Solomon Built the Temple
(1 Kings 6-8)
January 4, 2026
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
In 1 Kings 6–8, Solomon embarked on the project his father, David, had first envisioned: building a temple for God. It was no small task, yet Solomon set out to create a place for God to dwell with His people. Though the fullness of our omnipresent God cannot be contained by man-made structures, the temple represents a greater fulfillment: God would send His Son to live, die, and rise again so that God’s people would dwell in His presence forever.
What was the temple’s purpose?
Why do we no longer need the temple today?
Solomon built the temple as a place for God’s people to worship and experience His presence, similar to the role the tabernacle had previously held for Israel. The temple was a reminder of God’s promise never to leave or forsake Israel and to remain faithful to His covenant promises. Because Solomon sought to honor the Lord as holy, he spent seven years thoughtfully and intricately designing the temple’s every detail.
Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord and blessed Israel as they stood before it. He recalled God’s faithfulness in rescuing their ancestors from Egypt and then in establishing the throne of his father David. Solomon prayed to the Lord, esteeming Him as the gracious God who keeps His promises. Solomon recognized God’s glory and might, stating that He could not be contained by a man-made temple. Solomon asked the Lord to hear their prayers, forgive them, righteously judge them, and uphold their cause for His glory. Lastly, Solomon urged Israel to be devoted to God’s ways.
In Jesus, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell among His people. Jesus came to earth to provide the way for God’s people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth wherever they are. Before Jesus’ ascension, He promised His followers that the Holy Spirit would come, giving them power to share the gospel and follow Jesus’ commands. Now, believers become living temples of God, indwelled by the Holy Spirit and being built up together into one house of worship. (1 Peter 2:5)
Lead the children in your care to see that Jesus has made the way for believers to dwell with God forever. Remind your kids that Christians can worship God anywhere through His Spirit living in them and that one day, God's people will worship Him face to face.
** Next week: Solomon Thought about Life (Ecclesiastes 1)
Family Discipleship Plan
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Family Discipleship Plan •
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Read 1 Kings 6-8 from the Bible.
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IDo you get excited when your grandparents or another relative is coming to visit? To get ready for their visit, the whole family begins cleaning the house, preparing special meals, and making special plans to entertain them. You pull out all the stops to welcome them and spend quality time with them while they’re staying with you.
When Solomon became king, the people of Israel spent seven years building a temple for God. The temple had cedar panels with ornamental flowers. The furniture and equipment were made of bronze, and everything inside the temple was covered in pure gold!
Every detail of the temple was special. The people worked hard to prepare a place for God to come and dwell with them. It was worth their effort to have a place where they could spend time with God and know that He was with them!
The first chapter of John describes Jesus like this: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). We no longer need to go to a temple to visit God because He came to us!
All who believe in Jesus and trust in Him receive eternal life, which means we will dwell with Him forever and ever!
Solomon built the temple, but he knew that the fullness of God did not live there. Jesus is the fullness of God, and He came to dwell on earth (John 1:14). Only those who trust in Him will be forgiven of their sin and live with God forever.
Pray: God, You created the universe and rule over everything, but You still love us and want to live with us. We praise You for giving Israel the temple to know that You were with them, and we thank You for the promise of eternal life through Jesus—to know that we can live with You forever! Amen.
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Preschool:
"Fear the LORD and turn from evil."
Proverbs 3:71st-5th:
“Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Have respect for the Lord and avoid evil.”
Proverbs 3:7 -
Mornings
Thank God for your local church and the people who worship with you each week. Although we no longer need a building, we can thank God for the community and facility He gives us to worship Him. What are some ways you can support your local church?
Evenings
Thank God for the Holy Spirit who is God living with and in every person who trusts in Jesus. Praise God for sending His Spirit as a reminder of the promise of eternal life.
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For Fun
Look up some beautiful church buildings in your neighborhood or town and drive together to look at them. Discuss how the beauty of these buildings honors and glorifies God, but that we don’t need a beautiful building to meet with God. Because of Jesus, we can meet with God anywhere.
To Serve
Volunteer to clean inside or pick up sticks outside for your local church. As you work, talk with kids about how we no longer need a building to worship God. At the same time, we can work to make the building more beautiful to draw the attention of the community and introduce them to Jesus!