Preparation for Building the Temple of God 1 Kings 5, Chronicles 2
Have you ever built something special — maybe a Lego house, a fort, or a craft project — and felt proud when it was finished? Imagine building something so amazing that it became the most beautiful place in the whole world!
That’s what happened when King Solomon built the Temple for God in Jerusalem. It wasn’t just any building — it was a place where God’s presence would dwell among His people. The walls were covered with gold, the rooms were filled with treasures, and every piece was made with love and care for the Lord.
In this Kids Ministry lesson, we’ll explore how Solomon planned and built the Temple, how God’s glory filled it, and what it teaches us today about giving our best to God and making our hearts His home.
Whether you’re a Sunday school teacher, a parent, or a young learner, this story reminds us of something powerful:
Let’s dive into the story of “Building the Temple” and discover how Solomon honored God with his work — and how we can do the same in our own lives.
Bible Passage: Kings 5–8; 2 Chronicles 2–7
Key Truth for Today: God doesn’t just want a fancy building — He wants our hearts to be His temple!
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King Solomon Built the Temple of God (Kings 5–8; 2 Chronicles 2–7)
After King David died, his son Solomon became king of Israel. Solomon loved God just like his father did, and God gave him great wisdom—more wisdom than anyone else in the world! People came from faraway lands to listen to Solomon’s wise words and see how God had blessed him.
One day, Solomon decided it was time to do something very important—something his father, King David, had always wanted to do but could not. Solomon said, “I will build a beautiful temple for the Lord, a place where His name will dwell forever!”
Preparing to Build
The first thing Solomon did was plan. The temple couldn’t just be any building—it had to be the most magnificent house ever built, because it was for God! Solomon wanted to use only the best materials and the most skilled workers.
He sent a message to King Hiram of Tyre, a friend of his father David. “Please help me build the temple for the Lord,” Solomon wrote. “Send me your finest cedar and cypress wood from Lebanon, and I will pay your workers whatever you ask.”
King Hiram was delighted! He replied, “Because the Lord loves His people, He has made you king over them. I will gladly help you.” So Hiram sent logs of cedar and cypress down from the mountains. His men cut the trees, tied them into large rafts, and floated them across the sea to Israel.
Solomon also needed many workers. He chose 70,000 laborers, 80,000 stonecutters, and 3,600 supervisors to help build the temple. The stonecutters worked in the mountains, cutting and shaping large blocks of stone for the temple’s foundation. Every piece was prepared carefully so that when it was brought to Jerusalem, it would fit perfectly—there was no sound of hammer or chisel at the building site! Everything was done with order and peace, showing that this was God’s house.
The Construction Begins
After years of planning, construction began on the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. It took place on Mount Moriah, the very place where Abraham once showed his faith by being willing to offer his son Isaac to God. What a special and holy place!
The temple was built with huge stone blocks, strong and smooth. The walls were covered with fine cedar wood from Lebanon, and then overlaid with pure gold. Imagine how it sparkled in the sunlight! The floors, walls, and ceilings were decorated with beautiful carvings of palm trees, flowers, and cherubim—angels with wings.
Solomon also built special rooms around the temple for the priests and Levites who served God. There was an inner sanctuary called the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant would be placed, and an outer room called the Holy Place, where the priests could serve and pray.
Everything inside the temple was made with care and beauty. There were golden lampstands, gold-covered tables, and bowls for incense. Solomon even built a huge bronze basin called the Sea, which rested on twelve bronze oxen. It was used by the priests to wash before serving in the temple. There were also ten bronze stands with basins for washing the sacrifices.
Outside the temple stood a large bronze altar, where burnt offerings were made to the Lord. Every part of the temple reminded the people that God is holy, pure, and worthy of their best.
The Temple Is Finished
It took seven years to complete the temple. When the last piece was finished, Solomon gathered all the leaders of Israel and the priests. It was time to bring the Ark of the Covenant—the most sacred object in all of Israel—into the temple.
The Ark was a golden chest that held the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It reminded Israel of God’s covenant—His promise to be their God and to live among them.
The priests carried the Ark carefully on poles, just as God had commanded. They brought it into the city of Jerusalem and placed it inside the Most Holy Place, under the wings of two large golden cherubim that Solomon had made. Their wings stretched out over the Ark, guarding it.
When the priests came out of the Holy Place, something amazing happened!
A thick cloud filled the temple, and the priests could not even stand to minister because the glory of the Lord filled His house. God’s presence was there! It was a sign that He accepted Solomon’s temple as His dwelling place among His people.
Solomon’s Prayer
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, lifted his hands toward heaven, and prayed a beautiful prayer. He said:
“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth. You keep Your promises and show unfailing love to those who walk before You with all their heart.
But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain You—how much less this temple that I have built!
Yet, please hear the prayers of Your servant and of Your people when they pray toward this place. When we sin and turn back to You, hear us and forgive us.”
Solomon prayed for his people, for forgiveness, and for God’s blessing. He prayed that whenever anyone—Israelite or foreigner—came to pray toward this temple, God would hear them from heaven.
When Solomon finished praying, fire suddenly came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings on the altar! The people saw the fire and the glory of the Lord filling the temple again, and they fell face down on the ground, worshiping and praising God. They cried out,
“The Lord is good! His love endures forever!”
A Great Celebration
The people of Israel celebrated for fourteen days! There were sacrifices of thanksgiving, music, and rejoicing. Solomon and all the people praised God with trumpets and harps, thanking Him for His goodness and faithfulness. The temple stood as a shining reminder that God was with His people.
When the celebration was over, Solomon sent everyone home with joyful hearts, thankful for all the blessings the Lord had given them.
God’s Promise to Solomon
Later, God appeared to Solomon at night and said,
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this temple as the place for sacrifices. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or when I send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
God also warned Solomon to stay faithful:
“If you walk before Me as your father David did, obeying My commands, I will establish your kingdom forever. But if you turn away and worship other gods, I will cut off Israel from this land.”
Lesson for Us Today
Solomon’s temple was beautiful and filled with gold, but the most important thing about it was God’s presence. The temple reminded the people that God wanted to live among them and be close to His people.
Today, we don’t need a temple made of stone and gold—because Jesus made a way for God to live in our hearts! The Bible says that when we believe in Jesus, our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). God’s Spirit lives in us, and He is always near.
Just like Solomon gave his best for God, we can give our best too—our time, talents, and hearts. God loves when His people honor Him with joyful and thankful hearts.
Memory Verse
“The Lord is good; His love endures forever.” — 2 Chronicles 7:3
Key Themes
- God deserves our best.
- God’s presence is more important than anything else.
- When we humble ourselves and pray, God hears us.
- We are now God’s temple because His Spirit lives in us.
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