“Unit 19: Day 3, 1 Kings 1–10,” Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students (2014)
“Unit 19: Day 3,” Old Testament Study Guide
Unit 19: Day 3
1 Kings 1–10
Introduction
As King David neared his death, he named his son Solomon as heir to the throne. The Lord blessed Solomon and established him as a wise and prosperous ruler. King Solomon built a temple and dedicated it to the Lord. The Lord accepted the temple as a place where He could dwell among His people if they remained faithful to Him.
1 Kings 1–4
Solomon is established as King David’s successor
Think of a time when you sincerely wanted to help a family member, friend, or someone else who was facing difficulties, but you felt that you lacked the ability to help as much as you would have liked.
Look for truths in your study of 1 Kings 1–4 that can help you when you seek to serve others but do not feel capable of doing so.
Read the chapter summaries to 1 Kings 1–2. In these chapters we learn that David settled a conflict concerning who would succeed him as the king of Israel by naming his son Solomon as the heir to the throne. Those who sought to cause division in the kingdom were put to death.
In 1 Kings 3 we learn that Solomon traveled to Gibeon to offer sacrifices upon an altar, and the Lord appeared to him and asked what blessing he desired.
Read 1 Kings 3:6–9, noting Solomon’s attitude and what he desired most.
What did Solomon desire?
According to verse 9, why did Solomon seek an understanding heart? (The word discern means to judge clearly.)
What does this request tell us about the kind of king Solomon wanted to become?
Read 1 Kings 3:10–14, looking for how the Lord felt about Solomon’s desire.
Why do you think the Lord was pleased with Solomon’s desire?
From the Lord’s response to Solomon, we learn the following principle: When we selflessly seek the Lord’s help to serve others, He will magnify our abilities to serve.
In 1 Kings 3:16–23 we learn that Solomon went to Jerusalem, worshipped the Lord, and provided a feast for all his servants. During the feast, two women petitioned King Solomon to judge a difficult circumstance. The two women lived in the same house and bore children close to the same time. One night one of the women woke up to find her baby had died. Rather than mourn the loss of her baby, she switched her dead baby with the other woman’s baby. The next morning, when the second woman awoke to nurse her child, she found that the baby was dead but was not her son. The first woman denied the accusation fervently. They sought King Solomon’s judgment to settle the matter.
Solomon judged between two women and determined the real mother of the child.
Read 1 Kings 3:24–27, looking for how Solomon handled the matter.
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Answer the following question in your scripture study journal: What are some situations in which you might seek the Lord’s help to better serve someone as Solomon did?
In 1 Kings 3:28 we read that all of Israel heard of this experience and recognized that God had blessed King Solomon to be wise in judgment. In 1 Kings 4 we learn that knowledge of Solomon’s wisdom spread to other nations.
1 Kings 5–7
Solomon builds a house to the Lord made of the finest materials
Why does the Church go to such great lengths to build temples all over the world? Why do some Latter-day Saints sacrifice so much in order to attend the temple?
Remember that David desired to build a temple, but the Lord instructed him not to. Read 1 Kings 5:5, looking for what Solomon planned to do.
Solomon’s efforts to build a temple unto the Lord are recorded in 1 Kings 5–7. Read 1 Kings 5:17, looking for what it reveals about the quality of this temple.
While the people were building the temple, the word of the Lord came to Solomon. Read 1 Kings 6:12–13, looking for the promise the Lord made to Solomon and his people. The word statutes refers to the Lord’s laws.
Complete the following principle that these verses teach about what the Lord expects of His people in order for His presence to dwell in the temple: If we walk in the Lord’s ways, then .
Solomon’s temple was different than our temples today because it was patterned after the tabernacle the children of Israel carried with them through the wilderness and it operated under the direction of the Aaronic Priesthood rather than the Melchizedek Priesthood. Nevertheless, like the tabernacle and the temples today, the temple Solomon built was the house of the Lord—a place where His people could feel His presence. By making every effort to be worthy to enter and serve in the temple, we demonstrate our desire to enjoy His presence.
Solomon’s temple
List some of the Lord’s statutes and commandments in our day that we must follow to be worthy to enjoy His presence in the temple. The first item has been filled in with an example.
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Pay a full tithing.
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President Thomas S. Monson taught:
“Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. … They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort. …
“… Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. … Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is” (“The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 92–93).
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In 1 Kings 6:14–7:51 we learn that Solomon finished building the temple using the finest materials. He also built a home for his family. King Hiram of Tyre provided important supplies and craftsmen that facilitated the construction of these buildings.
1 Kings 8–10
Solomon dedicates the temple to the Lord
Have you ever participated in the dedication of a temple or a ward meetinghouse? If so, why do you think these meetings are often very spiritual occasions?
In 1 Kings 8:1–21 we read that Solomon gathered many Israelites from various segments of society to participate in the dedication of the temple. After they placed the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies (“the most holy place” [1 Kings 8:6]), the glory of the Lord appeared as a cloud that filled the temple. The dedicatory prayer Solomon offered on this occasion is contained in 1 Kings 8:22–53. After Solomon declared the goodness and might of the Lord in verses 22–27, he prayed that having a temple among them would be a blessing and help the people maintain their commitment to the Lord.
Read 1 Kings 8:28–30, looking for a desire Solomon expressed during his dedicatory prayer. Write it in your own words:
Read the following four groups of verses from the dedicatory prayer of Solomon’s temple, looking for answers to the following two questions in each passage: 1 Kings 8:33–34, 35–36, 37–40, and 46–49.
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What challenges did Solomon anticipate Israel would face?
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What blessings did Solomon ask for his people as they worshipped the Lord in the temple?
One principle we can learn from these verses is that if we worship the Lord in the temple, then He may grant us blessings to help us with challenges we face.
President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that the temple can bless us in dealing with the challenges we face: “The temple is … a place of personal inspiration and revelation. Legion [numerous] are those who in times of stress, when difficult decisions must be made and perplexing problems must be handled, have come to the temple in a spirit of fasting and prayer to seek divine direction. Many have testified that while voices of revelation were not heard, impressions concerning a course to follow were experienced at that time or later which became answers to their prayers” (“The Salt Lake Temple,” Ensign, Mar. 1993, 6).
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In 1 Kings 8:54–66 we read that after Solomon concluded the dedicatory prayer, he offered sacrifices to the Lord.
In 1 Kings 9–10 we learn that the Lord fulfilled the promises He had made to Solomon. He appeared to Solomon again and promised great blessings if the people of Israel were obedient and great cursings if they were disobedient.
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I have studied 1 Kings 1–10 and completed this lesson on (date).
Additional questions, thoughts, and insights I would like to share with my teacher: