The Summary of Hiram’s Work
First Kings 7:40-47 and Second Chronicles 4:11-18
The summary of Hiram’s work DIG: What were the smaller items used for? Who was Hiram compared to during the days of constructing the Tabernacle? Why weren’t they weighed?
REFLECT: What is your spiritual giftedness and how are you using it? In what ways are you presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God in spiritual worship?
We too should give our first and our best to God.
Hiram made the ash pots, shovels and sprinkling basins. With that, Hiram completed all the work he had done for King Solomon in the house of God – the two columns, the two tops of the columns, the two nettings covering the tops of the columns, and the 400 pomegranates for the two nettings, two rows of pomegranates for each netting, to cover the caps of the columns. He also made ten mobile bronze wash-carts, the ten basins for them, the one Bronze Sea, the twelve oxen under it, the ash pots and the shovels for removing the ashes from the bronze altar (see the commentary on Leviticus, to see link click Ao – The ‘Olah Offering), the forks, the sprinkling basins, probably for the catching of the blood. All these articles that Hiram the master craftsman made for King Solomon in the house of ADONAI were of burnished bronze (First Kings 7:40-45).
The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan River in the clay ground between Sukkot and Zarethan about 35 miles north of the Dead Sea and on the east side of the Jordan. His craftsmanship took planning and skill and required him to know how to transport his molds and finished products from the plain of the Jordan back to Jerusalem. Surely this man on loan from Tyre deserves to be remembered with Oholiab and Bezalel (Exodus Ew – The Appointment of Bezalel and Ohaliab) as one whose wisdom was revealed through the artwork and practical items he created.146
The clay was used to make the molds into which the bronze was cast. Thus, the furniture for Solomon’s Temple was made much the same way that man himself was created: out of the ground. Given the large number of sacred articles that Solomon used to furnish his Temple, perhaps it is not surprising that they were never weighed because there were so many of them; thus, the total weight of the bronze could not be determined (First Kings 7:46-47; Second Chronicles 4:11-18).
The sacred furniture in Solomon’s Temple were part of the sacrificial system in the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah). We too are called to a life of sacrifice – not of our animals or our grain, but of our very selves. Yeshua Messiah has offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. In joyful response, we now offer everything we are and have back to Him. Somewhere in the sacred interior of our souls, we tell our Savior that we are totally available for His service, in whatever way our lives can be used for his glory: giving, praying, singing, teaching, organizing, discipling, or simply showing up and caring for people in need. By the mercy of ADONAI, we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). Nothing we could offer could ever be good enough for God, and Solomon was wise to give in proportion to the relative worth of the Recipient of his gifts. We too should give our first and our best to God.147
Dear Heavenly Father, What a wise and loving Father You are! For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Psalms 57:10). What a joy it is to abide in You by listening, and following You so that I might please You and bear much fruit! I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5).
You are worthy of all my time, thoughts and love. In heaven, earthly trials will be forgotten. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). We will be so glad when we say no to personal pleasures for the joy of spending our time and our money on pleasing You! You are so glorious and wonderful to live for! In Your holy Son’s name and power or resurrection. Amen
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