SCRIPTURE PASSAGES
OVERVIEW
What constitutes wisdom? Is it the extent of one’s knowledge, the adeptness in solving intricate problems, or the ability to navigate social media without engaging in political conversations? Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein, and Nelson Mandela are often considered for the top spot as Humans of Wisdom. But the criteria for eligibility remain subjective. Opinions on wisdom vary widely. In today’s discussion, we will delve into the perspective of wisdom as envisioned by God. Our focus will be on King Solomon, renowned in scripture as the wisest individual in history. Exploring the elements that defined his wisdom, we aim to extract valuable life lessons from his story.
OPENING ACTIVITY: HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS?
Have the whole group discuss one or more of the following topics:
- What would you counsel a couple who had trouble getting pregnant, but finally had kids and now have extra embryos frozen in storage?
- A man killed his wife in the heat of an argument thirty years ago and now he wants to be the janitor of your church.
- You are walking in the parking lot after church and find an envelope on the ground with $300.00 in it. What do you do with the money?
- How should social media platforms balance the right to free speech with the responsibility to prevent the spread of misinformation, hate speech, or violence?
- Is it ethical to edit the genes of unborn children to prevent genetic diseases or enhance certain traits?
TRANSITION
Life is full of choices. Some have only minimal consequences, but others can be life-altering. Where does one get the rules to live by—parents, friends, social media, Google, or scripture? People get information from all these places, but only one is one hundred percent reliable. Let’s look at 1 Kings and see what Solomon has to say.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Read 1 Kings 3:1-15.
1Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
DISCUSSION
- Describe the political climate of this passage.
- What are three life lessons that can be learned from this passage?
- Why did God give Solomon wisdom?
Read 1 Kings 3:16-28.
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’ ”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
DISCUSSION
- Who are the main characters?
- What is the problem presented in this passage?
- How did Solomon discover who was telling the truth?
Read 1 Kings 10:24-28.
24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.
26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price.
DISCUSSION
- How much influence did Solomon have?
- Why did Solomon have such a big army?
- Make a list of other people who demonstrated great wisdom in scripture.
- Make a list of influential people or wise people in society.
- What characteristics do both groups have in common?
- Who do you know that is wise?
- What makes them wise?
APPLICATION
Wisdom, as embodied by King Solomon in biblical stories, extends beyond mere intellectual acumen; it encompasses a profound understanding of human nature and a discerning judgment rooted in moral principles. Solomon’s wisdom is notably coupled with his recognition of divine guidance. In the biblical account, God granted Solomon wisdom in response to his humble request for discernment. This interaction underscores the idea that true wisdom is not solely self-derived but involves a connection with something greater than oneself.
In our lives, applying Solomon’s wisdom involves seeking knowledge with humility, making decisions guided by ethical considerations, and acknowledging the role of a higher power in shaping our understanding. By recognizing the divine aspect of wisdom, we embrace a perspective that extends beyond our individual capacities, fostering a sense of purpose and moral clarity in our actions. This integration of wisdom and divine interaction can provide a meaningful framework for navigating life’s complexities and contributing positively to the well-being of ourselves and others.
FOLLOW UP
Applying the principles gleaned from the passages and lessons can greatly enrich your life. Here are some practical ways to integrate these teachings into your everyday experiences:
- Be humble.
- Recognize divine guidance.
- Just as Solomon maintained a large army for stability, work toward creating a secure environment in your life. This could involve financial planning, building a support network, or investing in personal development.
Remember, applying these principles is a gradual process, and personal growth takes time. Start with small, intentional steps, and over time, you may find that these principles become integrated into your mindset and behaviors, enriching your life and the lives of those around you.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
Ask participants what comes to mind when they think of the word “wisdom.” Many people first think of intelligence and associate good grades as proof. Perhaps this should be labeled “knowledge” rather than “wisdom.”
Others think of older people with lots of life experiences that have given them discernment to know what to do (and what not to do). That might be common sense or simply experience, but it might be based on what a person has learned that makes them look good or gives them the first priority. Getting older doesn’t guarantee a person becomes wiser.
The Bible takes a very different perspective on wisdom. This comes from the wisdom book of the Bible, called “Proverbs.” Most of these came from Solomon, the Bible character for this week’s study. According to Proverbs 9:10 NIV, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” The New International Reader’s Version changes the English word “fear” to “respect”—something that makes more sense to English speakers who pair “fright” with “fear” instead of pairing “respect” or “honor” with “fear.” The NIRV renders the same verse, “If you want to become wise, you must begin by respecting the LORD.”
How would you paraphrase this? One paraphrase could be, “The starting point for being wise is making God’s will number one in everything.” Another paraphrase might be, “Put God first and you’ll be on the path to wisdom.”
At the start of his reign, Solomon got to respond to God’s invitation to receive whatever he wanted. Wow! What would you choose? Last month was Christmas and you may have had a long wish list. But what would be at the top of your list you would give it to God? Solomon chose wisdom.
Let’s look at the whole story in 1 Kings 3, which is the passage of Scripture for this week’s Relational Bible Study.
Wise Guy
Who is someone you consider to be wise? How can you tell they are wise?
Read 1 Kings 3:1-28.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
3 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
A Wise Ruling
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
1. Why did Solomon marry Pharaoh’s daughter?
- It was love at first sight.
- God advised Solomon to do this.
- David advised Solomon to do this.
- This secured a political alliance.
- Solomon experienced bouts of loneliness.
- Solomon considered this a wise method of evangelism.
- They had a lot in common.
- He enjoyed spending time with her.
- Other.
2. Why did Solomon choose to go to Gibeon to offer sacrifices as king?
- Any place would do, as long as there were sacrifices.
- Gibeon had a mixed history ( Joshua 9 and 10 ; 2 Samuel 2 and 21 ).
- Worship at the local altars (high places) broke the 2 nd commandment.
- It was the major high place near Jerusalem.
- This is where the wilderness tabernacle stood ( 2 Chronicles 1:3 ).
- The ark remained in Gibeon ( 2 Samuel 6 ).
- Jerusalem had no place to worship at this time.
- A political decision: Gibeon was a city in Benjamin—King Saul’s tribe.
- Other.
3. In his dream, what did Solomon ask from God?
- Wisdom.
- Understanding.
- More wives.
- Wealth and peace.
- Faithfulness to God’s covenant.
- A personal relationship with God.
- A long life.
- Lots of friends.
- Other.
4. What did God promise Solomon?
- Wisdom.
- Understanding.
- Wives.
- Wealth and peace.
- A temple in Jerusalem.
- Respect and honor.
- Whatever Solomon wanted.
- Other.
5. What made Solomon’s judgment of the two women difficult?
- It wasn’t difficult for Solomon.
- It was a “she said,” “she said,” argument.
- Nobody else witnessed it.
- They were women who appealed to the king.
- One child was dead and another was about to die.
- Solomon had a knack for discerning liars.
- This was a test case early in Solomon’s reign.
- Other.
6. When could you use more wisdom?
- Just about every day.
- When I face something and I don’t know what to do.
- Dealing with certain people in my family.
- Facing dilemmas.
- Sometimes I just feel so stupid (can I say that?).
- The times I’m being tested.
- I can’t think of anything.
- Other.
7. What would you say if God asked you, “What do you want?”
8. What wisdom do you have at this point in your life? How do you get more?
SUMMARY
Wisdom provides special insight, which comes from putting God first in all you do. When God offered Solomon whatever he wanted, Solomon requested wisdom. The book of Proverbs contains many of these truths, which put people on the path to wisdom. Choose, and continue to choose to make God first in your life, and you’re on your way to wisdom living.
APPLICATION
You can receive wisdom from God right now, not just at some unknown time in the future when you might become “old and wise.” Here are several ways to apply this to your life this week.
- WHAT IS WISDOM?
- You might have your own ideas about what wisdom is. Ask several people two questions about wisdom: 1) “What is wisdom? And 2) “How can a person get wisdom?”
- Ask someone older than you, someone younger than you, and one of your peers.
- You might want to start with people at your church, and you could ask additional people as well.
- Keep a record of the input you receive and then take it to God and ask God to help you discern what is true wisdom and how to get it.
- BEGIN THE DAY PUTTING GOD FIRST .
We’re at the start of a new calendar year when people make New Year’s resolutions (which they often break the first week or two). Your holiday vacation is over now, and you’re probably getting back into the school routine again.
- What is your typical week like? Do you have five days of school with a somewhat similar start to each day? What are your routines? Does it include breakfast? How about a shower? Do you have a period of time to get from home to school?
- Consider how you start your day and insert a “Start with Making God #1” portion of your day. You might be able to make that the focus of your drive time to school or the focus as you eat breakfast or as you shower. Or maybe you actually get out of bed “on time” (or five minutes early) and consciously talk with God and commit to making God #1 in your day for that day.
- You’re practicing the way of wisdom by starting with putting God first. Try that for a week and see what happens.
- Challenge a friend to do the same and compare your experiences after that week.
- START WITH PROVERBS .
Some people look to Scripture to get regular input from God. To apply this week’s lesson about wisdom, go to the book of Proverbs (just after Psalms) and read just one chapter a day.
- Take the day of the month, like January 13, and turn to that chapter in Proverbs, which would be Proverbs 13 (there are 31 chapters in Proverbs—one chapter for each day of the month).
- As you read your chapter, pick out one chapter that you want to put into practice that day, and then do it! You are taking the wisdom of Solomon and making it part of your life.
- Don’t be surprised if some of the Proverbs make you laugh or reconsider what you’re doing, or provoke you to ask someone else about it.
- Gleaning from the wisdom of Solomon will give you a tremendous head start to living for God with wisdom—putting God first in your life.
The Miracle
Created By NAD Youth And Young Adult Ministries
What if the Miracles of Jesus are more than meets the eye?
What if there is so much more to each story than we see?
What if each time Jesus did something supernatural, He was inviting us to look deeper?
Beyond the healing.
Beyond the deliverance.
Beyond the acts that defied the laws of nature.
What if Jesus were inviting us to see something bigger?
Something more amazing about the love of God.
Something mind-blowing.
What if the ultimate Miracle is that God can transform us?
The Miracle Series is an interactive study of 15 of Jesus’ awe-inspiring encounters while here on earth. These lessons, and messages are designed to connect with teens and youth and take them on a journey of discovery. Included in this kit is everything you need:
- Small group scripts
- PowerPoint presentations
- Promotional video and files
- Participant Study Guides
We invite you and your youth to not just study the Miracles of Jesus but to experience The Miracle.
