You know you have to get your homework done. But maybe later, after you spend some time online. And you have to write a report for English. But soon the guys want you to play basketball. Guess you can write it later. David took the “maybe later” approach, and it almost cost the life of Bathsheba and Solomon. Because David put off announcing a successor, another son tried to steal the throne. Fortunately, Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan stepped in. (Sort of like Mom or Dad making you study!) Putting off homework or even missing a report probably won’t ruin your life. But if putting things off becomes a habit, it might!
Q: What did Solomon get that he hadn’t asked for?
BONUS: What was Solomon’s yearly income?
I just accepted Christ but my friends aren’t Christians yet. Is it okay to hang out with the same guys?
Alejandro
Dear Alejandro,
This is a question that many teens and adults ask. I like to look at the example that wise King Solomon gives. He had a friend named Hiram, King of Tyre, who did not worship God. Solomon explained in a message to Hiram that he was building a temple for the Lord and needed materials from Tyre (1 Kings 5:10–11). Hiram was happy to provide what his friend Solomon needed.
These men respected each other even though they didn’t worship the same God. Each man dealt honestly with the other. Solomon paid Hiram back with grain and olive oil. The king of Tyre did nothing that would entice or encourage Solomon to disobey his God.
If you have friends who are not Christians, it’s okay as long as they’re not tempting you to sin (see 1 Corinthians 5:9–11). And who knows, maybe they will see you’ve made some changes and you can share with them about Jesus. Each friendship is unique. You’ll have to decide if each friendship is built on mutual respect like that of these two kings. If it is, it’s probably a keeper.
Jordan
Q: How long did it take Solomon to build God’s Temple?
BONUS: How long did it take to build Solomon’s palace?
So you hear one science teacher is really tough. Do you make sure you avoid her? Sometimes it pays to check things out for yourself. If you talk to some students who had her class, you might hear things like “Yeah, she’s hard. But I learned more in her class than in all my other science classes put together.” And, “She made things interesting.” Sometimes it’s a good thing to be a bit like the Queen of Sheba. She had heard reports about Solomon and his wisdom and riches, but she came to check him out herself. Her motto was a pretty good one to follow: “I came and saw with my own eyes” (1 Kings 10:7).
Holding hands. Kissing. A hug or kiss is exciting, even if you don’t really like the guy or girl that much. Your hormones are pumping. Add the stimulation from TV, music and movies, and it’s no surprise they work overtime. Solomon’s hormones pumped too, and he didn’t control them. The king may have been wise, but he sure wasn’t smart when it came to women. “His wives turned his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4). You don’t need to be ashamed of your hormones. It was God who designed you this way. But you do need to be careful that hormones don’t turn your heart away from obedience to the Lord.
Have you ever noticed how some of your friends look like their parents? Or have their mannerisms? Like Melissa, who has her mom’s way of sputtering when she’s upset. If you were to make a list of ways you want to be like your dad or your mom, what would the top three traits be? How might you go about developing those traits? Solomon’s problems can be traced to the fact that he failed to imitate his father David in one thing. David was faithful to God all his life and walked in obedience to God (1 Kings 11:33). David wasn’t perfect. But he honestly tried to put God first. That’s a family tradition you’ll want to follow. Or begin!
Q: What happened to all of Solomon’s gold?
BONUS: What was all that gold used for?
A widow in a town called Zarephath had just enough food for one meal for herself and her son. The prophet Elijah told her not to be afraid, but to “first make a small loaf of bread for me” (1 Kings 17:13). Put God’s prophet first? When there wasn’t enough for the woman and her son? If you remember the story, you know that God made the woman’s pot of oil and jar of flour last for years. She put God first, and God provided for her needs. Can you apply this story to your life? You bet! Don’t act just because you feel you have to have something “right now.” Put God first in all you do, and he’ll meet your needs too.
I feel sad most of the time. I cry a lot and sometimes I think about doing something bad to myself. Are these normal feelings?
Mariah
Dear Mariah,
Just about everyone feels a little sad from time to time. But deep sadness that doesn’t go away for a couple weeks or more is depression. It can be very serious. More teenagers are depressed than ever before which explains the growing number of teens who take their own lives, or try to.
You must tell your parent or a responsible adult about your feelings. Depression is serious but treatable. Do not seek a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Even during Bible times, many godly people suffered with depression. The prophet Elijah was so depressed he asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4). You can find the rest of his story in 1 Kings 19. Elijah was stressed out, exhausted and in danger. But great stress is only one reason people can have depression. Some people have a chemical imbalance. Some have experienced a sad event like a death or divorce. Sometimes people start making some bad choices and start feeling depressed. They don’t know how to get their lives turned back around.
There are many things that can cause depression. But the best way to deal with it is to get help. God loves you and he wants you to be happy and live your life. He gave you parents to help you, so let them.
Jordan
Who is a real friend? Someone who tells you what you want to hear? Or someone who tells you the truth? King Ahab didn’t want to hear the truth, so he locked out a prophet of God and invited some prophets of Baal to speak. When he did finally hear what God’s prophet had to say, Ahab learned he was going to die. If only Ahab had listened to God’s prophet earlier, he might have had a very different end. God made sure that Ahab heard the truth. But even when Ahab heard, he refused to believe. Value friends who tell you the truth even when it isn’t pleasant. Act on what they say, and you may avoid tragedy in your life.
1 Kings
Justice.
Solomon held on to the great kingdom of his father David. But after Solomon died, the kingdom split into two, Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms wandered away from, and abandoned, God. But not without consequences.