Lesson¹

PPT CUE

Main Point: Remaining with God every day is the key to trusting Him in difficult times.

Key Verse: If anyone remains joined to Me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me. - John 15:5b

Props: A tape measure that is over 9 feet long (or pre-measured string that is over 9 feet long, with a knot tied at 7 feet); 3 5-lb. bags of flour

Background/Review (1 Samuel 8 - 9)

Last week, we talked about the nation of Israel. God was their King but they wanted a human king so they could be like all the other nations. That is sort of like trading in an all-you-can-eat buffet for a baby-sized happy meal! Even though God warned them that this was a bad idea, they insisted they wanted a king. God’s prophet, Samuel, appointed Saul. Saul started out well, but before long he became proud and he disobeyed God. So God chose a different king. God led Samuel to appoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the new King.

David was the youngest of Jesse’s son. He was small and insignificant. Just like in most families back then, the job of the youngest son was to take care of his family’s sheep. David spent all day in the fields alone with the sheep. He didn’t seem to have much importance by worldly standards.

Ask: Who can explain why God chose David to be king? Because he was a man after God’s own heart, he loved and trusted God. Say: David did not become king right away. Samuel poured oil over David’s head as a promise that he would one day be king. David was anointed by Samuel in front of his entire family. For many people, this would change everything. Imagine going from a nobody to the most important man in the country.

Ask: What usually happens to people who become famous or get a lot of money? Sometimes they are just treated differently. They get a new home, new car, and people to serve them.

Ask: What would happen if you were signed to play in the NBA? Say: You would be offered a contract to make a LOT of money. You would probably move into a big house and buy several really cool cars! People would ask for your autograph wherever you went. All of these things are fine if you use them to glorify God. But sometimes when people become important, famous, or rich, they start acting differently. They begin to think more highly of themselves than others.

Application: Many times we use the good gifts God has given us for things that aren’t so good. We’ve all sinned against God in this way. Have you ever gotten the highest grade on a test in your class? Did it make you feel better or smarter than your classmates? Did you ever feel like bragging? When God blesses us, we are often tempted to act important or selfish. Sometimes we think more highly of ourselves than we should.

Say: But David didn’t do this. The news that he was now the anointed king over Israel didn’t change him at all. After being blessed by Samuel, David went right back to tending his flock of sheep. He stayed faithful to the job his father had given him. He didn’t desert his family. He continued to obey God in the small things, listening and waiting for God to tell him what to do next.

Ask: What would you call this character trait in David? Humility. Ask: Who can tell me what humility is? Listen for answers. It’s having a proper view of yourself and of God. It’s knowing that every good thing that you have comes from God. It’s using your gifts for God’s glory, instead of your own. It’s not taking credit for anything, but giving all the credit to God. It’s praising God, instead of praising yourself. It’s the opposite of pride.

Say: David was ready and willing to serve God as king, but he knew that serving God as the son of Jesse and shepherd of sheep was just as important for the time being.

Very soon Saul started to be tormented in his mind. David was called in to play his harp to sooth Saul. Saul liked David and made him his personal attendant. David went back and forth between serving Saul and being a shepherd for his dad in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 17:15).

David Fights Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

Say: It wasn’t long before David was called to serve God in a big way. An army of Philistines was attacking the army of Israel. The Philistines were enemies of God, and therefore enemies of Israel. There was a giant among them. His name was Goliath, and the Bible says he was over 9 feet tall! Teacher: Have your tallest student stand up front, and use the tape measure to show how much taller Goliath would’ve been. His armor alone weighed 125 pounds. That weighs as much as two (or three) of you guys! The tip of his spear weighed 15 pounds. That’s as much as 3 bags of flour! Ask your volunteer to lift the 3 bags of flour.

David’s oldest three brothers were fighting in Saul’s army. The Philistine army was on one hill and the Israelite army was on another. The giant Goliath shouted to the Israelites:

Choose one of your men. Have him come down and face me. If he's able to fight and kill me, we'll become your slaves. But if I win and kill him, you will become our slaves and serve us." Goliath continued, "This very day I dare the soldiers of Israel to send a man down to fight against me." - 1 Samuel 17:8b-10

Saul and his whole army were terrified! Goliath kept taunting the Israelite army. He shouted insults at them for 40 days.

Meanwhile, Jesse sent David to the battlefield to check on his brothers, but God had something else planned for this obedient young man. David heard Goliath daring the Israelite soldiers to fight him. The soldiers ran away from Goliath in fear. David started asking questions about Goliath. Saul sent for David.

David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone lose hope because of that Philistine. I'll go out and fight him."

Saul replied, "You aren't able to go out there and fight that Philistine. You are too young. He's been a fighting man ever since he was a boy." - 1 Samuel 17:32-33

Say: Saul liked David very much. He was worried about letting David go up against a fighting monster like Goliath.

But David said to Saul, "I've been taking care of my father's sheep. Sometimes a lion or a bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock. Then I would go after it and hit it. I would save the sheep it was carrying in its mouth. If it turned around to attack me, I would grab hold of its hair. I would strike it down and kill it. In fact, I've killed both a lion and a bear. I'll do the same thing to this Philistine. He isn't even circumcised. He has dared the armies of the living God to fight him. - 1 Samuel 34-36

Say: If David stopped here, we would almost think he was bragging. But what he says next is SO important! Don’t miss these words:

PPT CUE: Verse

"The Lord saved me from the paw of the lion. He saved me from the paw of the bear. And He'll save me from the powerful hand of this Philistine too."

Saul said to David, "Go. And may the Lord be with you." - 1 Samuel 17:37

Ask: Who saved David from wild animals in the past? God did! And Who would save David from Goliath? God would!

PPT CUE

Ask: Do you remember how God described David? A man after My own heart. Say: Here we see exactly what that means. David knew exactly what God thought about a man who insulted the people of God. David knew that God had promised to curse anyone who cursed Abraham’s family, the Israelites (Genesis 12:3). And David knew that God had promised to conquer the Israelites’ enemies, no matter how big they were (Deuteronomy 28:7). David knew that God ALWAYS keeps His promises! So, even though David was small, he didn’t even think twice about fighting the giant, because he knew God was HUGE. David trusted God.

Say: Let’s not forget about Saul in this battle. He was the King, the leader of the army. The Bible tells us that he was a head taller than all of the other Israelites (1 Samuel 9:2). If an average man is 6 feet tall, this means Saul was about 7 feet tall. Let’s see where this would put him in comparison to the 9 foot Goliath. Teacher: Show 7 feet on your tape measure. Compare 7 feet to 9 feet. Humanly speaking, this would have been a much more fair fight than David fighting Goliath. But since Saul was out of God’s will, he was just as terrified as the others soldiers.

Say: It would seem that the Lord had been preparing David for this battle all of his life. Each day as David was protecting his sheep, God was by his side. David remained with God. God was slowly preparing David for the BIG DEAL of fighting Goliath through the daily small stuff of being a shepherd. Each time God sent an animal for David to fight, it made David trust God more. When it came time for David to face the giant, he relied on the power of God without hesitation.

Application: God wants to train you in the same way. God is always there, waiting for you. He wants to speak to you and teach you about Himself every day. God wants to you to invite Him into every part of your life - even the small stuff. If you abide in Him, or remain with Him, every day, and obey in the small things, you will be able to rely on Him in the BIG DEALS without hesitating.

Say: As David prepared to fight Goliath, Saul dressed David in his own armor. You can imagine that Saul’s 7-foot tall armor did not fit the young David very well! David took it off because he wasn’t used to it.

He went to a stream and chose 5 smooth stones. He took his sling and his shepherd staff and went out to meet the giant. Goliath was not alone. The man who carried his shield walked in front of him.

Goliath looked David over. He saw how young he was. He also saw how tanned and handsome he was. And he hated him. He said to David, "Why are you coming at me with sticks? Do you think I'm only a dog?" The Philistine called down curses on David in the name of his god. [Remember what we said about curses!]"Come over here," he said. "I'll feed your body to the birds of the air! I'll feed it to the wild animals!"

David said to Goliath, "You are coming to fight against me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming against you in the name of the Lord who rules over all. He is the God of the armies of Israel. He's the One you have dared to fight against. This very day the Lord will hand you over to me...Then the whole world will know there is a God in Israel. The Lord doesn't save by using a sword or a spear. And everyone who is here will know it. The battle belongs to the Lord. He will hand all of you over to us." - 1 Samuel 17:42-47

Say: God was going to win the battle for David and the Israelites, but His ultimate purpose was to show His glory to the nations, to demonstrate that the battle was HIS. He is all-powerful, and displays His glory for everyone to see. Let’s see what happened:

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet him. He reached into his bag. He took out a stone. He put it in his sling. He slung it at Goliath. The stone hit him on the forehead and sank into it. He fell to the ground on his face.

So David won the fight against Goliath with a sling and a stone. He struck the Philistine down and killed him. He did it without even using a sword. - 1 Samuel 17:48-50

Say: Not only did David fight Goliath, but he ran to meet him. David had COMPLETE confidence in God’s amazing power. Can you imagine all the men watching as David took on Goliath? The Israelites (including Saul) probably held their breath. The Philistines probably laughed as they saw little David coming out without even a sword. However, after God used David to kill Goliath, those Philistines turned and ran! The Israelite army chased them and destroyed them. God handed His people complete victory that day.

Application: David remained with God and God remained with David - in the small things and the BIG things. David knew God’s heart. He knew God’s promises, and he trusted that God was strong enough and good enough to keep them. In the same way, God wants us to remain with Him, and He will remain with us. When we get to know God in our everyday lives, then when a difficult time comes, we will not hesitate to rely on Him.

PPT CUE: Key Verse

Key Verse: If anyone remains joined to Me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me. - John 15:5b

PPT CUE: Main Point

Main Point: Remaining with God every day is the key to trusting Him in difficult times.

¹ © 2008 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Lesson¹

PPT CUE

Main Point: God will always be with those who trust in Him.

Key Verse: The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He'll never desert you. So don't be afraid. Don't lose hope. - Deuteronomy 31:8

Props: Three pieces of thick yarn or rope, about 18 inches long (three different colors, if possible); Pillows, a wig (or scrap of “fur” fabric), clothes or a blanket

Background/Review

Say: We learned the story of how David struck down the huge Philistine warrior named Goliath. David didn’t wear physical armor made of metal. Instead he wore the armor of God, trusting that the battle belonged to the Lord. Ask: Who can remember the name of the King of Israel at that time? Saul. Say: Saul was still the King, though God had privately promised that David would one day be the King. Saul did not know that God made this promise about David. Ask: Who can tell me why Saul didn’t fight Goliath himself? He was afraid. Say: Even though Saul was the biggest Israelite, Goliath was still bigger than him, and he was afraid just like all the other soldiers were.

Good Friends And A Jealous King (1 Samuel 18)

Say: After the battle with Goliath, Saul decided to keep David in his service full-time. David became very close friends with Saul’s son Jonathan. The Bible says they became one in spirit. Teacher: Show your three pieces of yarn. Say: In this friendship, there were really three people. There was David, Jonathan, and the Lord. Tie the pieces together with a knot at one end. Ask a volunteer to come up and hold the knot. Start braiding the three pieces together as you talk. Say: God knitted these two young men’s hearts together, sort of like this. David and Jonathan loved each other, and they both loved and respected the Lord. A friendship of two people that centers around a love for God will be strong and will last a long time. These kind of friends don’t think about what is best for ME, but what is best for each other, and how to glorify God. Hold up the braided pieces. Thank your volunteer.

Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him just as he loved himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David. He also gave him his military clothes. He even gave him his sword, his bow and his belt. - 1 Samuel 3-4

Note to Teacher: It is possible that Jonathan’s gifts to David were a symbolic gesture. He may have suspected that David was God’s chosen successor to the thrown of Israel. By giving David his robe, Jonathan may have been indicating that he was willing to give his authority to David, and therefore relinquishing his claim to the thrown.

Jonathan’s covenant with David was like a promise to be best friends forever. He was saying, “What’s mine is yours.” We will see that this friendship lasted throughout both of their lifetimes. These men would risk their lives for one another. It was a friendship based on trust and obedience to God.

Application: Some of you may have a best friend that you love as much as you love yourself. That is awesome. But some of you may not have found a friend like this yet. Let me encourage you to pray and ask God for such a friend. The Bible says that every good and perfect gift is given to us from our heavenly Father (James 1:17). A great friend who loves you and encourages you to be godly is a wonderful thing. God wants to pour out the blessing of friendship on you. Don’t be afraid to pray for this. The Bible says that God is happy to give good gifts to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)

Say: After the last Philistine had fallen, and the Israelite men returned home from the long battle, the women ran out to greet them. They were so excited that their husbands and son were finally home. They began to dance and sing praises. They sang, “Saul has killed thousands of men. David has killed tens of thousands.”

For younger children: Lead the students in singing this verse several times to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

Saul has killed his thousands of men, thousands of men, thousands of men,

Saul has killed his thousands of men, But David has killed ten thousand.

In other words, everyone in town was saying David was a greater warrior than Saul. Ask: Can anyone guess how this song made Saul feel? Jealous, angry. The Bible says:

That song made Saul very angry. It really upset him. He said to himself, "They are saying David has killed tens of thousands of men. But they are saying I've killed only thousands. The only thing left for him to get is the kingdom itself." From that time on, Saul became very jealous of David. So he watched him closely. - 1 Samuel 18:8-9

The next day, the spirit that made Saul sad and upset came to torment Saul again. David came to sooth him by playing his harp as he usually did. While David played, Saul grabbed a spear and threw it at David, but David got away from him two times.

It’s hard to imagine how David might have reacted to this. He must have thought that the evil spirit was making Saul act crazy. But in fact, Saul knew what he was doing. He was trying to get rid of David. Saul was afraid of David because the Lord had left Saul, and was with David (1 Samuel 18:12).

Then Saul sent David away from him and made him the commander of 1,000 men in his army. All the soldiers loved being led by David. Listen to what the Bible tells us about David:

In everything he did, he was very successful. That's because the Lord was with him. - 1 Samuel 18:14

David’s success and popularity made Saul even angrier with David. He came up with another plan. He offered to let David marry his oldest daughter, if David would continue to fight his wars. Saul hoped the Philistines would kill David in battle. But very humbly, David said the he was not important enough to marry the King’s daughter. So Saul let another man marry her.

Then Saul found out that his other daughter, Michal, was in love with David. He wanted to try his plan again. Saul had his attendants talk to David about marrying Michal. Again, David said he was not important enough to be the King’s son-in-law. Since David felt unworthy to marry the King’s daughter, Saul told him he could “earn” the right to join the royal family by killing 100 Philistines. David agreed to this. He went out and killed 200 Philistines, and Saul gave David his daughter to marry.

Saul realized that the Lord was with David. He also realized that his daughter Michal loved David. So Saul became even more afraid of him. He remained David's enemy as long as he was king. The Philistine commanders kept on going out to battle. Every time they did, David had more success against them than the rest of Saul's officers. So his name became well known. - 1 Samuel 18:28-30

Michal Helps David Escape (1 Samuel 19)

Say: Saul would not give up trying to kill David.

Saul told his son Jonathan and all of the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan liked David very much. So Jonathan warned him, "My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be very careful tomorrow morning. Find a place to hide and stay there. My father and I will come and stand in the field where you are hiding. I'll speak to him about you. Then I'll tell you what I find out."

Jonathan told his father Saul some good things about David. He said to him, "Please don't do anything to harm David. He hasn't done anything to harm you. And what he's done has helped you a lot. He put his own life in danger when he killed Goliath. The Lord used him to win a great battle for the whole nation of Israel. When you saw it, you were glad. So why would you do anything to harm a man like David? He isn't guilty of doing anything to harm you. Why would you want to kill him without any reason?" - 1 Samuel 19:1-5

So Saul promised Jonathan that he wouldn’t harm David. Ask: Do you think Saul is telling the truth? Listen for answers. Say: We’ll have to listen and see about that!

David went back to serving Saul. Once again he battled the Philistines bravely. And again, David went to sooth Saul with music when a terrible spirit was making him very upset. But just as he had done before, Saul threw a spear at David. David ran away. A-ha! So Saul wasn’t telling the truth to Jonathan. Saul sent men to David’s house and told hem to kill him in the morning.

But David's wife Michal warned him. She said, "You must run for your life tonight. If you don't, tomorrow you will be killed." So Michal helped David escape through a window. He ran and got away. - 1 Samuel 19:11b-12

Then she did something very clever. She took a statue and put it in David’s bed, and covered it with clothes. She even took some goat hair and put it at the top where his head would have been. Teacher: Use props to show what this might have looked like. When Saul’s men came looking for David, Michal told them that he was sick in bed. When the men reported this to Saul, he said, “Bring him up here to me in his bed. Then I'll kill him.” Can you imagine that?! So the men went to get David, bed and all, and they realized it was a statue in the bed. They had been tricked.

Saul asked his Daughter, Michal, why she had done this. She told him that David made her help him. David had run to see Samuel, God’s prophet who had anointed him. Saul heard where David was and he sent men to capture him. But when the men arrived, God’s spirit came upon them, and instead of grabbing David, they spoke messages from the Lord. So Saul sent more men after David. But when those men got to where David and Samuel were, they started speaking messages from God also. So Saul went to capture David himself. But when Saul got there, the Spirit of God even fell on him! He took off his royal robes and he, also, spoke messages from God all day and night.

Jonathan Helps David Escape (1 Samuel 20)

So David escaped and ran to where Jonathan was. David told Jonathan that Saul really was trying to kill him. He said, “What have I done? What crime have I committed? I haven't done anything to harm your father. So why is he trying to kill me?” (1 Samuel 20:1) Jonathan wondered why his father would try to hide his plans from him. But David knew it was because of Jonathan’s close friendship with David. Jonathan vowed that he would never let Saul kill David. The two men came up with a way to be sure of Saul’s plans.

So David said, "Tomorrow is the time for the New Moon Feast. I'm supposed to eat with the king. But let me go and hide in the field. I'll stay there until the evening of the day after tomorrow. Your father might miss me. If he does, then tell him, 'David begged me to let him hurry home to Bethlehem. A yearly sacrifice is being offered there for his whole family group.' Your father might say, 'That's all right.' If he does, it will mean I'm safe. But he might become very angry. If he does, you can be sure he's made up his mind to harm me. - 1 Samuel 20:5-7

The New Moon festival was celebrated every month, at the sighting of the new moon. Jonathan promised David that he would find out what his father was planning, and let David know what it was. Then the two young men made a vow that they would always be kind to one another, doing good even to their children and grandchildren, as long as they both lived.

Jonathan came up with a secret code in which to tell David if he was in danger or not. He told David to go out to a nearby field and wait by a certain stone. After the feast, when he would find out about Saul’s plans, he would shoot three arrows near the large stone. Then he would send his servant boy out to get his arrows. If Saul was not planning to harm David, Jonathan would shout, “The arrows are on this side of you!” But if Saul was planning to kill David, Jonathan would shout, “Go farther! The arrows are ahead of you!” Then David would have to run far away.

So David hid before the festival began. On the first night of the New Moon, Saul noticed that David was missing, but he didn’t say anything. On the second night, he noticed David’s place was empty again. Saul asked Jonathan where David was. Jonathan told his father the story that David had made up about going home to see his family.

Saul burned with anger against Jonathan. He said to him, "You are an evil son. You have refused to obey me. I know that you are on the side of Jesse's son. You should be ashamed of that. And your mother should be ashamed of having a son like you. You will never be king as long as Jesse's son lives on this earth. And you will never have a kingdom either. So send for the son of Jesse. Bring him to me. He must die!" - 1 Samuel 20:30-31

When Jonathan asked what David had done to deserve Saul’s death threat, Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, his own son! Jonathan was very angry with his father. He left the feast. The next morning he went out to the field and shot his arrows, just as he had promised he would do. He called out to his young helper, “The arrow went far beyond you! Hurry, run fast!” This was the signal to David that Saul wanted to kill him. The boy retrieved his arrows, and Jonathan sent him home. Then David came out from behind the rock. The two friends hugged and cried together.

Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace. In the name of the Lord we have taken an oath. We've promised to be friends. We've said, 'The Lord is a witness between you and me. He's a witness between your children and my children forever.' "

Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town. - 1 Samuel 20:42

Application: David was chosen by God to become the next King of Israel. David loved God and trusted Him completely. David was right where God wanted him to be. But I want you to notice something here. Even though David was obedient and had a heart for God, did he still have trouble in his life? Yes! Say: David was surrounded by trouble because of Saul’s sin. Sin always affects innocent people. And here is the other thing I want you to notice: God did not leave David. God was with David, protecting him, in the middle of this trouble. God worked in amazing ways to protect David. God worked circumstances to favor David, he gave him a loyal wife, He sent His spirit at just the right times. And another wonderful way God protected David was by sending Jonathan as his helper. He was the perfect friend for David. He was godly, loyal and brave. And he also was Saul’s son, so he could find out things from Saul that David needed to know. God worked all things together for the good of David (Romans 8:28).

How does this apply to our lives? Remember that even though you may be right where God wants you to be, trouble can still come into your life. Sometimes this trouble is caused by the sins of others (as in David’s case); sometimes it comes because God is planning to show us something amazing about Himself (as was the case when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead). In any case, God will not abandon you. He will NEVER leave those who trust in Him.

PPT CUE: Key Verse

Key Verse: The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He'll never desert you. So don't be afraid. Don't lose hope. - Deuteronomy 31:8

PPT CUE: Key Verse

Main Point: God will always be with those who trust in Him.

¹ © 2008 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only. Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Lesson¹

PPT CUE

Main Point: God gives wisdom to those who ask for it.

Key Verse: If any of you need wisdom, ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone. He doesn't find fault. - James 1:5

Props: Two clear empty glasses, a clear pitcher full of water, and a large plastic bin

Background/Review

Say: David was the King that ruled over God’s people, the Israelites. He was not perfect; he made many heart-breaking decisions during his reign. But David loved and trusted God. He was a man after God’s own heart. David’s first wife was Saul’s daughter Michal. David and Michal did not have any children together. David married several other women, as most kings did at that time. (This was never God’s plan. God has designed marriage for one man and one woman forever.) His last wife was named Bathsheba. David loved her very much. Their youngest son was named Solomon. In all, David had over 20 sons and one daughter.

Adonijah Tries To Become King (1 Kings 1:1-27)

Usually, the oldest son would become King after his father either died or stepped down from the throne. But in this case, David promised Bathsheba that their son, Solomon, would be the next King of Israel. When David had become an old man, unable to do much of anything, his oldest living son, Adonijah, decided he would take the throne. Adonijah was handsome and spoiled. Here is one of the heart-breaking mistakes that David made. He did not discipline his sons. The Bible says, “His father had never tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to. His father had never asked him, ‘Why are you acting the way you do?’” (1 Kings 1:6) So when Adonijah knew that his father was old and weak, he announced, “I’m going to be king.” (1 Kings 1:5) He even gathered lots of people together and started to throw a party in his own honor. He sacrificed animals and invited all the royal officials and all of his brothers - except Solomon.

Some the people closest to David did not go to Adonijah’s party. The prophet Nathan went to Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, and told her what Adonijah was up to. Nathan told her that she must go tell David what was going on. Nathan knew that Adonijah would kill Bathsheba and Solomon once he was king, because he didn’t want his little brother to ever challenge him.

So Bathsheba went to David and bowed before him. She reminded him that he had promised that Solomon would be the next king. She told David that Adonijah was already saying that he was the King.

“And now, my lord the King, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become King after you. If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the King has died.” - 1 Kings 1:20-21

Right away, the prophet Nathan entered and told David that Bathsheba was telling the truth.

Solomon Becomes King (1 Kings 1:28-53)

Say: King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the King. And the King repeated his vow: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every danger, your son Solomon will be the next King and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the Lord, the God of Israel.” - 1 Kings 1:28-30

David commanded his bodyguards, Nathan the prophet, and one of the priests to take Solomon to a special place and anoint him as the new King over Israel. After the priest anointed Solomon with oil, they blew a loud horn and shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”

And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What’s going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?” - 1 Kings 1:40-41

The entire city celebrated the new King. A messenger went to Adonijah’s feast and told him that Solomon was the new King. Ask: How do you think he took this news? Listen for answers. Say: He was gripped with fear. He was afraid that Solomon would have him killed. Adonijah went from being cocky and full of himself to being scared to death in a matter of seconds! All of his guests were also panic-stricken. They took off to their homes. They didn’t want to be known as the people who were enemies of the new King!

Adonijah ran to the tabernacle and pleaded for the Lord to spare his life. When Solomon heard about his brother cowering in fear, he sent a message to him.

Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.” - 1 Kings 1:52-53

David’s Charge To Solomon (1 Kings 2)

Say: Some of David’s last words were spoken as advice to his son, King Solomon.

"I'm about to die, just as everyone else on earth does. So be strong. Show how brave you are. Do everything the Lord your God requires. Live the way he wants you to. Obey his orders and commands. Keep his laws and rules. Do everything that is written in the Law of Moses. Then you will have success in everything you do. You will succeed everywhere you go.

"The Lord will keep the promise He made to me. He said, 'Your sons must be careful about how they live. They must be faithful to Me with all their heart and soul. Then you will always have a man sitting on the throne of Israel.' - 1 Kings 2:2-4

Application: Wow. That is wonderful advice. You know, our life is made up of decisions. Some decisions seem so small that you hardly even notice them. These are decisions like what to eat for breakfast, when to go outside and play, and who to sit next to at lunch. Some decisions are big and you may think about them for a long time. These might be things like whether or not you’ll run for class president. As you get older you’ll face more of these decisions. You’ll have to decide where to go to college and what job you’ll want to do. But here’s the thing: every decision you make should be based on what God wants you to do. This is true of the big and the small decisions. You may think that is going overboard, but what could be better than God’s best for you? Go to the Lord in every decision, lean on Him for every step you take (Proverbs 3:5). Then you will always be right where He wants you to be. This is truly abiding in Him.

Ask: Where did David tell Solomon to find God’s rules? In the Law of Moses. Say: Did you know that those of us who believe in Jesus have something even better than the Law of Moses? We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. The very Spirit of God is inside of you and He will guide your every step if you’ll simply listen to Him. As we continue, take notice of the decisions Solomon made.

Say: Next, David warned Solomon about his enemies, and reminded him who had been loyal friends of His. Then David died, after ruling over Israel for 40 years. After David died, Solomon did all the things his father had instructed. He destroyed his enemies and rewarded those who were trustworthy.

Solomon Asks God For Wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15)

Say: Here we come to a very important moment in Solomon’s life. But first, I have a question for you. Ask: If I could grant any wish for you, what would it be? Call on several students to answer. Say: Those are great wishes, but unfortunately, I can’t grant those wishes. Well, one night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Wow! That was some offer! And it came from the only One who could really grant it. Of all the things in the whole world he could have asked for, let’s see what Solomon said:

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“Now, O Lord my God, You have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of Your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of Yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing My people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies - I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for - riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow Me and obey My decrees and My commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” - 1 Kings 3:7-14 NLT

Solomon woke up, went to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices to the Lord. Then he threw a big banquet for his officials.

Solomon chose very well by asking for wisdom. Wisdom is knowing what is true and right, and having good judgment when making decisions.

God’s plan for Solomon was to rule over God’s people. Solomon knew that he could not rule well without God’s wisdom. Riches and earthly things would not make him better able to rule. Only God’s wisdom would make him able to live out God’s plan. Not only did God give great wisdom to Solomon, but He also added every other blessing that he did not ask for. God gives abundantly to those who have a heart that trusts in Him! (Genesis 24:35)

Teacher: Hold up your empty glass, making sure the large plastic bin is directly beneath it. Say: Solomon knew that he lacked wisdom. He asked God to fill him with wisdom. Hold up your pitcher of water and begin slowly pouring into the cup as you speak. (Do not stop pouring. Let it overflow and spill down into the bin below.) Say: God was very pleased with Solomon’s request. Generously, God began to pour wisdom into the young King. He poured and poured and poured. God gave not just a little wisdom, but a LOT of wisdom. Then He added wealth and fame. Hold up the overflowing cup. Was Solomon wise now? Yes! God said there would never be another king like him. Now he had what he needed to accomplish God’s plan. (Of course God’s pitcher of wisdom will never dry up! In actuality, this pitcher would be more like a fire hose drawing water from the ocean!)

Application: It is the same for each of us. How can we know what’s true and right, and be able to make good decisions without wisdom from God? Left to our own thoughts, we would hardly ever do the right thing. The Bible says that if we rely on our own thoughts and feelings, we are FOOLISH (Proverbs 26:12). But God is HAPPY to fill us with His wisdom. James 1:5 says:

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If any of you need wisdom, ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone. He doesn't find fault.

Now what kind of person do you want to be? Hold up the empty cup. A person that lacks what they need to accomplish God’s plan, or, (hold up the full cup) a person overflowing with wisdom and blessings simply because you asked God for it?

Solomon Acts Wisely (1 Kings 3:16-28)

Say: Some time later, Solomon had an opportunity to put his wisdom into practice. Two women came to him to have him settle a big argument between them. The two women lived in the same house. They had each had a baby. The first woman told Solomon that the other woman’s baby had died in the night, so she came and took the first woman’s baby and laid the baby that had died beside her. But the other woman argued that it was the other way around. She said it was the first woman’s baby who had died. The two women argued back and forth about the babies.

Then the King said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours, and each says that the dead one belongs to the other. All right, bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought to the King.

Then he said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other!”

Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child - please do not kill him!”

But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”

Then the king said, “Do not kill the child, but give him to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!”

When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice. - 1 Kings 3:23-27 NLT

Say: Solomon was indeed very wise. He never intended to kill the innocent baby! He knew that the real mother would never allow her own child to be killed. The other mother was probably so terribly sad that her baby had died that she was not thinking clearly and said to go ahead and kill the living baby. Solomon’s wisdom became known throughout the land. This is just a glimpse of the fame that God had promised!

Ask: Who can name some of the smartest and creative people who ever lived - scientists, inventors, composers, or artists? Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Beethoven, Leonardo da Vinci. Say: Solomon was pretty much like all those people rolled into one! He wrote thousands of songs and proverbs, he wrote books and textbooks to teach other people. People came from all the nations to hear him teach because of his wisdom (1 Kings 4:29-34).

But remember, Solomon’s wisdom did not come from Solomon. Where did his wisdom come from? From God! Say: God promised to give Solomon wisdom, and God ALWAYS keeps His promises. God makes this same promise to us! Let’s read James 1:5 together:

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Key Verse: If any of you need wisdom, ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone. He doesn't find fault. - James 1:5

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Main Point: God gives wisdom to those who ask for it.

Note to Teacher: Of course, Solomon’s reign did not end as well as it started. Solomon was given every single advantage that a man could be given. He overflowed with God’s wisdom, and he even had the privilege of being used by God to build His Temple (1 Kings 5:5).

In 1 Kings 9:6-9, God once again made a personal plea to Solomon not to turn away from the Lord and worship other gods. He warned Solomon that if he or his sons turned from worshipping the One true God, ruin was sure to follow. Sadly, 1 Kings 11 details Solomon’s unfaithful heart toward the Lord. Solomon loved many foreign women from nations that God had warned His people about (see Deuteronomy 17:17). In all, Solomon married 700 wives, and had 300 concubines. “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (1 Kings 11:4) Foolishly, he built altars to the gods of all of his many wives, and even joined them in worshipping there. And because of this, the rule of the kingdom did not remain in the hands of Solomon’s sons.

Let this be a sobering warning to us. Though we may be right where God wants us today, there is no guarantee that we will remain there. We must abide in the Lord - remain in Him day by day, minute by minute. We must lean on His understanding for each decision that we make. Then we, like Paul can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

As for the people of Israel, they demanded a king to lead them into peace and prosperity (1 Samuel 8:20), but no human king could deliver. No human king could reign in righteousness and truth. Only one Man could fulfill the promises that God had made about the Messiah who would come through the line of David: “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus was the fulfillment of all God’s promises. “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with Child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.’” (Luke 1:30-33) Let us put our trust only in Jesus, the King of kings!

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