In this lesson, children learn that everything used to worship God should be made with care, because God deserves our very best. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God deserves our very best, so we should give Him our best work and our best hearts, just as King Solomon did when he built the temple.
Memory Verse
2 Chronicles 4:19
Solomon made all the vessels that were in God’s house, the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them…
(WEB)
Have children cup their hands together in front of their chests, then slowly open them wide, as if they are showing a gift to God. Say “Our best for God!” each time you open your hands.
The Story: 2 Chronicles 4 for Kids
King Solomon was building a special house for God in Jerusalem. It was called the temple, and it was a place where people could come to worship the LORD. Solomon wanted everything in it to be beautiful and made just right.
Solomon had a skilled worker named Huram who helped him make many things for the temple. Huram made big bronze pillars and a huge bronze basin that the priests could use to wash. He also made smaller basins on wheeled stands, so the priests could wash the things used for the burnt offerings.
Solomon also made ten gold lampstands and ten gold tables. He made the altar and many other golden vessels for God’s house. Everything was done with great care, and there were so many bronze things that no one could even weigh them all.
Solomon said nothing was too good for God’s house. Every lampstand, bowl, and spoon was made to honor the LORD. The workers did not hurry or cut corners, because the work was for God.
When all the work was finished, Solomon brought everything into God’s house. The temple was ready for God’s people to come and worship Him. Everything inside was made of the very best materials.
Read It Together
2 Chronicles 4:7
He made the ten lamp stands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.
(WEB)
Point out that Solomon carefully set up the ten gold lampstands in the temple, five on each side. Ask children to notice how much care went into the placement of each item, even small ones.
2 Chronicles 4:16
Huram his father also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for king Solomon, for the LORD’s house, of bright brass.
(WEB)
Show children that Huram made many different kinds of things for the LORD’s house, including pots, shovels, and forks. Explain that every single item mattered, even the ones that seem ordinary.
2 Chronicles 4:22
And the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.
(WEB)
Point out the snuffers, basins, spoons, and fire pans, all made of pure gold. Remind children that God cares about the smallest details of how we honor Him.
Talk About It
- What is one thing you made that you were really proud of, and how did you take care while making it?
- Why do you think King Solomon wanted everything in God’s house to be so beautiful?
- What are some ways we can give God our best when we pray, sing, or help others?
- Why do you think the workers did not rush or cut corners on the temple?
- What is something small you can do this week to show God that He matters to you?
Activity Ideas
Golden Lampstand Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a lampstand with seven or more lamps, then color it gold with yellow or orange crayon. Talk about how they took care to make each lamp neat and bright, just as the workers did for God.
Careful Hands Game
You will need a few small cups, a bowl of dry rice or beans, and a spoon. Have children take turns carefully scooping rice from one cup to another without spilling, moving slowly and steadily. Explain that giving God our best means slowing down and taking care, even with small tasks.
Our Best Gift Card
You will need a sheet of cardstock or construction paper, glue, and a few stickers or leftover craft bits. Have each child decorate a card for someone at home, taking time to make it as nice as they can. Encourage them to think of it as a small way of giving their best to God and to the people He loves.
Teacher Notes
This passage shows that the details of worship matter to God, and that the people who built the temple gave their skill and effort as an offering to Him. For adults, it is a reminder that our work, our worship, and our service can all be done with care and thankfulness, not merely to get something finished.
Avoid suggesting to children that God is pleased only by beautiful or expensive things. The passage is about wholehearted offering, and the heart behind what we give matters more than the material value of the gift.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for loving us and caring about everything we do. Help us to give You our very best in how we work, play, pray, and treat others. Teach us to take our time and do things with care, because You deserve our best. Amen.
