Hiram’s father was a Tyrian, a man of Tyre (1 Kings 7:14). According to Ezekiel 28, Tyre was a place filled with commerce (Ezek. 28:16). Tyre was a commercial center, a place of international trade, like today’s Hong Kong. Because Tyre was filled with merchandise, she was one with Satan (v. 12). Ezekiel 28 reveals that the king of Tyre was one with Satan and even the very embodiment of Satan. Where commerce is, there Satan is also, for Satan is in commerce. If you would see Satan today, go to the commercial city of Hong Kong.
The marriage of Hiram’s parents was against God’s holy regulation (Deut. 7:3). A woman of the tribe of the serpent married a man from the country of Satan. What a combination! This woman of the tribe of the serpent married a man from the country of Tyre because of riches, commerce.
Not only in Hiram’s day but today also you need skill to make money. For this reason there are many technical colleges in the United States. These technical schools teach skills, techniques, and trades that enable people to earn money. The only goal of colleges and universities is to train people to be moneymakers.
I would encourage you all to learn how to make money. I have encouraged my grandchildren to study medicine. Although some saints have tried to discourage them from studying medicine, telling them that they only need to read the Bible and love the Lord, I have said, “Don’t listen to this talk. Those who say this don’t know life. You must listen to your grandfather. He knows life better than you all. Go to study medicine.” One of my grandsons took my word and earned all A’s in his first year of pre-medical studies. Do not think that this is a kind of love for the world. As you shall see, I have a definite purpose in doing this. Hiram became the builder of the pillars. But if his father had not been a Tyrian, he would not have had the skill to fashion the pillars. We all were born of a “Danite” mother and we all need a “Tyrian” father. The more of a “Tyrian” our father is, the better. If you think that I am too extreme in saying this, I would ask you to read this message to the end.
According to the Hebrew text of 1 Kings 7:14, we are also told that Hiram was of the tribe of Naphtali. Although his mother was a Danite and his father a Tyrian, Hiram eventually became one belonging to the tribe of Naphtali.
In Genesis 49:21 Jacob said, “Naphtali is a hind let loose; / He gives beautiful words.” Here Jacob spoke of Naphtali with high favor. A hind does not seem to be related to beautiful words. But we must not understand the Bible according to our natural mind; we must understand the Bible according to the Bible.
A hind signifies a person who trusts in God in a desperate situation. Habakkuk 3:17 and 18 say, “For the fig tree will not sprout, / And there will be no yield on the vines; / The labor on the olive tree will fail, / And the fields will make no food; / The flock will be cut off from the fold, / And there will be no herd in the stalls. / Yet I will exult in Jehovah; / I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Those who trust in God and rejoice in God in the midst of a desperate situation, a situation in which every source of supply is cut off, are hinds.
Habakkuk 3:19 says, “Jehovah the Lord is my strength; / And he makes my feet like hinds’ feet / And will cause me to walk on my high places.” Those who trust in God walk, not in the valleys but upon the tops of the mountains. If you do not know how to exercise faith in God when you are in a desperate situation, at that time you will creep in the valleys. You will never walk and skip upon the mountains. Only those who trust in God when they are in a desperate situation can leap upon the mountaintops. People may say, “Look! The fig tree does not blossom, the vine does not bear fruit, the olive labors in vain, the fields yield no food, the flocks are cut off in the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls. Oh, the situation is desperate, and we are finished!” When you hear this, you should say, “Praise the Lord! Now is the time for me to trust in Him.” If you are like this, you will not be discouraged. Rather, you will leap and skip like a hind upon the mountaintops.
The hind is also mentioned in the title of Psalm 22, which says, “According to the hind of the dawn.” This psalm is about Christ in resurrection through crucifixion. The first verse was uttered by the Lord Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” However, verse 22 says, “I will declare Your name to my brothers; / In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.” This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2:12, which relates the resurrected Christ to the church. Hence, Psalm 22, sung to the tune of the hind of the dawn, is on Christ in resurrection for the church. In the Old Testament the hind refers not only to a person who trusts in God and walks upon the mountaintops, but also to one who lives in resurrection for God’s assembly, for the church life.
Are you a “hind,” or are you a “turtle”? I never saw a turtle skipping upon the mountaintops. Turtles are found in low places near water. Those who trust in God are not “turtles” but “hinds.” They are in resurrection for God’s assembly, the church. Only by regeneration and transformation can we be this kind of person. Naphtali is the tribe of the hind, and a hind signifies a regenerated and transformed person, a person who trusts in God, walks on the mountaintops, and lives in resurrection for the church life. How wonderful!
Naphtali also gives beautiful words. Naphtali was in the land of Galilee (Matt. 4:15). All the first group of apostles came from Galilee, and in Acts 1:11 they were addressed as “Men of Galilee.” Out from these Galileans, people of Naphtali, came beautiful words, that is, the preaching of the gospel. In the New Testament we see that the word which came out of these Galileans was the word of life (Acts 5:20), the word of grace (14:3), the word of salvation (13:26), the word of wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8), the word of knowledge (v. 8), and the word of building (Acts 20:32).