1 Kings 7:13

He was a skilled worker from Tyre, filled with wisdom and understanding. He was sent to make things for the temple. His father was a man of Tyre. In 2 Chronicles 2:14 he is called "the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan." But 1 Kings 7:14 reads "a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali," which may mean that her husband was a man of Naphtali. He is called Huram in 2 Chronicles 2:13.

In the wilderness the Lord had chosen Bezalel of Judah and Oholiab of Dan for the work of the tabernacle (Exodus 35:30-35). Then the work of the tabernacle had fallen to the children of Israel alone. The people, entirely separated from the nations, could have no work in common with them. The scene changes under Solomon: the reconciled nations now serve God together with His own people. The Lord's Anointed has dominion over them both. Hiram belonged to both by birth. His parentage came from the joining of Israel with the Gentiles — a remarkable fact that fits the scene before us exactly.

Looking on to the temple, only one man is named as working — Hiram. His mother was Jewish and his father was a Gentile. He is surely a picture of the world to come: "And those who are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD" (Zechariah 6:15). Looking on further to the temple described for us in Ezekiel, not one person is mentioned as building there. Looking on further to the New Testament, where the spiritual house is brought into being, three Builders are named: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord had prepared a suitable overseer for the work Solomon required. King Solomon sent and brought this man, Huram, from Tyre. His name was the same as the king of Tyre. In 2 Chronicles 2:13-14 much more is said about him. There he is "skilled to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple and blue, fine linen and crimson, and to make any engraving and to accomplish any plan that may be given him."

By divine righteousness we are able to stand before Him. We have it in Christ in heaven. Brass is the symbol of the righteousness of God, showing on earth what He is for sinful man. The furniture of the temple was made of gold. The furniture of the court was brass, and it had been cast in the earth. Hiram worked in brass only.

We sometimes hear of a man who is "a jack of all trades, master of none," but here was a man who was a master of all trades. Certainly there would be nobody else who could approach his capabilities. God had specially prepared him for the purpose of building the temple. We surely see in him a picture of the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit is perfectly skilled in every detail of the work of building God's house.

The work of Hiram ends here. It was, in type, the Holy Spirit's power unfolding in this world what Christ is and what God Himself is in His government.