Faithfulness Not Fame - 2 Chronicles 1-5

2 Chronicles 4:11 (ESV)

Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God:

Hiram is not a household name.   Solomon is.   David, Solomon’s father is.   But Hiram is not.   Here is what we learn about him from two other passages:

2 Chronicles 2:3 (ESV)

And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.

1 Kings 7:13-14 (ESV)

And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

Hiram was a skilled craftsman.   It would be imagined that outside of building this Temple (and, perhaps later, Solomon’s own house), Hiram had a little business on the side.   He was probably sought out by many to do his craft here and there.   When we see a great home built we seldom ask about the builder.   We almost ask, “Who lives there?”  Or, “I wonder what that costs to build?”    We seldom think of the craftsman.   When the Tabernacle was built in the wilderness Moses had these two craftsmen:

Exodus 31:1-6 (ESV)

The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

God was able to use these craftsmen to accomplish these great construction projects to honor Himself.   Moses and Solomon will get the fame, but they are not the ones who actually did the work.   A favorite verse of mine is found as Paul closes his letter to the church at Ephesus:   

Ephesians 6:21 (ESV)

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.

Tychicus is not a household name.   Yet, he ministered with Paul and was a faithful minister.   Our goal in life is not fame, but rather faithfulness to the call God gives us.