Lesson 44: “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”

42 00 gospel written in our hearts 
In lesson 43, we learned about Ezekiel's prophecies about the two sticks being brought together (scriptures and people) and about the valley of dry bones which would be restored to life.    resurrection and restoration

From Lesson 43: (One important blessing is the restoration of the Lord’s sanctuary or tabernacle, meaning the temple. The next lesson discusses the blessings of the temple in more detail.)

Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual

“Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”  

Lesson 44: “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 207

Ezekiel 43–44; 47

Purpose

To encourage class members to partake of the life-giving, healing powers that are available in the temple.

Preparation

• 1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures:
  
  • a. Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.
    
  • b. Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.
    
  • c. Ezekiel 47:2–5. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth and discovers that the water gets deeper each time he wades into it.
    
• 2. Draw the map on page 209 on a poster or on the chalkboard before class begins.
  
• 3. Additional reading: Ezekiel 40–42; Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8; Revelation 22:1–3; 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25; Doctrine and Covenants 97:8–20.
  

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.
Ask class members questions similar to the following:

• • Have you ever been excited while watching a sporting event or some other kind of entertainment?
  
• • Have you ever been so excited at such an event that you stood and shouted or cheered?
  
• • Can you think of sacred events that have been or will be accompanied by enthusiastic expressions of joy and gratitude? Some of these events include:
  
  • a. The creation of the earth (Job 38:4–7).
    
  • b. The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (John 12:12–16).
    
  • c. The Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
    
• • How does the excitement of sporting events or other entertainment compare to the joy of these sacred events? (While the excitement of sporting events or other entertainment is temporary, the joy associated with sacred events is eternal.)
  
• • What is a sacred event in the Church where participants show their joy and gratitude by standing, shouting, and waving? (During the dedication of a temple, the congregation participates in a great expression of joy called the Hosanna Shout.)
  
  • “The Hosanna Shout is whole-souled, given to the full limit of one’s strength. The congregation stands and in unison shouts the words ‘Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb. Amen, Amen, and Amen,’ repeating them three times. This is usually accompanied by the rhythmic waving of white handkerchiefs with uplifted hands. The epithet ‘Lamb’ relates to the condescension and atonement of Jesus Christ” (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. [1992], 2:659).
    

Explain that this lesson will help class members understand some of the many ways the temple brings joy.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23.

• • Have class members read Ezekiel 43:1–12 and Ezekiel 44:6–9, 23. What can we learn about the temple from these verses?
• _____________________

 Ezekiel 43:1–12
 1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the ^agate that ^blooketh toward the east:

  2 And, behold, the ^aglory of the God of Israel came from the way of the ^beast: and his ^cvoice was like a noise of many ^dwaters: and the earth ^eshined with his ^fglory.

  3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the ^avision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

  4 And the glory of the Lord ^acame into the ^bhouse by the way of the gate ^cwhose prospect is toward the east.

  5 So the ^aspirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the ^bglory of the Lord filled the house.

  6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

  7 ¶ And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my ^afeet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more ^bdefile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

  8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy ^aname by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

  9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

  10 ¶ Thou son of man, ^ashew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the ^bpattern.

  11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the ^ahouse, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ^bordinances thereof, and do them.

  12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the ^amountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

• Ezekiel 44:6–9, 23

• 6 And thou shalt say to the arebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,   7 In that ye have brought into my sanctuary astrangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to bpollute it, even my house, when ye offer my cbread, the dfat and the eblood, and they have broken my fcovenant because of all your abominations.   8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.   9 ¶ Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, auncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

  •  
  • __________________________________________________________
  • You may want to list class members’ answers on the chalkboard and discuss their meaning. Answers may include the following:
    
  • a. The glory of the Lord fills the temple (Ezekiel 43:2, 4–5).
    
  • b. The temple is “the place of [the Lord’s] throne” on earth (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • c. The Lord walks in the temple, calling it “the place of the soles of my feet” (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • d. The temple is a place where the Lord may “dwell in the midst” of his people (Ezekiel 43:7).
    
  • e. We learn about the laws of the Lord in the temple (Ezekiel 43:11).
    
  • f. There are ordinances that the Lord wants us to perform in the temple (Ezekiel 43:11).
    
  • g. Even the grounds that surround the temple “shall be most holy” (Ezekiel 43:12).
    
  • h. Only those who are worthy should enter the temple (Ezekiel 44:6–9).
    
  • i. In the temple we learn the difference between holy and profane and between clean and unclean (Ezekiel 44:23).
    

2. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12.

• • What did Ezekiel see coming from the east doors of the temple in Jerusalem? (See Ezekiel 47:1.) Where did the water go? (See Ezekiel 47:8. Show on the map that the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea are east of Jerusalem.)
  

  Jerusalem Dead Sea Judean Wilderness

• • The Judean wilderness is a barren desert, and the Dead Sea is too salty to sustain animal life. According to Ezekiel’s vision, what changes will take place in the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea because of the river flowing from the temple? (See Ezekiel 47:6–12.)
  
• • In a vision similar to Ezekiel’s vision of the temple, John the Beloved was shown the throne of God (Revelation 22:1–3; note that in Ezekiel 43:7, the Lord calls the temple “the place of my throne”). What flowed from the throne of God in John’s vision? (See Revelation 22:1.) What is the “water of life”? (The doctrines of the gospel; see the attention activity in lesson 30.) How are we like the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea if we do not partake of the water of life?
  
• • How does the water of life that is available in the temple heal and give life to marriages? families? our ancestors? the Church? What else flows from the temple that gives spiritual life and healing? (Answers may include truth, wisdom, revelation, and covenants.)
  
• • Ezekiel 47:12 describes the trees that grew along the banks of the river in Ezekiel’s vision. What did the trees have in common with the waters of the river? (They had healing and life-giving powers.)
  
• • What grew along the banks of the river in John’s vision? (See Revelation 22:2.) Where else in the scriptures are prophets shown the tree of life? (See 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25.) In the dream given to Lehi and Nephi, what did the tree of life represent? (See 1 Nephi 11:25.)
  
• • How does the love of God heal and give life? What spiritual and physical wounds will God’s love heal?
  

3. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth.

Teach and discuss Ezekiel 47:2–5.

• • How deep was the river the first time Ezekiel waded across it? (See Ezekiel 47:2–3.) How deep was it the second, third, and fourth times he waded across? (See Ezekiel 47:4–5.) What truth do these verses suggest about the temple? (The power of the temple increases in our lives the more often we attend.)
  
• • Wonderful truths are taught in the temple, many through symbols. If at first our understanding of these truths or of temple ordinances is only “ankle deep,” what should we do? (See Ezekiel 47:2–5. We should wade into the “river” again and again—or, in other words, attend the temple as often as possible.)
  

Conclusion

Tell class members that the Lord has called the temple “a place of thanksgiving” (D&C 97:13). Express your thanks for the blessings that come because of the temple, and invite class members to share their feelings of gratitude for the temple. Testify that just as the waters from the temple healed the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea in Ezekiel’s vision, the gospel of Jesus Christ will heal and cleanse us if we will partake of it.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. “I have loved the habitation of thy house” (Psalm 26:8)

Many of the psalms mention blessings we receive from temple attendance and express beautiful feelings of love and thanksgiving for the temple. You may want to ask some class members to express their feelings of gratitude for the temple as you discuss the following psalms:

• Psalm 24:3–4
  
• Psalm 26:6–8  
• Psalm 27:1, 4–6
• 
  
  
  A PSALM OF DAVID.
  
  

    1 The Lord is my ^alight and my ^bsalvation; whom shall I ^cfear? the Lord is the ^dstrength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
  
  

    4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may ^adwell in the ^bhouse of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the ^cbeauty of the Lord, and to ^denquire in his temple.
  
  

    5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his ^apavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a ^brock.
  
  

    6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
    

• Psalm 65:4
  
• Psalm 84

PSALM 84

The righteous cry unto the living God—Better to be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness—No good thing withheld from those that walk uprightly.

TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN UPON GITTITH, A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.

  1 How ^aamiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

  2 My soul longeth, yea, even ^afainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

  3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.

  4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

  5 Blessed is the man whose ^astrength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

  6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

  7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion ^aappeareth before God.

  8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

  9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.

  10 For a day in thy courts is better than ^aa thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

  11 For the Lord God is a ^asun and ^bshield: the Lord will give ^cgrace and glory: no good thing will he ^dwithhold from them that ^ewalk uprightly.

  12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

• Psalm 122
  
• Psalm 134
  

2. “The Great Symbol of [Our] Membership”

President Howard W. Hunter said: “I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of—and carry—a current temple recommend. The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 8; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 8).

• • How can we make the temple the “great symbol of [our] membership” in the Church? How would looking to the temple in this way affect our outlook on life and our dedication to the Lord’s work?

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The following is from
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L. Lionel Kendrick, “Enhancing Our Temple Experience,” Liahona, Jul 2001, 94–96

There is a difference in just attending the temple and having a rich spiritual experience.

One of the great blessings that we enjoy today is the opportunity to attend the temple. With an ever-increasing number of temples, the blessings of the temple are available to a growing number of Church members.
These blessings should not be taken lightly. The Savior has commanded that we should “trifle not with sacred things” (D&C 6:12). The temple and the holy ordinances are indeed sacred, and we should be spiritually sensitive to them. It is a sacred blessing to attend the temple to worship the Lord.
There is a difference in just attending the temple and having a rich spiritual experience. The real blessings of the temple come as we enhance our temple experience. To do so, we must feel a spirit of reverence for the temple and a spirit of worship.

Spirit of Reverence

All who attend the temple should remember the counsel of the Lord when He said, “Reverence my sanctuary” (Lev. 19:30). Reverence is an expression of deep respect, honor, and adoration for the Lord. It is having reverence for His name, for His words, for His ordinances and covenants, for His servants, for His chapels, and for His temples.
It is an outward indication of an inner feeling that we have for Him. We should always remember that it is by His invitation that we come to His holy house, the temple of the Lord. We should respond to His invitation by being worthy, by being prepared, and by having the temple as a priority in our lives. While in the temple we should act as if we are in His holy presence.
To be reverent is not just to be quiet. It involves an awareness of what is taking place. It involves a divine desire to learn and to be receptive to the promptings of the Spirit. It involves a striving to seek added light and knowledge. Irreverence is not only an act of disrespect for Deity, but it makes it impossible for the Spirit to teach us the things that we need to know.
It is in the temple that we must speak in reverent tones. Reverence is no minor nor mundane matter. It has eternal consequences and should be treated as divine in nature. To be reverent in the temple, we must sense it to be a place of purity and a place of holiness.
Place of purity. The temple is a place of purity. It is of the utmost importance that we keep the temple pure and holy. The Savior promised:
“And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, … my glory shall rest upon it;
“Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it” (D&C 97:15–16).
Those who enter the temple should prepare both their hearts and their minds. They should be able to answer in the affirmative to the questions asked by Alma when he said: “Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” (Alma 5:19).
When we are reverent in the temple, we help to keep it pure and holy, free from distractions and offenses to the Spirit. We must remember to say or do nothing that would be offensive to the Lord.
President David O. McKay counseled, “When you enter a Church building, you are coming into the presence of our Father in heaven; and that thought should be sufficient incentive for you to prepare your hearts, your minds, and even your attire, that you might appropriately and properly sit in his presence” (Improvement Era, July 1962, 509).
Reverence involves thinking, speaking, feeling, and acting as we would in the presence of the Lord.
Place of holiness. The temple is a place of holiness. It is the most sacred and holy place on earth and should be treated with the greatest degree of reverence and respect. Reverence in the temple is an expression to the Lord that we consider it to be sacred and that we recognize it to be, indeed, His holy house.

Spirit of Worship

The temple is a place of worship. Reverence is a supernal form of worship. It is the form of worship that is found in the celestial kingdom. In the vision of the degrees of glory given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, this celestial worship was described with these words:
“And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, … where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
“Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever” (D&C 76:92–93).
Our worship in the temple is in preparation to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son. We should worship Them in a spirit of humility and in a spirit of reverence.
True worship of the Lord in His holy house means that we should enhance our temple experience. We can obtain a rich spiritual experience in the temple by doing the following:
First, we must leave the world behind as we enter the temple.
Second, we must seek to gain added light and knowledge.
Leave the world behind. When we enter the temple, we should leave the world behind. We should feel what it would be like when we enter the presence of the Lord. We may consider what thoughts we would think and what communications we would have in His holy presence. If we can catch the vision of this eventual event, it will help us in preparing to enter His presence and in leaving the world behind as we enter His temple.
1. Thoughts
As we enter the temple grounds, we should leave our worldly thoughts behind and focus on the sacred responsibilities that are ours as we serve in the house of the Lord.
Our thoughts should be spiritual in nature. We must remember that the Lord is aware of our thoughts. He spoke to Ezekiel and said, “I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them” (Ezek. 11:5).
2. Communications
The Savior has given us great counsel concerning our communications in the temple. He said: “Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, … from all your pride and light-mindedness” (D&C 88:121).
Just as we leave our worldly thoughts behind as we enter the temple grounds, we should also leave our worldly discussions behind. It is inappropriate to discuss matters of business, pleasure, or current events in the temple.
It is important not only what we speak in the temple, but also the manner in which we speak. We must always speak in soft and subdued tones in all places in the temple. This should be our temple voice.
There should be silence in the sacred ordinance areas of the temple, except for the necessary communications concerning the performance of the ordinances. These ordinance areas are sacred and should not be used for any worldly conversations.
The Savior has given us loving counsel that will assist us in enhancing our temple experience by leaving the world behind: “And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10).
Perhaps the chastening words of the Savior to David Whitmer may be appropriate for us to remember:
“But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, … and you have not given heed unto my Spirit. …
“Wherefore, you are left to inquire for yourself” (D&C 30:2–3).
Seek to gain added light and knowledge. Gaining added light and knowledge is not a passive process. It involves focusing on the things of the Spirit and seeking the spiritual lessons to be learned. The Savior counseled: “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things” (D&C 88:67).
The Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the teacher in the temple. He teaches principles of eternal significance. It is during these instructions that we see the relationship between the earthly and the eternal. We must remember that the Spirit teaches only those who are teachable. If we enter the temple seeking added light and knowledge, we can learn and understand something new during the temple experience. The Savior promised: “That which is of God is light; and he that … continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24).

Conclusion

May we enhance our temple experience with a spirit of reverence, treating it as a place of purity and a place of holiness. May we enhance our temple experience with a spirit of worship by leaving the world behind and seeking to obtain added light and knowledge. If we do these things, the Lord will bless us and we will become prepared to live in His holy presence. To this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.


________________________________________________________
Richard G. Scott, “Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need,” Ensign, May 2009, 43–45

Now I share some additional suggestions of how to gain more benefit from temple attendance.

• • Understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.1
  
• • While participating in temple ordinances, consider your relationship to Jesus Christ and His relationship to our Heavenly Father. This simple act will lead to greater understanding of the supernal nature of the temple ordinances.
  
• • Always prayerfully express gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from temple ordinances. Live each day so as to give evidence to Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son of how very much those blessings mean to you.
  
• • Schedule regular visits to the temple.
  
• • Leave sufficient time to be unhurried within the temple walls.
  
• • Rotate activities so that you can participate in all of the ordinances of the temple.
  
• • Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.
  
• • Listen carefully to the presentation of each element of the ordinance with an open mind and heart.
  
• • Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them.
  
• • Recognize that much of the majesty of the sealing ordinance cannot be understood and remembered with one live experience. Substantial subsequent vicarious work permits one to understand much more of what is communicated in the live ordinances.
  
• • Realize that a sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Both individuals must be worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.

______________________________

Elder Bednar --

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Shortly after I was called to serve as a stake president in 1987, I talked with a good friend who recently had been released as a stake president. During our conversation I asked him what he would teach me about becoming an effective stake president. His answer to my question had a profound impact upon my subsequent service and ministry.
My friend indicated he had been called to serve as a temple worker soon after his release. He then said: “I wish I had been a temple worker before I was a stake president. If I had served in the temple before my call to serve as a stake president, I would have been a very different stake president.”
I was intrigued by his answer and asked him to explain further. He responded: “I believe I was a good stake president. The programs in our stake ran well, and our statistics were above average. But serving in the temple has expanded my vision. If I were called today to serve as a stake president, my primary focus would be on worthiness to receive and honor temple covenants. I would strive to make temple preparation the center of all that we did. I would do a better job of shepherding the Saints to the house of the Lord.”
That brief conversation with my friend helped me as a stake president to teach relentlessly about and testify of the eternal importance of temple ordinances, temple covenants, and temple worship. The deepest desire of our presidency was for every member of the stake to receive the blessings of the temple, to be worthy of and to use frequently a temple recommend.



For many years Sister Bednar and I hosted faithful men and women as devotional speakers at Brigham Young University–Idaho. Many of these speakers were emeritus or released members of the Seventy who had served as temple presidents following their service as General Authorities. As we talked with these stalwart leaders, I always asked this question: “What have you learned as a temple president that you wish you had better understood when you were a General Authority?”
As I listened to their answers, I discovered a consistent theme that I would summarize as follows: “I have come to understand better the protection available through our temple covenants and what it means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.”

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D&C 43

  34 Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the ^aSavior of the world. ^bTreasure these things up in your hearts, and let the ^csolemnities of ^deternity ^erest upon your ^fminds.

Lesson 26: King Solomon: Man of Wisdom, Man of Foolishness

“Lesson 26: King Solomon: Man of Wisdom, Man of Foolishness,” Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 123

1 Kings 3; 5–11

Purpose

To encourage class members to use their blessings wisely and to enter the temple worthily.

Preparation

• 1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • a. 1 Kings 3:5–28. Solomon succeeds his father, David, as king, and follows the Lord. The Lord appears to Solomon, who asks to be blessed with an understanding heart (3:5–9). The Lord blesses Solomon with wisdom, riches, and honor (3:10–15). Two women take a child to Solomon, who wisely determines which woman is the mother of the child (3:16–28).
    
  • b. 1 Kings 5–6; 7:1–12. King Solomon directs the construction of a great temple (5–6). He has a palace built for himself (1 Kings 7:1–12).
    
  • c. 1 Kings 8:22–66; 9:1–9. Solomon dedicates the temple and asks the Lord to bless the Israelites with spiritual and temporal prosperity (8:22–53). The people worship for 14 days (8:54–66). The Lord again appears to Solomon, promising to bless the Israelites if they serve him but to curse them if they turn to other gods (9:1–9).
    
  • d. 1 Kings 10–11. Solomon’s fame grows because of his wealth and wisdom (10:1–13, 24–25). He becomes excessively wealthy (10:14–23, 26). He marries many non-Israelite women who persuade him to worship false gods (11:1–10). The Lord stirs up adversaries against Solomon (11:11–25). A prophet foretells that the kingdom of Israel will be divided because of Solomon’s wickedness (11:26–40).
    
• 2. Additional reading: 1 Kings 2:1–12; 4:29–34; 7:13–51; 1 Chronicles 29; Doctrine and Covenants 46.
  
• 3. If the picture Temple Used Anciently is available, you may want to use it during the lesson (62300; Gospel Art Picture Kit 118).
  

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.
Read or have a class member read the following statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks:
“We generally think of Satan attacking us at our weakest spot. … But weakness is not our only vulnerability. Satan can also attack us where we think we are strong—in the very areas where we are proud of our strengths. He will approach us through the greatest talents and spiritual gifts we possess. If we are not wary, Satan can cause our spiritual downfall by corrupting us through our strengths as well as by exploiting our weaknesses” (“Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct. 1994, 12).

• • What are some strengths that could become our downfall?
  

Explain that this lesson is about King Solomon, a man who received great gifts from God but eventually used those gifts unrighteously. Suggest that class members look for incidents that show the gradual decline of Solomon. Emphasize that we should look for his flaws not to judge him, but to learn from his mistakes.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.
Just before David died, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon as the new king. Solomon, who was a son of David and Bathsheba, received the following counsel from his father: “Be thou strong … , and shew thyself a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, … that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest” (1 Kings 2:2–3).

1. The Lord blesses Solomon with wisdom, riches, and honor.

Teach and discuss 1 Kings 3:5–28.

• • Soon after Solomon became king, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (1 Kings 3:5). What did Solomon ask for? (See 1 Kings 3:9.) What does it mean to have an “understanding heart”? (See 1 Kings 3:28; 4:29.) Why did Solomon feel a special need for that blessing? (See 1 Kings 3:7–8.) How would having “the wisdom of God” help us with our responsibilities at home? at work? at school? in the Church? How can we receive this wisdom?
  
• • Why was the Lord pleased with Solomon’s request for an understanding heart? (See 1 Kings 3:11–12. Solomon asked for a gift that would help him serve others rather than a gift with selfish purposes.) What are some spiritual gifts we may seek? (See D&C 46:13–26.) On what conditions does the Lord give gifts of the Spirit? (See 1 Kings 3:14; D&C 46:8–12.) How can we use these gifts to serve others?
  
• • What additional blessings did the Lord grant Solomon? (See 1 Kings 3:13–14.) How might these blessings be used to serve others?
  
• • What was the first situation requiring King Solomon’s judgment? (See 1 Kings 3:16–22.) How did Solomon solve the problem? (See 1 Kings 3:23–28.) How did Solomon’s solution show that the Lord had blessed him with wisdom?
  

2. King Solomon directs the construction of a great temple and has a palace built for himself.

Teach and discuss 1 Kings 5–6; 7:1–12.

• • As commanded by the Lord, Solomon directed that a temple be constructed. (You may want to briefly review 1 Kings 5:1–6, 17–18; 6:15–36 to emphasize the elaborate nature of the temple.) Why do you think Solomon used such fine material to build the temple?
  
• • How did the builders show reverence for the temple during its construction? (See 1 Kings 6:7.)
  
• • How did Solomon use his wisdom, riches, and honor to ensure proper construction of the temple? (See 1 Kings 5:1–12. Because of these blessings he was able to obtain building materials and enlist the help of skillful laborers in the construction of the temple.)
  
• • What promise did the Lord give Solomon regarding the temple? (See 1 Kings 6:11–13.) What similar promise has the Lord given us today? (See D&C 97:15–17.)
  
• • Solomon also had a house built for himself. How did the size of his house compare to the size of the house of the Lord? (See 1 Kings 6:2–3; 7:2, 6–7.) How does this use of riches show Solomon’s gradual decline?
  

3. Solomon dedicates the temple.

Teach and discuss 1 Kings 8:22–66; 9:1–9.

• • After seven years of construction, the temple was dedicated. What are some of the things Solomon prayed for in the dedicatory prayer? (See 1 Kings 8:22–53.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • You may want to list class members’ answers on the chalkboard. Answers may include the following:
    
  • a. Answers to prayers (1 Kings 8:28–30, 49–52)
    
  • b. Forgiveness (1 Kings 8:33–39)
    
  • c. Rain (1 Kings 8:35–36)
    
  • d. Help during famine and sickness (1 Kings 8:37)
    
  • e. Help in battle (1 Kings 8:44–45)
    
• • In his dedicatory prayer Solomon prayed for the Lord to help his people through many difficult problems. How can temple attendance help us when we are weighed down with problems?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • President Ezra Taft Benson said: “In the peace of these lovely temples, sometimes we find solutions to the serious problems of life. Under the influence of the Spirit, sometimes pure knowledge flows to us there. Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways” (“What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple,” Ensign, Aug. 1985, 8).
    
• • Solomon prayed that the temple would help lead unbelievers to the Lord (1 Kings 8:41–43). How might a temple do this? (Invite class members to share examples of how they or others have become interested in the Church because of their interest in temples.)
  
• • After Solomon offered the dedicatory prayer, he counseled his people, “Let your heart … be perfect with the Lord our God” (1 Kings 8:61). What do you think it means to have a heart that is “perfect with the Lord”? How can temple attendance help us perfect our hearts?
  
• • What can we do to keep the influence of the temple strong in our lives? (Answers may include: Attend frequently where possible, keep a current recommend, and display pictures of temples in our homes.)
  
• • What did the people do after the temple was dedicated? (See 1 Kings 8:62–66.) What was the attitude of the people as they returned to their homes after the temple dedication and the 14 days of worship? (See 1 Kings 8:66.) How do you feel when you return home from the temple?
  
• • What was the Lord’s message when he visited Solomon after the dedication of the temple? (See 1 Kings 9:3–9. See also 1 Kings 6:11–13. Note that the Lord made a similar statement during the construction of the temple.) Why do you think Solomon needed to be reminded of his covenants? How does the Lord remind us of our covenants?
  

4. Solomon becomes excessively wealthy and marries many non-Israelite women who persuade him to worship idols. 

Jacob 2:  13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they. 

14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.

Teach and discuss 1 Kings 10–11.

• • How did Solomon’s riches and honor increase after the temple was built? (See 1 Kings 10:1–15, 24–25.) How did Solomon misuse these blessings? (See 1 Kings 10:16–23, 26–29. Point out that he used them to build up his own kingdom rather than God’s kingdom.) How should wisdom, riches, and honor be used? (See Jacob 2:18–19.)
  
• • How did Solomon’s choice of wives show that he had turned away from God? (See 1 Kings 11:1–2. He married out of the covenant.) What did Solomon’s non-Israelite wives influence him to do? (See 1 Kings 11:3–8. Note that in the Joseph Smith Translation, verse 4 says that Solomon’s heart “became as the heart of David his father” and verse 6 says that “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, as David his father.”)
  
• • What did the Lord do when Solomon broke his covenants and turned away? (See 1 Kings 11:9–14, 23–25, 33–36.)
  
• • How do you think the blessings of wisdom, riches, and honor contributed to Solomon’s downfall? How have you seen these strengths contribute to the downfall of people today? How can we ensure that our strengths do not become a downfall for us? (See 1 Kings 8:61; D&C 88:67.)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Elder Dallin H. Oaks said:
    
  • “How … do we prevent our strengths from becoming our downfall? The quality we must cultivate is humility. Humility is the great protector. Humility is the antidote against pride. Humility is the catalyst for all learning, especially spiritual things. Through the prophet Moroni, the Lord gave us this great insight into the role of humility: ‘I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them’ (Ether 12:27).
    
  • “We might also say that if men and women humble themselves before God, he will help them prevent their strengths from becoming weaknesses that the adversary can exploit to destroy them. …
    
  • “… If we are humble and teachable, hearkening to the commandments of God, the counsel of his leaders, and the promptings of his Spirit, we can be guided in how to use our spiritual gifts, our accomplishments, and all of our other strengths for righteousness. And we can be guided in how to avoid Satan’s efforts to use our strengths to cause our downfall.
    
  • “In all of this, we should remember and rely on the Lord’s direction and promise: ‘Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers’ (D&C 112:10)” (“Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct. 1994, 19).
    

Conclusion

Express your gratitude for the spiritual and material blessings the Lord has given you and for the temple. Encourage class members to humble themselves before the Lord so they can use their blessings wisely and enter the temple worthily.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. “That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren” (Deuteronomy 17:20)

• • Have a class member read aloud Deuteronomy 17:14–20. How would application of this scripture have changed Solomon’s life and the lives of the people in his kingdom?
  

2. Dedicatory prayers for temples

If any class members have attended a temple dedication, ask one or two of them to tell about their experience. You may want to ask a class member to prepare to share two or three insights from the dedicatory prayer of a latter-day temple. (Doctrine and Covenants 109 contains the prayer offered at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. Dedicatory prayers of newly dedicated temples are sometimes printed in the Ensign.)

• • How should dedicatory prayers influence our personal lives?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “When we dedicate a house to the Lord, what we really do is dedicate ourselves to the Lord’s service, with a covenant that we shall use the house in the way He intends that it shall be used” (Church News, 22 Jan. 1972, 3). 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  GIORDANO, Luca
  (b. 1632, Napoli, d. 1705, Napoli)

  Dream of Solomon

  c. 1693
  Oil on canvas, 245 x 361 cm
  Museo del Prado, Madrid
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  King Solomon and the Brazen Sea
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  J. James Tissot
  Solomon Dedicates the Temple at Jerusalem

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba by Peter Paul Rubens  1620
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/06/ot-gospel-doctrine-lesson-26-king.html
  
  http://www.heavenlyascents.com/2010/06/21/temple-of-solomon-videos/
  
  Legends of  questions asked by the Queen of Sheba and how Solomon answered them:
  
  
  Balkis: "What is evil?"
  
  
  Solomon: "The eyes of the Lord in every place monitor good and evil, and in them is the definition."
  
  
  Balkis: "Are the eyes or the ears superior?"
  
  
  Solomon: "The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made both. Degrees of deafness and blindness, these are man’s province, and measurable."
  
  
  Balkis: "What is the most powerful organ of the body, Solomon?"
  
  
  Solomon: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue."
  
  
  Balkis: "How are body and spirit connected?"
  
  
  Solomon: "The baseness of spirits is derived from their bodies. The nobility of bodies is derived from their spirits."
  
  
  Balkis: "What is it? An enclosure with ten doors; when one is open, nine are shut, and when nine are open, one is shut?"
  
  
  Solomon: "The enclosure is the womb, and the ten doors are the ten orifices of man, namely his eyes, his ears, his nostrils, his mouth, the apertures for discharge of excreta and urine, and the navel. When the child is still in its mother’s womb, the navel is open, but all the other apertures are shut, but when the child issues from the womb the navel is closed and the other orifices are open."
  
  
  Balkis: "Seven leave and nine enter; two pour out the draught and only one drinks."
  
  
  How did Solomon respond? "Seven are the days of woman’s menstruation, nine the months of her pregnancy; her two breasts nourish the child, and one drinks."
  
  
  Other riddles concerned with common objects and materials. At one point, Sheba asked, "What when alive does not move, yet when its head cut off, moves?"
  
  
  Solomon’s answer: "The timber used to build a ship." Another riddle she proposed was: "It is many- headed. In a storm at sea it goes above us all, it raises a loud and bitter wailing and moaning; it bends its head like a reed, is the glory of the rich and the shame of the poor, it honors the dead and dishonors the living; it is a delight to the birds, but a sorrow to the fishes. What is it?"
  
  
  Solomon replied, "Flax, for it makes sails for ships that moan in the storm. It provides fine linen for the rich and rags for the poor, a burial shroud for the dead, and a rope for hanging the living. As seed it nourishes the birds, and as a net it traps the fish."
  
  
  Some of Sheba’s questions were related to the Hebrew Bible. For example, "The dead lived, the grave moved, and the dead prayed. What is it?" The answer: "The dead that lived and prayed was Jonah; the fish, the moving grave." In one theological riddle, she asked: "What is the ugliest thing in the world, and what is the most beautiful? What is the most certain, and what is the most uncertain?"
  
  
  Solomon replied, "The ugliest thing...is the faithful turning unfaithful; the most beautiful is the repentant sinner. The most certain is death; the most uncertain, one’s share in the World to Come."
  
  
  Solomon is said to have collected over 3,000 proverbs or folk sayings filled with practical advice from around the Near Eastern world. The proverbs dealt with a variety of subjects. The book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible are thought to have originated from Solomon, as are the Song of Solomon and even the book of Ecclesiastes is attributed to some as Solomon’s wisdom in his declining years. In addition to riddles which required a verbal answer, Sheba tested Solomon’s ingenuity in action. Dressing five boys and girls identically, she asked him to detect their sex. When he handed them bowls of water for them to wash their hands, the girls, unlike the boys, rolled up their sleeves. Sheba also brought Solomon two flowers alike in appearance, but one was real while the other was artificial; he distinguished them by noting how bees swarmed to the flower with the genuine fragrance. Then, giving him a large emerald with a curved hole in the middle, she asked him to draw a thread through it; he sent for a silkworm, which crawled through the hole drawing with it a silken thread. The Midrash Hachefez reports still another test of Solomon’s cleverness. Sheba presented Solomon with the sawn trunk of a cedar tree, the ends cut off so that they looked the same; she asked Solomon which end had been the root, and which the branches. Solomon ordered the tree stump to be placed in water. When one end sank while the other floated, he said to her, "The part which sank was the root, and that which floated on the surface was the end containing the branches." According to the Kebra Negast, the questions and tests were mutual; Solomon also challenged Sheba. Sadly, existing legends describe only a few of the artful strategies he used to outwit her.
   from http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/gmd1999/sheba.html
  
  
  
  
  
  
  http://scriptures.lds.org/en/biblephotos/9
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.lds.org/hf/art/0,16812,4218-1-1,00.html
  
  
  
  
  D&C 46
  
  

  Listen    Print < Previous  Next > THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS SECTION 46 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 8, 1831. HC 1: 163–165. In this early time of the Church, there had not yet developed a unified pattern for the conducting of Church services. However, a custom of admitting only members and earnest investigators to the sacrament meetings and other assemblies of the Church had become somewhat general. This revelation expresses the will of the Lord relative to governing and conducting meetings. 1–2, Elders are to conduct meetings as guided by the Holy Spirit; 3–6, Truth seekers should not be excluded from sacramental services; 7–12, Ask of God and seek the gifts of the Spirit; 13–26, An enumeration of some of these gifts; 27–33, Church leaders are given power to discern the gifts of the Spirit.   1 Hearken, O ye people of my church; for verily I say unto you that these things were spoken unto you for your aprofit and learning.   2 But notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the aelders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to bconduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit.   3 Nevertheless ye are commanded never to acast any one out from your public bmeetings, which are held before the world.   4 Ye are also commanded not to cast any one who belongeth to the church out of your sacrament meetings; nevertheless, if any have trespassed, let him anot bpartake until he makes reconciliation.   5 And again I say unto you, ye shall not cast any out of your sacrament meetings who are earnestly aseeking the kingdom—I speak this concerning those who are not of the church.   6 And again I say unto you, concerning your aconfirmation meetings, that if there be any that are not of the church, that are earnestly seeking after the kingdom, ye shall not cast them out.   7 But ye are commanded in all things to aask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all bholiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, cconsidering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and dthanksgiving, that ye may not be eseduced by evil fspirits, or doctrines of devils, or the gcommandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.   8 Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived aseek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;   9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a asign that they may bconsume it upon their lusts.   10 And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your aminds what those bgifts are, that are given unto the church.   11 For all have not every agift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.   12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.   13 To some it is given by the aHoly Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.   14 To others it is given to abelieve on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.   15 And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the adifferences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his bmercies according to the conditions of the children of men.   16 And again, it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the aSpirit may be given to every man to profit withal.   17 And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of awisdom.   18 To another is given the word of aknowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge.   19 And again, to some it is given to have afaith to be healed;   20 And to others it is given to have faith to aheal.   21 And again, to some is given the working of amiracles;   22 And to others it is given to aprophesy;   23 And to others the adiscerning of spirits.   24 And again, it is given to some to speak with atongues;   25 And to another is given the interpretation of tongues.   26 And all these agifts come from God, for the benefit of the bchildren of God.   27 And unto the abishop of the church, and unto such as God shall appoint and ordain to watch over the church and to be elders unto the church, are to have it given unto them to bdiscern all those gifts lest there shall be any among you professing and yet be not of God.   28 And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in aSpirit shall receive in Spirit;   29 That unto some it may be given to have all those gifts, that there may be a head, in order that every member may be profited thereby.   30 He that aasketh in the bSpirit asketh according to the cwill of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.   31 And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit;   32 And ye must give athanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with.   33 And ye must practise avirtue and holiness before me continually. Even so. Amen.

  
  Jacob 6: 11 O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life.
  
  
  
   12 O be wise; what can I say more?