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I Kings 8:20-21

[Solomon said to the people] “Now the LORD has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built the Temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel. I have also provided a place in the Temple for the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

Quiz it

King David loved to worship God and wrote many psalms. But it was his son, King Solomon, who built a vast worship arena called the Temple.

  • What is the most impressive building or stadium you have ever been in?

God gave very specific instructions on how the temple should be built.

How many details can you get right?

  1. How long did the temple take to build?

    7 months / 7 years / 17 years

  2. Which of these three materials were not used in building the temple?

    Cedar wood / Pine wood / Platinum / Gold / Concrete / Stone

  3. How many storeys high was the temple?

    2 / 3 / 4

  4. What was the name of the box that was carried into the temple?

    Noah’s ark / The ark of the covenant / The holy vessel

  5. What was kept in the box?

    Priests’ clothes / Candlesticks / The 10 Commandments

  6. Where was the box kept in the temple?

    Outer court / Inner court / Holy of Holies

  7. Once the temple had been dedicated to God what came down and filled it?

    A flock of geese / The glory of God / Thunder and lightning

The temple was basically an enormous house.

  • Who came to live there?

When God’s glory filled the temple it was like he was moving in. Now the people of Israel could host God’s presence in the city of Jerusalem.

Solomon and all the people regularly came to the temple.

  • To do what? (1 Kings 8:20)

What made the temple so special was not its size or design but that God lived there. Now, through Jesus we can each be God’s temple because his Spirit lives in us.

  • How can we be good hosts of God’s presence and worship him today?

Pray it

Dear God,

Thank you for your plan to come and live with your people. Thank you that we don’t have to visit a temple anymore to worship because through Jesus you live in us. Help us to host you well today.

Amen

Pray it plus - Offer God a prayer of worship telling why you love him.

Do it

At your next family meal set an extra place as a reminder that you are hosting the presence of God.

Place it

Finally - have a look at the back of your card. What does it say? You can now place your card onto your story line.