This lesson teaches children that Solomon built a special house for God in Jerusalem, and that we can honor God in the places and ways we worship him. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God is worthy of our very best, and he is always with his people. Solomon built a beautiful house for God because God had been so faithful to his family.
Memory Verse
2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the LORD’s house at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David his father, which he prepared in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
(WEB)
Hold your hands together in front of your chest, then slowly lift them up over your head like a roof going up. Say the words as you lift, and do it again with the class so the motion helps them remember where Solomon built.
The Story: 2 Chronicles 3 for Kids
A long time ago, a king named Solomon was ready to build a house for God. His father, King David, had wanted to do this too, but God chose Solomon to do the work. The place was Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, a spot where God had appeared to David before.
Solomon began building in the second month of the fourth year of his reign. He used gold, precious stones, and fine wood to make the house very beautiful. The walls, beams, and doors were covered in gold, and carvings of angels called cherubim decorated the walls.
Inside, Solomon made a special room called the most holy place. He made two big cherubim statues covered in gold, and their wings stretched wide from wall to wall. Each wing was as long as a grown man is tall many times over, which tells us how large and grand the room was.
Solomon also hung a beautiful curtain called a veil, made of blue, purple, red, and fine white cloth, with more cherubim sewn into it. Outside the house he set up two tall pillars, one on the right and one on the left. He named them Jachin and Boaz, names that were meant to remind everyone that God is strong and steady.
Solomon wanted everyone to see that God deserved a home that showed his greatness. The people had a place to come and worship the Lord. This house became the center of their life together with God.
Read It Together
2 Chronicles 3:8
He made the most holy place. Its length, according to the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
(WEB)
Ask the children to notice how much gold was used in the most holy place. Explain that the people gave their very best to God, and that the most important room was decorated most carefully.
2 Chronicles 3:16-17
16 He made chains in the inner sanctuary, and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17 He set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
(WEB)
Show the children how the pillars were named Jachin and Boaz. Explain that these names were reminders for the people that God is strong and that he stands firm, so they could trust him when they saw the pillars.
Talk About It
- Why do you think Solomon wanted to make God’s house so beautiful?
- What are some ways you can show God that he is important to you?
- How do you think the people felt when they saw the golden house for the first time?
- Why is it good to have special places where we can meet with God?
- What do the names Jachin and Boaz remind you about who God is?
Activity Ideas
Draw Your Own Temple
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a gold crayon if you have one. Ask them to draw the outside of a house for God with tall pillars at the front. Let them add their own decorations, such as palm trees, flowers, or angels, and talk about what they would want God’s house to look like.
Pillar Balance Game
Set two stacks of books or blocks about a hand’s width apart on the floor to be the pillars. Have children take turns walking between them while balancing a small object on their head, saying “God is strong” with each step. This helps them picture standing firm between Jachin and Boaz.
Take-Home Gold Reminder
Give each child a small paper square and a piece of gold foil or yellow tape. Have them write or draw one way they can honor God at home this week. Encourage them to tape the square to their bedroom door or the refrigerator so the reminder stays in sight through the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God cares about the places where his people gather and worship. Solomon’s house was a visible sign of God’s presence among his people, and it points forward to a deeper truth that God wants to dwell with us.
Avoid overstating the details of the building to children, such as exact measurements or the amount of gold, which can become confusing or distracting. Keep the focus on the big picture: God is worthy of honor, and his people responded by giving their best.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for being with us wherever we go. Help us honor you with our hearts, our words, and our actions. Thank you for being strong and faithful like the pillars Solomon built. We love you. Amen.
