1 Kings 6, 8 – Solomon Builds The Temple

As a family, skim over 1 Kings 6, and read Chapter 8 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

King David loved God very much.  In fact, he loved him so much that he came up with the idea to build a temple, or house of worship for God. You remember that God’s people had worshipped Him before in the desert in a tent called “the Tabernacle.” Well, David had the idea to build a permanent building in Jerusalem to honor God.

It was a great idea, but God told David that He wanted his son, Solomon, to build it instead. David’s job was to gather the building materials and plans for the temple in his last years as king.

King David finally died, and his son Solomon became king over all of Israel. He was very wise and talented. He accepted God’s instruction to build the temple. It was a huge project! Tens of thousands of Jews labored on the project, cutting huge stones from quarries, bringing expensive lumber from other nations, building the structure, and designing all the furniture and decorations. You can read the incredible details in chapters 5 and 6. Finally, after seven years of construction, the temple was completed.

A great building like this needed a “Grand Opening” ceremony. Solomon, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, and the priests led a huge parade through town. They carried the Ark of the Covenant (the wooden chest covered with gold, containing the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments) through the streets and into the new temple. The ark was to be kept permanently in the Holy of Holies, a special room in the temple where God’s presence would reside.

The priests made sacrifices to honor God. Then, Solomon led a service and made a long speech about the importance of God’s temple. Afterward, he prayed a special prayer of dedication for the temple. The people were so excited about God’s new temple that they feasted for fourteen days in celebration!

Why is this important to us today?

The temple was an awesome building. But more amazing is that God said He would live there so that He could be close to His people. Solomon understood how big God is. He prayed, “But will God really live on earth?” Solomon knew that God didn’t need this building – He is bigger than heaven and earth! But God had chosen to meet with His people in this place.

This wasn’t the first or last time God did that. Years earlier we remember that God led His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. On the way through the desert, God gave His people the Tabernacle, a place He could meet with them. Now He would meet them in this temple building. The temple was a place God’s people could serve Him, bring sacrifices to Him, and worship Him.

Years later God chose a more spectacular way to meet with His people. He sent His Son Jesus to come in a human body to live on earth for 33 years (John 1). But the best was yet to come! Once Jesus died, was buried, and then rose again, He left earth for Heaven – and He sent God the Holy Spirit to live INSIDE of every Christian!

You see, it’s great to go to a building like a temple – or a church – to meet God with His people. But God doesn’t live in a building. He lives inside of YOUR life if you are a member of His family. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that “your BODY is the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

God gave King David, Solomon, and the people different jobs regarding the building of the temple. How was each task important? Why do you think it was necessary for God’s people to have a place to meet with God? How should you treat your body, knowing that it is God’s temple?

How can we better follow God this week?

You, as a follower of Christ, are God’s temple. So,

• Thank God this week that He lives in your life. Remember every day that He is with you, and think about how amazing that is.
• Treat each of your Christian family members and friends as “temples” of God! Treat them with kindness and honor since God lives with them, too.
• Be careful you are not doing anything that would dishonor your body or life, since it is where God lives.

Paul says it best in 1 Corinthians 6:20 “Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”