unit 9: king david and king solomon ot9.15 solomon asks ......after becoming king, solomon went to...

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OT9.15 Solomon Asks for Wisdom ©Beverly Wilson 2019

Unit 9: King David and King Solomon OT9.15 Solomon Asks for Wisdom

Scripture: 1 Kings 3: 1-28

Lesson Goal: Solomon was chosen by his father King David to become the third King of Israel. Early in his reign Solomon asked God for the gift of wisdom. In this lesson we are going to learn that God loves to give good things to his children.

Introduction: This lesson is found in the book of 1 Kings. This book tells the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. It is in the second group of Old Testament books called the historical books. These books begin with Joshua and go through Esther. Let's say these books--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther

Attention Getter: “Wishes” Imagine for a moment if someone told you that you could have whatever you wanted! If you could have anything in the world that you wanted, what would you ask for? Ummm...What would you want? Would it be new toys? This girl is trying to choose a new game. Maybe you would ask for a new house for your family! How about lots of money? Then you could get anything you wanted! But would that really be the best thing to ask for? In this lesson we are going to learn that God loves to give good things to his children. Solomon was chosen by his father King David to become the next King of Israel. Early in his reign Solomon asked God for a special gift. Let's find out what he asked God to give him.

Opening Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, you know it is hard for us to live a life that is well pleasing to you. Help us to remember to pray and ask you for wisdom when we face problems in life. Thank you that you are always ready and willing to give us the wisdom we need to choose the right things to do. Help us to choose to believe in you because that is the wisest thing we can ever do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Memory Verse: The memory verse is James 1:5 "

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all

generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him."

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/RR7HG8ZfOzQ David the king of Israel lived to be a very old man. He had been king for over 40 years. Before he died, God had told him to choose one of his sons, Solomon to be the next king.

King Solomon loved God and wanted to please Him. He remembered what his father King David had said, “Be strong and obey God. If you keep His laws you will prosper.”

Solomon showed his love for God by worshipping Him. After becoming King, Solomon went to the most important high place at Gibeon to offer a sacrifice to God. This was the place a few miles outside Jerusalem where the tabernacle was located. The temple had not yet been built so people were offering sacrifices there.

https://youtu.be/RR7HG8ZfOzQ

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God’s Laws specified that only certain places could be used in worship. God wanted the offerings to be done where the Ark of the Covenant was located which was in Jerusalem. But God looked at Solomon’s heart.

Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. God honored Solomon’s prayers. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

For anything? Well! That meant that Solomon could ask for all the money in the world. He could ask to be the most powerful king ever! He could ask God to get rid of all his enemies! All kinds of thoughts must have gone through Solomon's mind. He could have said, “Give me lots of gold and riches, and large, beautiful houses, and much land, many servants, and lots of cattle.”

But he didn’t! What do you think Solomon asked God to give him? He knew he did not have the experience or the wisdom to govern a nation of people. He said that he felt like a little child. So Solomon said to God, "You have been very kind to my father King David and to me. You have made me king. But I must rely on you! I don't know how to do this job. Please give me wisdom so that I'll know what is right and what is wrong. I don't know how to be king without Your help."

The Lord was pleased that Solomon was humble and had asked for this. Solomon was focused on how he could lead God’s people not on being famous or important. So God told Solomon, “Since you have asked for wisdom in making good decisions and not for long life or wealth, nor have you asked for the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked.”

“I will give you a wise and discerning heart, more than anyone else before you or anyone else to come.”

“And as you did not ask for riches and honor I will give these to you also—more than any other king in your lifetime. In your lifetime you will have no equal among the kings. And if you obey me, you will have a long life.”

Solomon awoke from his dream. He must have been very excited! He could have asked God for money, power, or fame but because he asked for wisdom God had given him more than he had asked for! God is eager to do what is best for us, too!

Solomon returned to Jerusalem. He stood before the Ark of the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

Solomon's chance to find out if God really did give him wisdom came along soon. One day two women came to Solomon in his throne room. The two women were having a terrible fight. They wanted King Solomon to decide what should be done.

One woman said, "Your majesty, this woman and I live together in the same house. We both had brand new baby boys. One night while I was asleep, this other woman's baby died so she took my little son away and put him in her bed; then she laid her dead baby beside me. When I woke up, I thought my baby was dead! But in the morning light, I could see it wasn't my baby at all."

The other woman broke in, "No! This baby is mine! Your baby is dead!" Solomon didn't argue with either woman. He said, “This one says “My son is alive and your son is dead,” while the other one says “No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.” How was Solomon going to find out who was telling the truth?

Then Solomon had an idea. He would give the women a test. He said to his servant, "Bring me a sword." The servant ran off and brought back a sword. Solomon said to the servant, "Cut this baby in half. Give half a baby to each mother." Wow! this was a drastic thing, wasn't it?

The woman who was NOT the baby's mother said, "Fine. If I can't have him, you can't have him either. Cut him in two!" The woman who was the baby's real mother was so deeply moved for her son that she begged Solomon, "Oh, no your majesty! Give the baby to the other woman! Don't hurt him!"

Then Solomon said, "I have made my decision. Give the baby to the woman who said, "Don't hurt him." She is his real mother. She would rather let someone else have him than let him be hurt."

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Everyone in the throne room looked at Solomon. Solomon had been very wise! He figured out who the real mother was! Soon the story of Solomon's wise decision was heard all over Israel. Then the people knew he was going to be a wise king! They held him in great awe because they saw that God did what He promised to do. He had given Solomon great wisdom!

So Solomon became the wisest man who ever lived. Later he would write the books of Proverbs, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes as well as some of the Psalms. These books contain some of the wisest sayings in the Bible about how to live your life.

In this lesson we learned that Solomon asked God for wisdom instead of money or other things. Because Solomon asked for wisdom, God gave him more than he had asked for! He gave him riches, honor, power, and long life!

We can ask God for wisdom, too. What is wisdom? There are two kinds of wisdom, man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom. Men would think that wisdom is being smart and getting a good education and having a successful life. Man’s wisdom means being smart about a lot of facts and ideas about our world.

God’s wisdom is knowing God and what His Word tells us about how to live a life that pleases Him. Having God’s wisdom brings true peace and satisfaction. The same wisdom that God gave Solomon is available to anyone who asks.

Our Memory verse is James 1:5 " 5

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him." God says that when we need help in solving problems, that he will give us wisdom in knowing what to do. Let's say the verse again together. James 1:5 "

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without

criticizing, and it will be given to him."

You and I will most likely never be a king like Solomon. However, as a believer the work that Jesus has called us to do is just as important. We need wisdom to live a life that pleases God so we can lead others to Jesus.

Jesus says that believers can only do God’s work with His power. Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” Jesus is comparing our Christian life to a tree. The source of life for the branches of a tree is the sap that runs through the tree. A branch is only able to live if it is connected to the tree. When the branch is connected to the tree, leaves sprout and later fruit will grow from the branches.

This is what we need to do in order for God’s power to work in and through our lives. We have to stay close to Jesus in order for God’s power to work in us. We need to pray daily and stay in His word so we can hear His voice and obey His instructions. That is how God gives us His wisdom!

Can a branch continue to live if it is broken off from the tree? No! Of course not! The same is true for us. A believer who tries to live the Christian life in his own power is like a branch that breaks off a tree and tries to produce leaves and fruit. This is what happens when believers try to live their lives without praying and obeying God’s voice. The result is that he or she won’t see God’s power and wisdom and others will not be coming to Jesus to be saved.

In this lesson we learned that Solomon used the wisdom that God gave him to make a wise decision. God wants us to be wise in what we say and what we do. What are some ways that we can use the wisdom that God gives?

First of all, we can be wise in taking care of the bodies that God has given us. We need to brush our teeth and eat our vegetables. We can be wise by getting plenty of sleep and doing our best at school to learn. We can be wise by never using drugs that harm our body.

More important God wants us to be wise in His Word. He has given us the Bible to read. That is how he teaches us what to do. We need to be wise by praying to God and thanking Him for our food and everything He has given to us.

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Another way to be wise is to go to church and give an offering to God. This shows that we love Him and want to serve Him. We can be wise by choosing to do the good things.

The most important thing that we can do to be wise is to choose to believe in Jesus as our Savior. When we believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and that He rose from the dead, we are being wise. God promises to give us the gift of salvation. That is the best gift we can ever have!

Remember "Ask God for wisdom."

Review Questions/ Game: “More or Less” Preparation: You will need two dice for each team, a marker board and a dry erase marker. Write team names on board and designate a method to record scores. Procedure: Form two teams and give one member of each team two dice. Have each team alternately answer one of the review questions below. To determine the value of the points have the team member roll the dice. If sides 1, 3, or 5 are rolled then those points will be subtracted. If 2, 4, or 6 are rolled then those points are added. The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner. Be sure to play long enough for every member of each team to have a review question to answer,

1. When King David chose Solomon to become the King of Israel what command did he give him? (King David had said, “Be strong and obey God. If you keep His laws you will prosper.”)

2. What did King Solomon do to show that he wanted to obey God? (Solomon went to the most important high place at Gibeon to offer a sacrifice to God.)

3. Why did God want Israel to offer sacrifices in Jerusalem? (God’s Laws specified that only certain places could be used in worship. God wanted the offerings to be done where the Ark of the Covenant was located which was in Jerusalem.)

4. What kinds of problems did Solomon face when he became king? (He was young and needed to know how to be a good king. Ruling a country is a big job and requires a lot of wisdom.)

5. What question did God ask King Solomon in a dream? (God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”)

6. What things would King Solomon be tempted to ask God for but he did not? (He did not ask for riches, money, honor, large beautiful houses, or much land, many servants, or lots of cattle.)

7. What did King Solomon ask God to do for him? (He asked God to give him the gift of wisdom.) 8. What was the first big chance that King Solomon had to test whether God had given him wisdom?

(Two women who were having a terrible fight about a baby came to Solomon to decide which one was the child’s mother.)

9. What had happened to the baby of one mother? (In the night the child died and the mother stole another woman’s baby and called him her own.)

10. What did Solomon do to determine who was the real mother? (He called his soldier to bring a sword and cut the baby in two and give each woman a half of a baby.)

11. What did the real mother say to King Solomon? (She fell down and cried and beg King Solomon to not kill the baby but give the baby to the other woman.)

12. How did this test show the real mother? (The real mother did not want harm to come to her baby and was willing to give him to the other woman in order to save his life.)

13. How did the people respond when they heard about King Solomon’s test to determine who was the real mother? (They were astonished and in awe of the King because they knew that he would rule very wisely.)

14. What are the two kinds of wisdom? (There are two kinds of wisdom: man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom.)

15. What is man’s wisdom? (Men would think that wisdom is being smart and getting a good education and having a successful life. Man’s wisdom means being smart about a lot of facts and ideas about our world.)

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16. What is God’s wisdom? (God’s wisdom is knowing God and what His Word tells us about how to live a life that pleases Him. Having God’s wisdom brings true peace and satisfaction.

17. How can we receive Godly wisdom? (We should pray and ask God for wisdom. We have to stay close to Jesus in order for God’s power to work in us. We need to pray daily and stay in His word so we can hear His voice and obey His instructions.)

18. What illustration did Jesus use to teach us about how to live our Christian life with Godly wisdom? (Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” Jesus is comparing our Christian life to a tree. The source of life for the branches of a tree is the sap that runs through the tree. A branch is only able to live if it is connected to the tree.)

19. How can a Christian be like a branch that is broken off of a tree? (A believer who tries to live the Christian life in his own power is like a branch that breaks off a tree and tries to produce leaves and fruit. This is what happens when believers try to live their lives without praying and obeying God’s voice.)

20. What are some wise decisions that we can make as believers? (Choose to take care of our bodies by eating good foods, exercise, and plenty of rest not taking any drugs that will harm us. Reading the Bible and praying every day. Telling others about Jesus. Go to church and give generously to the Lord’s work.)

21. What is the memory verse? (James 1:5 "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him."

Memory Verse Activity: “Target Practice” Our memory verse is James 1:5 "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him." Have students locate the verse in scripture and read it together several times.

Say: “In this verse God says that when we need help in solving problems, that he will give us wisdom in knowing what to do. All we need to do is ask Him for help.” Preparation: You will need Bibles, a large sheet of butcher paper, marker and beanbag. Draw target on butcher paper and print the words of James 1:5 in separate sections of the target. Number the sections in word order. In an open space on butcher paper draw and number ten blank lines. Place the target on the floor. Procedure: Children take turns tossing the beanbag onto the target. Children are to say the number and the word written In the section on which the bean bag lands. Print the word on the blank lines with the corresponding number. Continue until all the blank lines are filled in. Say: “The word “lacks” means needs. The word “wisdom” means knowing what is right and good and choosing to do that. In this lesson we learned that Solomon needed wisdom to rule the country. God gave him the gift of wisdom.” Group Learning Activity: “Compass or Map” Object Lesson (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need to bring compasses or maps for the class to see. A picture map is more helpful for younger students to understand. Put the compass and map in a backpack along with other things that could be used on a hike such as a water bottle, trail mix, socks, rope, flashlight, sunglasses, walking stick, etc. Say: “Today we are going to pretend that we are going on a hike. We are going to take a backpack with some items that would be helpful to find our way.”

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Procedure: Allow children to see and have a hands-on experience with a map and compass. Be sure to point out the features of a compass—needle, gauge with the north, south, east, and west marked; how the compass needle moves then children move around the room. Share what the purpose of a map is. Point out the features of a map—roads, railroads, highways, other features such as pictorial symbols of industry or historical places. (It is generally best to use a map of places and land features that are familiar with your children so they can understand the concept that the map is a drawing of real places.) Say: “A compass is an instrument containing a magnetized pointer which shows the direction of magnetic north and bearings from it. A map is a diagram or representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc. These tools help people to find their way if they are entering an unfamiliar town or city. The directions on a map are north is shown going toward the top; south is toward the bottom of the map; east is to the right of the map and west is to the left. A compass and a map are important tools for a hiker to use to find their way to an unfamiliar location. What would happen if a hiker did not have a way to find the directions to a new location? (They would get lost.)” Optional: You might want to use your cell phone and talk about Google maps or other devices that will track location and traffic. Say: “God is our compass or map to help us through our life. He will be our guide. God’s wisdom will help us make right decisions and help us do things God’s way.” Review the memory verse together. Optional: Print each word of the memory verse James 1:5 "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him” on strips of paper and tape them to the items in the backpack. Instruct the students to line up and run to the backpack. The person must reach into the pack and pull out the item with the first word of the verse on it. The next person must run and pull out the second word. The third person pulls out the third word etc. until the whole verse is displayed on the floor.

Group Learning Activity: “Key Word Match” (Grades 1-5) Preparation: You will need colored construction paper, scissors, tape and a white board. Make two sets of key words from the lesson on large squares of colored construction paper. For example: Solomon, Ask, Dream, Riches, Babies, Little Child, Wisdom, James 1:5, Humble, Mothers, Sword, and Understanding Heart. Tape the squares down on the white board. Display the whiteboard with the squares to the class. Procedure: Form the children into two teams. The first player from the first team turns over two cards. If the cards match, the child (with the help of his team) must tell why that key word is significant in the context of the lesson. If the answer is correct, they get to keep the matched set. If the answer is incorrect, the other team has an opportunity to explain why that word is important to the story. If they get a right answer, they get the matched set. Whichever team has the most matched sets at the end, is the winning team. Let the winning team squirt the other team with silly string or bombard them with marshmallows.

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Group Learning Activity: “Wisdom” Game (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need index cards and writing pens. Before class write one letter of the word “wisdom” on the front of six cards. On the back, describe situations such as the following:

• You’re not supposed to wear your brother’s clothes without asking first, but you want to borrow his blue sweater for school today, and he’s already gone. What do you do?

• You’re visiting your grandmother. When no one else is in the room, you break a lamp. But no one saw you do it. What do you do?

• Your mom told you never to run in the house. You ran through the family room, fell, and cut your lip. Your mom is comforting you and asks you what happened. What do you say?

• You come home from school, it’s a beautiful day, but you have a lot of homework to do. Your friends want to play. What do you tell them?

• Your mom and dad have told you that it is wrong to smoke cigarettes, but your friends want you to try it. What do you do?

• A stranger comes up to you as you walk home from school and asks you what time it is. What do you say?

Say: “God appeared to King Solomon in a dream and told him that he could ask for anything he wanted! He could have anything he wanted. What did Solomon ask for? (wisdom) Today we are going to play a game to find out if you have godly wisdom.”

Procedure: Have children sit in a circle. Shuffle the index cards, and then read the situations to children. Discuss several options after each one. Ask kids to answer each question, turn the card over and place it on the floor in order, spelling “wisdom.” After discussing all six of the situations, point out the word “wisdom.” Say: “King Solomon could have asked God for anything in the world – money, power, a beautiful palace. But instead, he asked for wisdom. In our game you chose wise solutions to your problems. King Solomon was a good king because he was wise. Wisdom is a gift from God, and it’s a good thing for all of us to ask for!”

Group Learning Activity: “God’s Wisdom” (Grades 3-5) Purpose: To help students understand the “rules” that God has given us to obey. Preparation: You will need Bibles, spiritual journal page, pencils or pens. Say: “In this lesson we learned that God’s wisdom is available to all who ask for it and if they live a life using Godly wisdom they will experience great blessing. Today we are going to read some scriptures that deal with God’s wisdom.” Procedure: Have students look up the following scripture. Discuss the meaning of each verse with the group.

• Job 28:28 “And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil

is understanding.” Fear of the Lord means to have respect and reverence for God and to be in awe of his majesty and power. This is the starting point for real wisdom.

• Psalm 37:30 “The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.” When believers read and follow God’s Law then they will be known for their wise and just words.

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• Proverbs 3:13 “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding” God desires that we seek after wisdom because he wants to give us the understanding and wisdom to live a truly happy life.

• Proverbs 9:12 “If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.” Wisdom begins with a right relationship with God. When you have that right relationship with God you will be rewarded.

• James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” When difficult trials come we realize that we need God’s help and wisdom. That wisdom is more than just knowing something; it is knowing how to use that knowledge to put things together in a practical way. We simply have to ask God for that ability and He promises to supply it! He gives it to us through His Word the Bible.

• Daniel 2:21 “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel praises God for His communication to man. Daniel knew that god reveals His great knowledge to His children.

• Luke 2:40 “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.” Jesus grew as other children do. Jesus was perfectly obedient to God. The goodness and grace of God was upon Him and therefore He was filled with godly wisdom.

• 1 Corinthians 1:25 “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” God is wiser than men. He brought salvation to us through the death of His Son Jesus. This act may seem foolish to man but it was infinitely wiser and stronger than anything man could do to pay for our eternal life.

• Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Paul prayed that the believers in Ephesus would have a life that is centered on the purpose of knowing the truth of God as revealed in His Word. This knowledge of the Word would help them know and understand who God is and what His will is for our lives.

• 2 Timothy 3:15 “and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Timothy has been taught the Word of God by his mother and grandmother. Paul encourages him to continue believing and studying God’s Word as it was passed on to him. The continued knowledge of the Word of God would increase Timothy’s faith in God.

Have students record what they have learned about the importance of learning to use their Bibles in their spiritual journals. Challenge students to recite the names of the Books of the Old Testament without any assistance. Encourage them to practice saying the books of the Bible at home.

Group Learning Activity: “Game of Riches” (Grades K-4) Preparation: You will need one tube can of Pringles with a lid. Write the secret message below on a strip of paper and attach it to the inside of the Pringle can lid. Procedure: Tell the children in your class to all wash their hands before starting. Open the can of Pringles and put the lid in your pocket for later use. Say: “Today we are going to pretend you are a king like Solomon. God said that he would make Solomon rich. It’s f important for a King to have lots of stuff and lots of money to buy stuff with. Let’s pretend we’re a king, too, and pretend that each of the Pringles in the tube is a solid gold piece worth a million dollars. Hand the jar to the first child at the table. Open the tube and have them take out as many million dollars as they think they want so that they can buy all the stuff they want as king. They can’t eat them yet! Take as many as you want but don’t break any! Any broken Pringles have to be swept away, and can’t be used or eaten!” Let each child reach in the jar and take as many Pringles as he wishes. Soon, the tube may be empty before all the children have gotten any. Encourage the children who were first to share with their

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classmates and not be greedy. If one child has none, ask others what they want to do about it. Let them decide. If some children snatch, discourage it. If some children don’t have as many, whisper to them, “Don’t worry! It will all work out!”• Say: “Everyone count your dollars. We’re going to go around the table and see how many each person has.” Ask children how many dollars they have and what they want to buy with all that money. Don’t let them eat yet. To the child who has the least amount of Pringles, say, “You don’t have as many. You have the least amount. You were close to the end, and you’re not the type to grab, huh? Would you like to have the empty tube as your reward?” The child might be ambivalent, but encourage him. Remove the lid from your pocket, put it back on top, and hand the tube to him. Next tell the child “I think there’s a secret message in the lid especially for you.” Have the child peel off the lid and read the message. If he or she is too young, read the message on the lid for him: “Congratulations. God often chooses the youngest or smallest or the one who has the least to be his special wise servant. You didn’t snatch, and you were wise. Therefore, God will reward you with more wisdom and with riches, too.” Give the child the prize, which is a second, private Pringles can. Use the tube to fill in so that everyone has the same amount, and give the remainder of the tube to the child so he can take home with him for later. Everybody can eat now eat their Pringles!

Craft Learning Activity: “Wise Words” Booklet (Grades K-3) Preparation: Each student will need a printed copy of the “Wise Words” booklet below. You will also need scissors, colored markers, crayons, and a stapler. Procedure: Have children cut apart the page on solid lines and then fold pages on dotted lines. Help students assemble pages in order and then staple pages together near the fold. Have children write their names on the front of the booklets. Have children turn to page 2 in their books and read the bible verse written on that page. Ask the children “When is a time you need to act wisely by telling the truth? Have children draw a picture of that time on page 3. Continue with the other Bible verses in the book. Say: “What wise instruction has your mom or dad or teacher told you? (Look both ways when crossing the street. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t touch the stove. Read your Bible.) “Who helped Solomon become wise? (God gave him the gift of wisdom.) God tells us that we can ask for wisdom, too.” Read James 1:5 aloud with the class. “How does God help us to become wise? (He gives us instructions in the Bible. He gives us parents and teachers to help us learn His commands. He helps us know the right thing to do.) When might a child your age need wisdom to make a good decision? (When other children want you to do something that your parents have told you not to do. When you are alone and no one is looking. When you feel stressed at school and you feel that you cannot handle the situation.) Help students use the Bible to find the verses that are listed in the booklet:

• Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

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• Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”

• Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Craft Learning Activity: “Ask God for Wisdom” Art Drawing Preparation: You will need Bibles, construction paper, colored markers, and tape. Provide neon markers, glitter pens, stickers, etc to decorate the banner. Print “Ask God for Wisdom” in large block or bubble letters, one letter on each sheet of paper. Number papers in letter order including blank papers for spaces between letters. Procedure: Distribute the prepared papers to children without revealing the phrase. If you have a large class give only one paper to each child. If you have a small class, give each child more than one paper or only distribute papers with the letters of word “wisdom.” Have children decorate the letters and backgrounds with a variety of designs and colors. Here is an example:

Say: “What king of problems did Solomon face when he became king? (He felt like a young child and needed to know how to be a good king. He had to decide who was the real mother of a baby.) What did Solomon ask God for? (He asked for wisdom.) Read the memory verse James 1:5 aloud with children. What does this verse tell us to do? What kinds of problems do kids your age face? (Have a lot of homework to do but your friends want to play. Friends want them to do something that Mom or Dad said not to do. Accidentally broke something and are afraid to tell what happened.) What might help a child make a wise decision in one of these problems? Have students sign their artwork when done. When all are finished have children arrange the pages in number order to discover the written message. Children can tape the message to the wall in the classroom or hallway for parents and others to see.

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Craft Learning Activity: “Wisdom Sticks” (Grades 4-6) Preparation: You will need wooden craft sticks, decorative tape, duct tape, multi-colored markers, and Bibles. You can use colored craft sticks if desired. Say: “In this lesson we learned how King Solomon asked God to give him the gift of wisdom. We also learned about two kinds of wisdom—God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom. God’s wisdom is knowing God and what His Word tells us about how to live a life that pleases Him. Having God’s wisdom brings true peace and satisfaction. We are going to make craft today that will help us know how to follow God in our day to day lives.”

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Procedure: Provide each student with several craft sticks and tape. Encourage the students to use the decorative tape, duct tape, and multi-colored markers to decorate their craft sticks. Have students write one of the following references on their “wisdom” stick. Students should look up the reference in their Bible and know what the wisdom for living is. (Students may also think of other scripture references that is wisdom for living. Encourage students to read the book of Proverbs and choose a reference for wisdom.)

• Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

• Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”

• Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” • Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and

discipline. • Proverbs 11:25 “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others, will himself be

refreshed.” • Proverbs 12: 22 “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” • Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with the wise grows wise but a companion of fools suffers harm.” • Proverbs 14:29 “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays foly.” • Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” • Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” •

Encourage the students to take their wisdom sticks home and use them as bookmarks or tape them in their lockers, or carry them in their backpacks to help them remember throughout the day

Craft Learning Activity: “Wise as an Owl Paper Bag Puppet” Preparation: You will need cardstock or construction paper, colored or brown paper lunch bags, liquid glue or glue stick, scissors, black marker, and the printed owl template below. Print out the owl template below onto colored cardstock or construction paper. If you print the owl template on different colors of cardstock, students can trade the pieces around so their owl can be more colorful. Say: What would you ask for if God told you you could have anything? Why do you think Solomon asked for wisdom? Owls are considered wise animals. We will make owls to remind us of Solomon’s wisdom.” Procedure: Distribute the materials to students. Have students cut out the pieces of the owl from the printed colored cardstock. Cut out two beaks. Cut out two pointy ears. Cut out two eyes. Cut the two wings out. Cut out the two feet. If you are using colored paper lunch bags you can have students glue the pieces of the owl to the bag. You can use a plain brown or white paper bag if desired. Students use markers to add feathers or draw other effects on the wings. Have students glue the smaller wings on top of the larger wings. Glue the wings onto the paper bag just under the flap. Glue the ears onto the top of the paper bag. Glue the 2 beaks pieces together at one end. Glue the beak and feet onto the paper bag. Cut the eyes out and glue them above the beak. Use a black marker to add detail to the wings and other parts of your owl puppet. Have students use their wise owl puppets to retell the Bible lesson in their own words.

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Life Application Challenge: “Prayer” Say: “In this lesson we learned that Solomon used the wisdom God gave him to make a wise decision. When are times you need to be wise? God wants us to be wise in what we say and what we do. What is an example of a wise choice? Let’s thanks God for the wise things we have already learned and ask for His help to continue to make wise choices. We can be sure that God will help us.” Have children ask someone in their family what they would want if they could have anything that they wanted. Encourage them to retell the Bible lesson to them. Lead children in prayer.

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Solomon Asks for Wisdom

James 1:5

"Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him."

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unit 9: king david and king solomon ot9.15 solomon asks ......after becoming king, solomon went to...

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