for the building.
• After four peaceful years of reign as king, Solomon decided to start building the temple of God, as his father, David, had prepared him for. “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. ⁵ I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’” (1 Kings 5:3-5)
• It took them seven years to complete the amazing temple. Solomon listened to God and built it exactly like God wanted. 
• Let's take a look at how the temple might have looked like: Virtual tour of temple.

God gives Solomon Wisdom

1. STORY:

• HOOK: I wish I may, I wish I might … 

• Imagine one day you were walking on a beach. And you accidentally kicked something hard. You looked down, and you see an old-fashioned gold lamp! Wow!
• What would you do with it? Maybe we should rub it and see if anything happens … 1, 2, 3 Rub! 
• Whoosh! It’s a great big green genie! “Hello boys and girls! Thank you for setting me free from the lamp! As a reward, I’ll give you one wish! Whatever it is that you want … ask and I shall grant you your wish!”
• Wow! A wish! Whatever you want! 
• What would you wish for children? What’s the one thing you want the most? <get kids to give their answers> 
• Well, in real life, there’s no such thing as a genie in a bottle. But in the Bible, there’s somebody who was asked by God about what his wish was. That somebody was King Solomon. Let’s find out more. 

• King David’s had a son, Solomon, who would be Israel’s next king. God loved him very much. (2 Sam 12:24)
• Before he died, David instructed Solomon what he should do as king. “And you my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
• After King David died, his son Solomon became king over Israel. “Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statues of his father David…” (1Kings 3:3a)
• One night, Solomon offered 1,000 offerings to God at a place called Gibeon. As he was sleeping, God came to Solomon and spoke to him in a dream. “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 
• Wow! Solomon could ask for ANYTHING he wanted. What would you ask for if God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
• If you were a king, wouldn’t you wish for great wealth? Long life? Many palaces? Or territories? For all your enemies to be gone?

God promises David a Forever Kingdom

1. LESSON:

• HOOK: God keeps His promises 
• Write out some Scriptures of God’s promises (see appendix) and hide them around the room. (Can fold them into origami or in envelopes or behind cards, e.g. flower shapes etc. Or can be played as “pass the parcel” with a promise and a gift at each layer.)
• Kids have to go hunt for the “treasure”. Then get them to come together and read out each of the promises one by one.
• Conclusion: God has given us many promises, and He keeps all of them. Today we’re going to learn about a BIG promise God made to King David. It’s a promise that you and I can enjoy too!

 

David messed out — Redeemed by Grace

1. Story (based on 2 Sam 11-12)

• HOOK: Cover up
• Materials: Pile of dust/dirt, tissue paper/paper napkin, small dustpan/brush
• Put a pile of dust/dirt in the middle of a table.
• Kids, look, there’s a mess here. It’s really dirty. What should we do?
• How about we try to cover it up? I know, let’s use this napkin. If we put it over the dirt, no one will see it. <cover the dirt with the napkin>
• There. Does that work? <no>  
• Oh dear. What do you think we should do? I know. I’ll clean it up and throw away the dirt. <get a kid to help sweep away the dirt>
• See … clean and as good as new now!
• Sometimes in life, we will mess up and make mistakes. But covering the mess will not work because the mess is still there. So the only way to get rid of the mess is to clean it up nicely.

• Today, we’re going to learn about someone who messed up big time.  

David Danced before God

1. Story (based on 2 Sam 6)

• We’ve been learning about a person called David.
• What have we learnt about him so far?
• David was a shepherd.
• David was anointed king.
• Saul was jealous of him.
• Saul wanted to kill him.
• David ran away, and God protected him from all harm.

• Then one day, Saul and Jonathan were both killed in battle. David was then made king of Israel.
• David loved the Lord. He loved to sing and write songs of worship.
• One of the first things David did as king was to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem.