Verses 1-6, “Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always loved David. Then Solomon sent to Hiram, saying: You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the Lord put his foes under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence. And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to my father David, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name.' Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians.”
David had an alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, and therefore Solomon wrote to him asking for his cooperation and assistance with building a temple for the Lord. Even though Hiram was a gentile, David told him of spiritual things, and he would now be used for God's purpose. During this time of peace, Solomon would be able to do what David could not. But the Lord had the power to put David's enemies under the soles of his feet. Therefore we know He will fulfill His promise regarding Jesus. Hebrews 10:12-13, “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.”
Verses 7-11, “So it was, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people! Then Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; I will float them in rafts by sea to the place you indicate to me, and will have them broken apart there; then you can take them away. And you shall fulfill my desire by giving food for my household. Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and cypress logs according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of pressed oil. Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.”
Tyre and Sidon were coastal cities in the region of Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, the plan was to float cedar and cypress logs from Lebanon down to Israel. Cedar trees were known for being among the best material to build with, and Sidonians were known for their skill in harvesting the wood. Clearly God gave Solomon favor with Hiram, and he agreed to do all that was asked. Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.”
Verses 12-18, “So the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together. Then King Solomon raised up a labor force out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the labor force. Solomon had seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains, besides three thousand three hundred from the chiefs of Solomon’s deputies, who supervised the people who labored in the work. And the king commanded them to quarry large stones, costly stones, and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the temple. So Solomon’s builders, Hiram’s builders, and the Gebalites quarried them; and they prepared timber and stones to build the temple.”
The massive operation to build a temple for the Lord was nothing short of miraculous. Considering the number of workers from three different nations, the amount of materials required, and the seven year process to build the temple, it would not have been accomplished by mere chance. Solomon, using his God-given wisdom, orchestrated the entire project including the men and the materials, showing us that nothing is impossible with God. Matthew 19:26, “...With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
In this chapter, Hiram, the king of Tyre, was an adversary of David. He was a gentile, but David was friendly towards him, and now, Hiram wanted to be friendly towards Solomon. When he sent his servants, Solomon asked that timber be cut and given for the temple to be built. David couldn't build a temple because he was fighting battles constantly, but Solomon had rest on every side. He was called by God to build this temple.
ReplyDeleteHiram didn't have to agree to Solomons commands, and this didn't have to go as smoothly as it did. God had His hand upon it, and was blessing the situation. This wasn't an easy task, and required wisdom on Solomons's part. God had prepared him for this task, and was going to use him mightily.
God will often prepare our hearts to do something for Him. If we have been called by God, we know that He will open doors and orchestrate everything if it is His will. He will make a situation that looks difficult, easy, because He miraculously opened the door.