Lesson Overview For Adults
In 1 Kings 12:1-17, we read about a pivotal moment in Israel’s history when young King Rehoboam had to make an important decision that would affect his entire kingdom. After King Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam became king, and the people came to him asking for relief from the heavy burdens and harsh labor that Solomon had imposed. Rehoboam sought counsel from two groups: the older, experienced advisors who had served his father, and his young friends who had grown up with him. The older advisors counseled him to be kind and serve the people, while the young men advised him to be even harsher than his father.
Rehoboam chose to follow the advice of his young friends, speaking harshly to the people and promising to increase their burdens rather than lighten them. This poor choice had devastating consequences. Ten of the twelve tribes of Israel rebelled and formed their own kingdom, leaving Rehoboam with only two tribes. This story powerfully illustrates how our choices, especially those made by leaders, can have far-reaching effects on others. For preschoolers, this lesson teaches them that even their small choices matter and can help or hurt the people around them.
Bible Verse Game: Crown Pass 10:15-10:30
Items Needed
- Crown
- Music
- Lolipops or small candy
Children sit in a circle and pass a crown while music plays. When music stops, the child with the crown shares one way they can help others. Each child who shares a good way to help others is given a lolipop or small candy.
Bible Story Science 10:30-10:40
Science Lesson 1: Ripple Effect Experiment
Items Needed
- Small clear bowl (1 per child)
- Water
- Small pebbles
- Food coloring
Fill the bowl with water. Walk around and add a drop of food coloring into each bowl to show how it spreads. Then give each child small pebbles to drop to create ripples. Explain how just like the ripples spread across the water, our choices create “ripples” that affect everyone around us. Kind choices make good ripples, mean choices make bad ripples.
Science Lesson 2: Domino Chain Reaction
Items Needed
- Dominoes
Set up domino chains and let children knock them down to see how one action affects many others. Connect this to how one person’s choice can help many people (like helping dominoes stay up) or hurt many people (like knocking them all down).
Bible Story 10:40-10:50 a.m.
Question 1: Where is this found in the Bible? 1 Kings
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? Old Testament
The Bible Story:
Long ago, there was a king named Solomon who was very wise. When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became the new king. The people came to King Rehoboam and said, “Your father made us work very hard. Please be kinder to us than your father was.”
King Rehoboam needed to make a choice. He asked two groups of people what he should do. The older, wise men said, “Be kind to the people. Help them and speak nicely to them. Then they will always want to serve you.”
But Rehoboam also asked his young friends what to do. They said, “Don’t be kind! Be even meaner than your father was! Make them work even harder!”
King Rehoboam had to choose who to listen to. Sadly, he chose to listen to his young friends instead of the wise older men. He told the people, “I will be meaner than my father! I will make you work even harder!”
The people were very sad and angry. They said, “We don’t want Rehoboam to be our king anymore!” So most of the people left and chose a different king. King Rehoboam’s bad choice made him lose most of his kingdom.
Theological Questions:
- Who did King Rehoboam choose to listen to? (His young friends)
- What did the wise older men tell him to do? (Be kind to the people)
Life Application Questions:
- How can you make choices that help your friends feel happy? (By sharing, being kind, helping them)
- What happens when we make mean choices? (It makes others sad and can make us lose friends)
Prayer:
Dear God, help us make good choices that help others feel happy and loved. Help us be kind like You want us to be. Amen.
Bible Craft: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down 10:50-11:05 a.m.
Items Needed
- Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down (Print)
- 2 Popsicle sticks (per child)
- Crayons
- Stickers (Optional)
- Tape
Have children decorate their thumbs and glue one UP and one DOWN to a popsicle stick. Once they have completed their crafts have them stand-up to play the “Thumbs-Up, Thumbs-Down” Game. Read them the following examples and ask them to put THUMBS UP for a GOOD CHOICE and THUMBS DOWN for a BAD CHOICE.
- Adam is about to request a paper towel to wipe up the paint he spilled on the table.
- Adam is about to kick a beachball away from a group of children playing together.
- Adam is about to seek help from his teacher by calmly raising his hand and waiting.
- Adam is about to crawl underneath the table to avoid doing the craft with the other kids.
- Adam is about to push the student sitting beside him.
- Adam is about to drop his garbage on the ground rather than putting it in the trash can.
- Adam is about to sit down and listen to the Bible story.
- Adam is about to pull the chair away from a friend sat where he wanted to sit.
- Adam is about to ignore his teacher when she asks him to come sit down.
- Adam is about to help his teacher put away the crayons and glue after craft time.
- Adam is about to run around the classroom during prayer time.
- Adam is about to tear up his coloring sheet because he doesn’t want to color it.
- Adam is about to walk carefully down the church hallway instead of running to the bathroom.
- Adam is about to stick his tongue out at his friend during Bible lesson time.
Scripture Reference
1 Kings 12:1-17 (KJV)
“And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.”
Parent Takeaways
Today’s Key Takeaway: Choices Matter
What I learned today:
Today I learned that King Rehoboam made a bad choice when he decided to be mean instead of kind to his people. His choice made many people sad and angry, and they didn’t want him to be their king anymore. I learned that my choices can help others feel happy or sad, so I want to make good choices that help others.
Questions to ask me:
Theological Questions:
- Who became king after Solomon died? (Rehoboam)
- What did the older wise men tell King Rehoboam to do? (Be kind to the people)
- What did the young men tell King Rehoboam to do? (Be mean and make people work harder)
- Who did King Rehoboam choose to listen to? (The young men)
- What happened when King Rehoboam made a bad choice? (The people left and chose a different king)
Life Application Questions:
- How can you make choices that help your friends? (By sharing, being kind, helping them)
- What should you do when someone asks for your help? (Help them if I can)
- How do you feel when someone is kind to you? (Happy and loved)
- What happens when we make mean choices? (It makes others sad and hurts their feelings)
- Who can help you make good choices? (God, parents, teachers)