Tag Archive for: Youth Bible Lessons – Level 3

Featured Passage: 1 Kings 8-11

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Solomon started his reign as king with fear and reverence for God. God blessed him, and Solomon prospered. His wisdom and accomplishments became famous. Sadly, human beings often forget about God when life goes well. Would Solomon fall into that trap? God warned Israel not to multiply wives, horses (for battle), and riches (Deuteronomy 8:11-18). As a powerful king, Solomon had the opportunity to do all these things. What would Solomon’s legacy be? Would he continue to follow God just like his father King David had done…or would he turn his back on God?

Discuss:

• Solomon had the opportunity to build and dedicate the temple.What kind of attitude does Solomon show toward God in his prayer for the dedication of the temple? How did God respond to his prayer?
• God told the Israelites not to marry foreigners. Why did God give this command? (Deuteronomy 7:1-4)
• Solomon ignored God’s command, and married hundreds of women from a variety of different countries. Why did Solomon do this? What were the results?
• After Solomon died, God allowed the kingdom of Israel to fracture into two parts, just as it had been before the time of David. What were these two parts called and why did God allow this to happen?
• What important lessons can we learn from Solomon’s life? 

Memory Challenge: 

1 Kings 8:61

Let your heart, therefore, be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.

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Featured Passage: 1 Kings 3

Solomon was a young man when he became king of Israel. It was a big job to oversee the whole nation, and Solomon knew he needed help. One night, God spoke to Solomon in a dream and asked him what was his heart’s desire. God told him that he could have anything he wanted! He could have asked for fame, riches, or a long life. Solomon’s response showed a maturity, humility and concern for his people. God gave him exactly what he needed to fulfill his role as king…and much more!

Discuss:

• Solomon offered sacrifices to God at Gibeon. Ultimately, God led him to build a temple at another location, which would serve as a worship-house for God for generations to come. Where was that temple built?
• What would you ask for if you could have anything want? What would be the wisest thing to request of God?
• Why do you think God was so happy with Solomon’s request?
• Why do you think it was important to Solomon to have wisdom?
• We have Solomon’s wisdom with us today in the Bible. He wrote Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and most of the book of Proverbs. Find a passage in the book of Proverbs that tells us how important it is to find wisdom. 

Memory Challenge: 

1 Kings 3:9 

“…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?”

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Featured Passage: Ruth 3-4

 Boaz was a prominent man in the community, having great wealth and many servants. He was also a close relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s deceased husband. Ruth had found favor with Boaz, and Naomi thought to secure Ruth’s future with him. The law of redemption allowed the nearest of kin to purchase the family land and to marry the widow of the one who owned it. Naomi instructed Ruth to secretly go to Boaz one night, with this statute in mind, and express her desire to put herself into his care. She said  to Boaz, “Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.” She was basically asking Boaz to marry her! Boaz was glad that she came to him, and said he would be willing to take care of her, only there was a problem. There was another man who was more closely related to her than Boaz. This other man would have to decide not to redeem the land and marry Ruth if Boaz was to have a chance to do so himself. Not wanting to waste any time, Boaz got up early in the morning and went to the gate of the city to see what could be done. The decision made that day would determine what would happen to Ruth and Naomi. 

Discuss:

• The book of Ruth is one of  two books in the Bible that has a woman’s name in the title.
• Consider the character and honor that Boaz displayed in the book of Ruth. What were some things that he did which reflected favorably on his character? 
• True love always shows outgoing concern for others and does no harm. When Boaz showed concern for Ruth’s reputation and went to great lengths to protect her name. What are some other examples of true love from the book of Ruth?

Memory Challenge: 

Ruth 3:10-11

Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.”

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 Ruth 1-2

Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem of Judea during the spring at the beginning of the barley harvest. Naomi was well known in Bethlehem and when the people saw that Naomi had returned they were excited! Naomi told them that she was mourning. She no longer had a husband to take care of her. But, she had Ruth! God has a statute that allows the poor to gather produce that the reapers leave in the fields during harvest time. Ruth decided that she would glean in the fields to support her mother-in-law. Gleaning was very hard work  but each day Ruth walked to the fields where she toiled from sunrise to sunset gathering what the reapers had left. Ruth worked very hard to take care of Naomi, and people began to notice.

Discuss:

• Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem during the barley harvest. The wavesheaf offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread marked the beginning of the barley harvest which always occurs in the spring (Leviticus 23:10–14).
• God’s law includes statutes to provide for the needs of the poor, yet the poor are still expected to work. How is this different than the way different governments take care of the poor people today? 
• What are some of the ways Ruth displayed diligence?

Memory Challenge: 

Ruth 1:22  

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Read Together: Before time began, God, who became the Father, and the Word, who became Jesus Christ, planned to have a family. The plan was to create human beings in God’s image and place them on the earth where they could learn to choose God’s way and develop godly character. God recognized that under the influence of Satan the devil, mankind would choose to sin, but He had a plan for that as well. Most of humanity, including those who profess Christianity, do not understand God’s plan, but we can. Through His Holy Days, God has revealed His plan to redeem mankind and offer every human being an opportunity for eternal life. The first step in God’s plan, Passover, has already been fulfilled. The Word was born as a human to pay for the sins of mankind by dying for His creation. Pentecost teaches us that God will begin to work with a small number of people through the power of His Holy Spirit. It pictures a harvest of the few that God is working with now who will one day assist Christ in the millennium. Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and is now our High Priest awaiting the time when He will return to the earth as King of kings. The firstfruits will be the kings who will rule with Christ in the future.

Read Together: Leviticus 23:15–21; 1 Peter 1:18–21; Revelation 13:8; John 1:29, 36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 4:14–15; Revelation 14:3–4; 17:14.

Discuss:

• God’s plan to have a family is a central theme throughout the Holy Scriptures. Much of the Bible is a history of what God has done, is doing, and will do to bring about His plan.
• Ask your child explain the meaning of the first three Festivals in God’s plan of salvation.
• God gives understanding to those who do what He says (Psalm 111:10). Obedience comes before understanding. Use as an example Mr. Armstrong keeping the Holy Days before God revealed their meaning. Explain that we may not understand everything now (1 Corinthians 13:12).