1 Kings 7:13-22 – Only the best for God

First Kings 7:13-51 return to talk about how the temple was furnished. He engaged Hiram, whose name reminds us of King Hiram mentioned earlier, to help furnish the temple. He was a man of mixed descent and the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a man from Tyre. And he was skillful, wise with a unique ability with bronze work. He also reminds us of Bezalel and Oholiah introduced in Exodus 31, whom Moses engaged to do the furnishing of the Tabernacle. The choice of using Hiram tells us that the best and appropriate person must be secured to do the work of God. Like him, each of us is endowed with different talents, skills, and gifts. We must always deploy the man for the work that is commensurate with his ability. Do not try to fit a square peg into a round hole so to speak or try to get someone to broom where he is not gifted.  

Verses 15-22, describe the two elaborate bronze pillars at the front porch of the temple, each about 30 feet in height. Simply put, on top of each pillar was a bowl-shaped capital much like a bud of a lily fixed to the pillar by seven interwoven networks of chains. Each capital on top of the pillars was also decorated with bronze-shaped pomegranates. The pillars were even named. One was called Jachin meaning “He establishes”, and the other Boaz, meaning “strength.” The pillars speak of the stability and security of Israel because it was God who had established and granted strength to the nation.

Lessons: Only the very best talent for God. We must give God the best and not the leftovers. The best talent and the wisest must be deployed for the advancement of God’s work. Like the way the building of the pillars were so intricately made solid, Christians must stand solidly for the Lord, fully adorned with characters that reflect the glory of the Lord.