March 16, 2025 – 1 Kings 5 – 7

Lesson Date: March 16, 2025

Focal Scripture Passage: 1 Kings 5:1-12; 6:1-2, 11-13, 37-38; 7:1-2, 51

AIM: To lead students to discover that Solomon invested great resources, energy, and time into building a Temple for Israel to use to worship Almighty God, and to ask them to evaluate what they are building with their resources, energy, and time.

 

Before class: Read the notes on 1 Kings 5 – 7 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Have enough copies of the “Solomon’s Temple” handout on hand for your anticipated attendance.  Write the word “Building” on the board or screen.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the word “Building” written on the board or screen.  Tell them the word “building” can be used as either a noun or a verb.

Ask: “What does the word ‘building’ mean when it is used as a noun?” (a permanent structure that has walls and a roof, such as a house, school, hospital, or office).  Ask: “What does the word ‘building’ (or ‘build’) mean when it is used as a verb?” (to construct a structure out of various materials).  Tell the students that because the word may be used as either a noun or a verb, we may correctly say that someone is building (verb) a building (noun).

Remind the students that recent storms in our area damaged or destroyed many homes and other structures, requiring that they be repaired or rebuilt. 

Ask: “Is it quick, easy, or inexpensive to rebuild or replace damaged or destroyed structures?” (absolutely not).  Stress the fact that building a building requires a great investment of money, time, and energy.  Ask: “Why do we go to such expense and effort?  What makes the sizable investment of resources, energy, and time worth it?”  (the end result, the finished structure, is very valuable and useful, providing a place to live, worship, or work).

Tell the students that the title of today’s lesson is What Am I Building?  Tell them we will learn about the great amount of resources, energy, and time King Solomon poured into building the Temple in Jerusalem, and then evaluate where we are investing our resources, energy, and time.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind everyone that we are studying the Old Testament book of 1 Kings.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Am I a Wise Person?; we discovered some marks of wise people).
   • Ask if anyone would recite last week’s memory verse (James 1:5).
   • Ask: “Have you asked God for wisdom this week?”
2. Solomon Invested in the Best Building Materials.
   • Read 1 Kings 5:1.
   • Explain the following:
     • Hiram was the king of Tyre.
     • Tyre was a prominent Phoenician city on the Mediterranean seacoast, about 100 miles north of Jerusalem.
     • Locate Tyre on the Map, explaining that it is in the modern country of Lebanon.
     • David enjoyed friendly relations with Hiram, who had previously sent craftsmen and building materials to Jerusalem to build David a palace (2 Sam. 5:11).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Kings 5:2-5.
   • Ask: “According to verse 3, why couldn’t Solomon’s father David build the Temple?” (because of his many wars; 1 Chronicles 28:3).
   • Ask: “What does verse 4 say had changed?” (the Lord had given Solomon and Israel peace on all sides).
   • Ask: “According to the first half of verse 5, what was Solomon determined to do?” (build the Temple, a house for the Lord).
   • Explain the following:
     • For almost 500 years, the Israelites had worshiped at the Tabernacle, which was a portable, tent-like structure God told Moses to build.
     • They did not have a permanent Temple in which to worship God.
   • Ask: “Why does the rest of verse 5 say Solomon was determined to build the Temple?” (because the Lord had told his father David that he was to build it; see 1 Chron. 28:5-6).
   • Read 1 Kings 5:6-12.
   • Ask: “According to verse 6, what did Solomon ask from Hiram?” (lumber cut from the cedars of Lebanon).
   • Tell the class that cedar from Lebanon was strong, durable, and considered to be the best building material available.
   • Ask: “What does verse 7 say about how Hiram reacted to Solomon’s request?” (he rejoiced greatly that the Lord had given David such a wise son to rule over Israel).
   • Ask: “According to verse 10, what did Hiram give Solomon?” (cedar and fir lumber).
   • Ask: “What does verse 11 say Solomon gave Hiram in exchange?” (wheat and oil).
   • Ask: “According to verse 12, what did the Lord give Solomon?” (wisdom).
   • Tell the class that Solomon also conscripted laborers from among his own people to transport the lumber and cut great stones (v. 17) for the Temple’s construction.
   • Summarize: When it came time to build the Temple in Jerusalem, Solomon spared no expense, investing in the very best building materials.
3. Solomon Invested Effort and Time in the Temple.
   • Read 1 Kings 6:1-2.
   • Ask: “According to verse 1, what did King Solomon do?” (began to build the Temple).
   • Explain that the 480^th year after the Israelites left Egypt (the Exodus) and the 4^th year of Solomon’s reign was 966 BC, and the Jewish month of Zif fell in late April and early May.
   • Give everyone a copy of the “Solomon’s Temple” handout, which features a diagram of the Temple, an artist’s rendering of the Temple, and a map of Jerusalem showing the location of the temple.
   • Explain the following:
     • A cubit was about 18 inches long, so the main part of the Temple (the holy Place and the Most Holy Place) was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet tall.
     • Surrounding the main part of the Temple were three floors of storerooms.
     • There was also a porch on the front of the building.
     • The Temple was built out of large hand-cut stones
     • The inside was covered with cedar paneling and flooring, and then overlaid with gold.
   • Ask: “How much effort do you think it took to build such a monumental structure?” (very much, especially since there were no power tools or building supply stores).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Kings 6:37-38.
   • Tell the class that the Temple was completed in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon’s reign (late October to early November of 959 BC).
   • Ask: “How much time did Solomon invest in building the Temple?” (seven years).
   • Summarize: Solomon invested a great deal of effort and seven years of his life into building the Temple.
4. God Blessed Solomon’s Investment.
   • Ask: “What did Solomon invest in building the Temple?” (money, effort, and time).
   • Remind the students that Solomon did all this in obedience to God’s command relayed to him by his father, David.
   • Ask: “How do you think God felt about Solomon’s obedience and investment of resources, energy, and time?” Allow time for responses.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Kings 6:11-13.
   • Ask: “According to the first part of verse 12, what did God require of Solomon?” (to walk in God’s statutes or laws, execute God’s judgments, and keep God’s commandments).
   • Ask: “According to the rest of verse 12 and verse 13, what did God promise to do?” (perform all He promised David, dwell among the people of Israel, and not forsake them).
   • Stress the fact that God’s blessing upon the people was based upon the behavior of the king; this is why we must pray for our governmental leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Kings 7:1-2.
   • Ask: “What did Solomon build after completing the Temple?” (a palace for himself and a huge royal building from which to rule and render judgment).
   • Tell the class that the rest of chapter 7 describes these royal buildings and the elaborate furnishings for the Temple; locate the furnishings on the “Solomon’s Temple” handout.
   • Read 1 Kings 7:51.
   • Ask: “What did Solomon do after completing the Temple?” (he brought all the gold and silver David had dedicated to the Lord [2 Sam. 7-12] into the storerooms surrounding the Temple; locate the storerooms on the “Solomon’s Temple” handout).
   • Summarize: God blessed Solomon’s investment in building the Temple, promising to bless all Israel if Solomon walked in His ways.

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is What Am I Building? 

Ask: “What did Solomon build?” (the magnificent Temple and other royal structures).

Ask: “What kinds of materials did he use?” (the finest lumber, hand-cut stones, and lots of gold).

Ask: “How long did it take him to build the Temple?” (seven years).

Stress the fact that since King Solomon was building something very important that would last for a long time, he used the very best building materials, and invested much of his time and energy.

Read Matthew 7:24-27.  Tell the class that Jesus said a wise person builds their life on a firm foundation by hearing and obeying His words.

Tell the students that they may not be building a house or other physical structure, but all of us are building something.  Ask students to silently answer the following questions:

“What are you building in your own life?  Character?  Bible knowledge?  Knowledge of God?”

“What are you building in the lives of others?  Your children?  Your grandchildren?  Your friends?  Your church?”

“What are you building that will stand the test of time?  What are you investing that will last for eternity?  Are you building a house of cards that can easily be blown down?” 

Read 1 Corinthians 3:9-16.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “What kind of building materials are you using?  Are you building with wood, hay, and stubble, or are you investing your gold, silver, and precious stones?”  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer of commitment to invest our resources, effort, and time into building something worthwhile for God.

 

CONCLUSION: Suggest that everyone invest some time in others this week.  Tell them to make a phone call, send a text, write a note, or mentor a younger believer.  Leave them with this question: “Will your investments of resources, effort, and time show those who come behind you that you were committed to the Lord Jesus Christ?”