Children’s Bible Program- Level 3: Lessons 30-33 Packet: Ruth
Includes the lessons:
- Lesson 30 “Ruth the Moabitess”
- Lesson 31 “Ruth in the Land of Judah”
- Lesson 32 “Ruth Finds Favor with Boaz”
- Lesson 33 “Ruth Gets Married
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Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 34 “Solomon Becomes King”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 1-2
Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba. Though David had other sons, he promised Bathsheba that her son Solomon would be the next king of Israel. But as David lay on his death-bed, a different son, Adonijah, proclaimed himself king! Imagine the uproar this caused, as the followers of Adonijah celebrated his coronation. When David was told of of Adonijah’s take-over attempt, he acted quickly, announcing his choice of Solomon as king in his place. He commanded that Solomon should rule over Israel, not Adonijah. He gave instructions for his immediate coronation. David’s decisive action set the stage for a dramatic showdown between Adonijah and Solomon.
Discuss:
- Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam (one of David’s mighty men) and the granddaughter of Ahithophel (one of David’s advisors).
- Adonijah was presumptuous to make himself king. What does it mean to be presumptuous, and how does God view this (Psalms 19:13, 1 Peter 2:10)?
- The people who supported Adonijah were directly rebelling against the instructions of King David, who had been guided by God to select Solomon as king. What can we learn from this example regarding who we support?
- Solomon’s name means rest or peace. Where do we read about the peace that the land of Israel enjoyed during his reign? (note that this introduces the child to the parallel account of the kings of Israel and Judah in 1 and 2 Chronicles)
Memory Challenge:
1 Kings 1:37
As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 35 “Solomon’s Special Request”
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?”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 36 “Solomon’s Prosperous Reign”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 4 – 7
During the reign of Solomon the kingdom of Israel had peace, productivity, and prosperity during the reign of Solomon. It was said that gold was so abundant, silver was considered practically worthless. Solomon’s friends respected him and his enemies feared him. God had given Solomon the responsibility to build the temple, a task which Solomon took very seriously. It became clear that God was blessing him and the nation of Israel. Solomon’s fame began to spread far and wide, and many important people including kings and queens came to see for themselves. They could hardly believe what their eyes had seen. The nation of Israel underKing Solomon came to surpass all the kingdoms of the earth in wisdom and riches. Yet, who was really responsible for the prosperity and blessings that the kingdom of Israel enjoyed?
Discuss:
- Marriage was often used to establish peace between countries. King Solomon married the daughter of the king of Egypt which achieved this purpose.
- Israel had trade agreements with the surrounding nations. Why do you think this would be helpful in having a peaceful kingdom? Though these types of agreements can be helpful, who do we look to as the true source of peace? .
- Solomon’s wealth and wisdom attracted many people; one of the more famous was the Queen of Sheba. What was her assessment of the facts when she visited Solomon?
- The temple that Solomon built was magnificent! His father David had prepared much of the materials for its construction including gold, silver, precious stones, marble, and wood (1 Chronicles 29:1–5). It took seven years to build, but when it was finished it was very beautiful. What do you think it would have been like to visit Jerusalem after the temple has just been completed?
- Solomon worked hard, and God blessed his efforts (Ecclesiastes 2:4–9). God often blesses us by blessing the efforts we put forth. Hard work is a principle that applies to us (Proverbs 10:4).
Memory Challenge:
1 Kings 4:29
And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 37 “Solomon’s Legacy”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 8-11
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.
Children’s Bible Program- Level 3: Lessons 34-37 Packet: Solomon
Includes the lessons:
- Lesson 34 “Solomon Becomes King”
- Lesson 35 “Solomon’s Special Request”
- Lesson 36 “Solomon’s Prosperous Reign”
- Lesson 37 “Solomon’s Legacy”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 38 “Rehoboam Ascends to the Throne”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 12
When King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was made king over all of Israel. The Kingdom of Israel had prospered under Solomon. However, there were problems that needed to be resolved. Rehoboam knew it was wise to seek counsel (Proverbs 1:5), but to whom would he listen? Would he listen to the counsel of the men who had advised his father, or would he listen to his friends? The future of the Kingdom of Israel hung in the balance.
Discussion:
- The people complained to Rehoboam about how much they had been taxed by his father, Solomon. Why do you think the taxes were so high during Solomon’s reign? For what purpose was Solomon using all that money?
- The scripture says that we should seek “wise” counsel. What does it mean to seek counsel? Where can we go for wise counsel?
- Were Rehoboam’s friends wise counselors? What can we learn from this example?
- Rehoboam wanted the people’s respect. He tried to show that he was ready to rule by being harsh. Does bullying others in this way earn their respect?
- How did Solomon’s former advisers say Rehoboam could earn the respect of the people?
- Rehoboam decided not to listen to the wise men. He decided to tax the people even more, as his friends had advised. What happened to the kingdom of Israel because of Rehoboam’s poor decision?
Memory Challenge:
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 39 “Jeroboam”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 11-12
As Solomon grew older, he began to turn from God and His laws and statutes. Before Solomon’s death, God warned him that his actions would result in the loss of half of his kingdom to Jeroboam, an energetic leader who oversaw many of Solomon’s building projects. God promised that this break-up of the kingdom of Israel would not occur until after Solomon died, but that his son Rehoboam would inherit the consequences of his sins. Despite Solomon’s best efforts to kill Jeroboam, his plans failed. More importantly, Solomon failed his kingdom when he turned his back on God, creating the ingredients for strife between Israel and Judah. Would Solomon’s son, King Rehoboam, learn the lesson that Solomon did not? And would Jeroboam obey God and establish a dynasty that would rule Israel down through history? Read 1 Kings 11-12 and find out!
Discuss:
- Why did God take the majority of the tribes from Rehoboam, Solomon’s son?
- When Solomon learned that God was going to give part of the kingdom to Jeroboam, he tried to thwart God’s plan by having him killed. Can anyone stop God from carrying out His plans? How did Jeroboam escape? What made him return to Israel?
- What special opportunity and blessing did God offer to Jeroboam and his descendants?
- Jeroboam set up idols for the people to worship, made priests of anyone, and established different holy days than those that God had ordained. What was his excuse for doing this?
- How did God respond to Jeroboam’s actions taking Israel into idolatry?
- When we disobey God, what do expect will happen? What would we expect God to do?
Memory Challenge:
1 Kings 11:31
And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you…’”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 40 “Rehoboam’s Reign”
Featured Passage: 2 Chronicles 11 and 12
Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon, was selected to be king after Solomon’s death. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he took the throne. His first instinct when the ten tribes declared their independence was to declare war on Israel and bring them back under his rule. Would he succeed and rule over Judah and Israel? What type of king would Rehoboam be? In this lesson, we will learn more about King Rehoboam and the legacy that he left.
Discuss:
- God told Shemaiah to tell Rehoboam that He inspired Israel to be split. To his credit, Rehoboam did not try to subdue Israel; he accepted what God had done.
- The Levites who were living within the Kingdom of Israel left when they started worshipping idols and joined with the Kingdom of Judah.
- Why was Rehoboam strengthened when the Levites returned to Judah?
- What is the relationship between obedience and blessings? Rehoboam was blessed during the three years he followed God.
- Rehoboam started out well, and he had many great works. Rehoboam built walled cities for security and encouraged the people to worship God.
- Rehoboam had many wives, which is contrary to God’s instructions. What place in the Bible makes that very clear?
- People can often forget about God when things are going well (Deuteronomy 8:18–19). Was this what happened with Reheboam?
- God sent Egypt against Rehoboam because of his transgressions. The Egyptians took all the treasury back to Egypt with them. There is always a consequence for disobedience to God.
- Rehoboam reigned for seventeen years. He left a legacy of disobedience toward God, unlike King David.
Memory Challenge:
Deuteronomy 8:19
Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 41 “Israel and Judah”
Featured Passage: 1 Kings 14
From the time that the ten tribes rebelled against Rehoboam, Israel was no longer one nation. The nation was split into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. Ten tribes kept the name Israel, and the tribes of Judah, Levi, and Benjamin became known as the Kingdom of Judah. Each nation wes given God’s laws, but neither followed His ways consistently. Though ruling over separate kingdoms, Jeroboam and Rehoboam both lead the nations on paths away from God into idolatry and disobedience. What would God do to His people who turned away from Him?
Discuss:
- What are the names of the two kingdoms that were formed after Solomon died?
- The Bible compares each of the kings of Israel and Judah to King David. Their legacy is summarized as to whether they did or did not follow his footsteps. Why do you think God used David as an example? (Acts 13:22).
- What were the reasons God gave Jeroboam’s wife for the punishment that He was planning to bring upon the people of Israel?
- What happened to Judah in the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign? Why did God allow this to happen?
Memory Challenge:
1 Kings 14:15
For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their wooden images, provoking the Lord to anger.