VERSES: 1 Kings 1:1-2:11
MEMORY VERSE: 1 Kings 2:1. "I go the way of all the earth: be strong therefore, and show yourself to be a man."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review the first ten Bible books again.
PRAYER: Pray that we will always follow the LORD like David followed the LORD. May He be with us like He was with David.
SPECIAL SONG: Children, Obey Your Parents (see March 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #4 on this blog)
VISUAL AID: Chalkboard or whiteboard drawing of Bathsheba coming in before King David and asking if Solomon was going to be king. Erase Bathsheba, then draw Nathan the prophet before David. The erase Nathan and draw Bathsheba again and David promising that Solomon would be king.
LESSON POINTS:
- When a person is king, it seems that they are constantly aware of who is trying to take their place. Remember Absalom? He tried to take King David's job as king, didn't he? But the LORD was not with Absalom, and Absalom was not chosen king by God, so he failed. When David was very old and had circulation and health problems, Adonijah, his fourth oldest son (2 Samuel 3:1-5), tried to be king. Just like Absalom, he prepared chariots and horsemen, and had fifty men run in front of him and say, "Here comes Adonijah! Here comes Adonijah!", so that people would turn and look at him and bow. Adonijah exalted himself or put himself before others. King David never did that. David was a man after God's own heart. King David was humble. Adonijah was never disciplined by his parents. His father never said, "No, Adonijah. You cannot do that!" Adonijah was a spoiled child and grew up to be a spoiled man.
- Adonijah talked to Joab and Abiathar, and they both helped Adonijah try to become king. Adonijah did not talk to Zadok, the priest, Nathan, the prophet, or Benaiah, the loyal and trusted bodyguard. No, Adonijah chose the people whom he wanted to help him become king. He knew that those men were loyal to King David and would tell King David what Adonijah was trying to do. So, Adonijah killed sheep and oxen and sent for all the king's sons, the men of Judah, but he did not call Nathan, Benaiah, the mighty soldiers, or Solomon, his brother.
- Nathan, the prophet went to talk to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother and asked her if she had heard that Adonijah was trying to be king and King David did not know it. He told her that she should get up and go right then to ask King David if Solomon was going to reign as Israel's next king. He said to ask David why Adonijah was reigning as king. Nathan said after Bathsheba talked to the king, then he would come in later and confirm her words. Bathsheba did as Nathan advised her.
- When Bathsheba came in to see King David, he asked her, "What would you like?" Then she asked him about Solomon and told him all about Adonijah and the ones who he had gathered together like Joab, but had not called Solomon. She said that all of Israel's eyes were on David and what he was going to do. After Bathsheba left, Nathan came into the room and told on Adonijah. King David called for Bathsheba again and made a vow that Solomon would reign after he died. David called in Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah and told them to put Solomon on King David's own mule and take him to Gihon and anoint him king over Israel.They did what David said with gladness and blew the trumpet and said, "God save King Solomon!" All the people except those who were with Adonijah were extremely happy and made a great noise.
- Adonijah heard what had been done while they were eating. Abiathar's son, Jonathan, came in to the room and told them that David had made Solomon king and now he sat on King David's throne. Everyone who heard this in the room was greatly afraid and hurriedly got up and went to their own houses. Adonijah was afraid of King Solomon and went and held on to the horns of the altar. A person who did this was wanting refuge, so they would not be killed. When it was told to King Solomon what Adonijah had done, he said only if one who had no wickedness in him would be spared, so they brought in Adonijah. Adonijah bowed low to honor King Solomon and he was spared his life. King Solomon told him to go to his own home and he did.
- After this, David said his last words to Solomon and told him many things to do and how to behave himself while he was king. Solomon obeyed his father. So, David died and was buried in the city of David which was Jerusalem.
- David reigned forty years as King of Israel and had come far from the young shepherd boy who liked to to play the harp. When David grew to be a man, not only was he a mighty soldier who won many battles and wars, but he was a great writer who wrote many of the Psalms that we have in our Bible. What made David great in Israel was that He always loved the LORD.
- God was with him. David loved the LORD and showed his love to God by doing his commandments. When David sinned and displeased God, David was always quick to say he had sinned, then repented or changed his ways, and asked God for His forgiveness. We can also show God how much we love Him by obeying Him the same way David did.
ACTIVITY: Solomon is anointed king.
Materials needed: 12" x 18" orange construction paper, marker, tape,scissors.
- Since this a long story with many points today, the activity is a short one, but still one that the students will enjoy.
- Hand out paper to students.
- Roll sheet of paper on the diagonal.
- Tape to secure.This the horn that was blown after Solomon was anointed king.
- Students cut off the uneven edges of the larger end of paper..
- Write carefully "King Solomon Is Anointed King" and "1 Kings 1:39",
- Reinforce the idea that Zadok the priest poured oil from the tabernacle upon Solomon's head, blew on the trumpet, then the people said, "God save King Solomon!" Students blow on their trumpets, then say, "God save King Solomon!"