The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 5 (Building Preparation)
1 Kings 5
April 17, 2013

The Text:

1. Who was Hiram?  What did he do when he heard Solomon had been anointed king?  Why?
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2. What reason does Solomon give for David not being able to build a temple?  How is Solomon’s life different from David’s?  What does Solomon intend to do about it?
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3. What is Solomon’s request of Hiram?  What does Solomon offer?  Why?  How does Hiram feel when he hears Solomon’s offer?
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4. What response does Hiram send back to Solomon?  What did Solomon get from Hiram?  What does Solomon give to Hiram?  How long did this go on?  Did it go well?
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5. How did Solomon get the help needed from Israel?  How many men were sent to Lebanon to work?  How was that structured?  How many men did Solomon have working on the stone needed for the temple project?

The Application:

1. How do you feel when a change is made in important leadership positions?  Why?  Do you ever reach out to a new person who is in a position that their predecessor was a friend of yours?  Should you?
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2. When starting something new, how important is it to remember why it hadn’t been done yet?  Who benefits from that reminder?  Should we consider how our circumstances are different from those of our predecessors when evaluating doing something they couldn’t?
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3. If you needed specific work done, who would you want to do it?  Why?  When requesting work to be done, what would it take for you to offer to pay whatever is asked?  What effect does genuine trust and praise have on a relationship?
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4. How does the tone of a request influence your willingness to provide that which is requested?  How does mutual respect, or lack of it, impact your relationships?  What are some keys to a business-type relationship lasting over time?
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5. Have you ever been forced to do something you didn’t want to do, or at least didn’t get to choose to do?  How did you feel?  Why?  Are there things we can learn from Solomon’s treatment of the conscripted laborers?  What are they?

Next Week: Building Project 1
1 Kings 6