King Solomon

OBJECTIVE

In this unit, we will look at the establishment of Kings for God's people, Israel. We will also take a more in depth look on how we learn about our Lord God through His interactions with the characters of the Bible.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

Set these items on the table in front of the class and ask the children what these items have in common.
- Phone, newspaper, letters and envelopes, map, radio, walkie talkie
These items are all used for communication.
Ask them how do we communicate with our Lord God? Through prayer. More specifically - prayer of the heart.
Our Lord God is most concerned with our heart

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse Psalm 51 (Psalm 50 in Agpeya) Entire Psalm for the month

The events for today's lesson are located in 2 Samuel 2, 2 Samuel 6 - 2 Samuel 7, 2 Samuel 24, 1 Kings 2 - 10

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 15 Minutes

Remember from last week, we left off the story with King Saul chasing David trying to kill him. David was able to escape, and even proved many times that he would never harm King Saul. However, King Saul kept falling deeper into sin and despair. Soon enough King Saul was killed in battle and David was crowned King of Israel. 2 Samuel 1-2

King David continued to seek the Lord in all his battles and decisions for he loved the Lord with all his heart. He desired to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, the City of David (2 Samuel 6). King David made quite a ceremony The procession was led by a great amount of musicians with instruments of all kinds. The people were all singing praises to the Lord and shouted with joy. King David wore a special robe, called a linen ephod, to honor the Lord. King David was so happy at this amazing blessing and he was so reverent and respectful to the Lord, that he danced and leaped and shouted with joy (2 Samuel 6:12-20)

Out of his humility, King David noticed that the ark of the Covenant was under a tent, while he lived in a cedar house. He desired to build a beautiful temple for the Lord. However, The Lord had different plans: (Read or summarize 2 Samuel 7:8-14) King David wanted to build a house (temple) for the Lord, and the Lord promised to build King David a house (a dynasty). The Lord said that King David's son would be the one to build the Temple.

King David continued to live in faith. Even though King David made many mistakes and committed many sins, his response to his sins was what set him apart from others as being "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). King David was always very repentant and humble. When the prophet Nathan made King David aware of his sins, King David immediately admitted and repented. (2 Samuel 12:1-13). Before King David died, he gave his son Solomon these instructions*: ""I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'*" (1 Kings 2:2-4)

Solomon became King after King David reposed. King Solomon loved the Lord (1 Kings 3:3) and followed his father's commandments. One night, The Lord came to King Solomon in a dream: "At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said*, "Ask What shall I give you?"6 And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."* (1 Kings 3:5-14)

From then on, King Solomon was known throughout the world for remarkable wisdom It was indeed the wisdom of God that was with him. At the time, the Queen of Sheba came to ask Solomon difficult questions to test King Solomon. The King had brilliant replies to her difficult questions and she realized that his wisdom was inspired by the Lord God. (1 Kings 10:1-13)

King Solomon was tasked with building the Temple for the Lord. He received the plans, or drawings, for the temple from his father David. The temple was very ornate and intricate in design.

King Solomon gave us the beautiful book of Proverbs. Find the book of Proverbs in your Bible and read together:

Proverbs 1:7
Proverbs 3:5
Proverbs 3:6
Proverbs 3:13
Proverbs 4:23
Proverbs 6:20
Proverbs 12:1
Proverbs 13:1
Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 16:24

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

Name a way King David wanted to honor the Lord. (King David wanted to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem)
How did King David bring the Ark into the city?
How did the people act?
How did King David act?
How does this show what's in his heart, his love for God?
How did King David show humility?
What did David want to do for the Lord? (Build a temple)
Who actually built it?
What did Solomon ask the Lord for? (Wisdom)
Why did the Lord find this request pleasing?
What type of requests should we make to the Lord that He would find more pleasing?
What was King Solomon known for? (building the Temple and his wisdom)

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

We can see what it is that our Lord God likes and what He dislikes from the interactions recorded in the Bible. We can see today that the Lord is pleased when Solomon asks for an understanding/discerning/wise heart so that he can govern the people according to God's law. From now on, we will pray for godly wisdom, the fruits of the Spirit, a godly heart, and not material things.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Using the attached activity sheet, have the students match each Psalm verse with the corresponding trait of David

Explain to the students that David's example is a great road map for how we are to live our life

SERVANT RESOURCES

Temple built by Solomon

The Second Book of Samuel by Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Continue helping your child write in his/her journal this week to practice being faithful with our tasks and having faith in the Lord that He will help us in all we do. This week we talked about Solomon's wisdom and his Proverbs. Read Proverbs together and talk about how they help guide us in our daily lives to a closer relationship with our Lord.