A Godly Servant

Over time, in scripture, God has only called a few people his servants. What a wonderful distinction to be seen by God as one whom he can depend on to carry out his will, and to be so close so as to be at his beckon call whenever needed. As followers of Christ all are called to serve God. Perhaps, we should look more closely to find what is needed to be counted on God’s servant list. We should all desire to be counted in the number of those who please their master, The Lord High God.

Gen 26:24 And Jehovah appeared to him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not fear, for I am with you, and will bless you and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham’s sake. Abraham obeyed God even when it ment almost killing his son, whom he loved dearly. He did not question God’s motive, but obeyed as a servant obeys his master.

Num 12:7 Not so, My servant Moses. He is faithful in all My house. Moses trusted that God would support him in what God asked him to do. He did not look at his inabilities, but rather believed that God would not send him to accomplish a miracle alone.

Num 14:24 But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land into which he went. And his seed shall possess it. Caleb & Joshua believed, against normal odds, that the new promised land could be taken with God’s help. The Holy Spirit was influencing them to believe God instead of what they saw.

1Sa 27:12 And Achish believed David, saying, He has made himself to be hated among his people Israel, and has become my servant forever. David was hated by his solders when he gave honor to Achish. He gave spoils of war to Achish, king of Gath. In so doing, he endeared himself to Achish who then considered him a servant that he could trust. In like manner, David always gave honor to God for all that God accomplished through him. He also repented before God when confronted by his sins.

David refused to go against Saul, whom God had anointed king over Israel. He honored God and God’s will in his life above his own feelings or the advice of others.
1Sa 26:11 far be it from me by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against Jehovah’s anointed. And now, please take the spear at his head and the cruse of water, and we will go.

David placed high value in obedience to God’s laws. He went against his earthly nature of giving into self desires with the exception of the lust he had for Bathsheba. We are told to run from that in our lives because it is difficult to fight against. However, when the sin was exposed, David readily repented and asked for God’s grace.

1Ki 11:34 But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes.

David loved God and His laws and never tried to hid his feelings before the people. He danced and worshiped God openly.
1Ki 14:7 Go tell Jeroboam, So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I lifted you up from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, 1Ki 14:8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. And you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments, and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes. 2Sa 6:14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might. And David was girded with a linen ephod.

David saw himself as a holy servant to God. He completely trusted in God’s love for him and knew that God would save his pure soul. He knew God wanted him to be at peace. David trusted in God’s power over satan’s lies. David knew that the world could not change his relationship with God.
Psa 35:27 Let those who delight in my justification shout and rejoice; and they shall say without ceasing, The Lord be magnified, delighting in the peace of His servant.
Psa 86:2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.

Eze 34:23 And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, My servant David. He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd.

When king Hezekiah earnestly prayed to God for healing, God healed him. God also saved the city from destruction for his own interests and to remember David’s faithfulness.
2Ki 20:6 And I will add fifteen years to your days. And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria. And I will defend this city for My own sake, and for My servant David’s sake.

Job also respected and feared God and chose God’s will over evil. In return, God also respected him. Job never blamed God for his troubles, but submitted to God’s will in his life. Note that God considered him perfect in that he feared (respected) God and rejected evil.
Job 1:8 And Jehovah said to Satan, Have you set your heart against My servant Job, because there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?

God did not appreciate Job’s friends for giving bad advice to Job. They did not seek God before incorrectly blaming Job’s troubles on his sins. God desires all to seek him and be cautious to hear from God before speaking untruths. Job was not guilty of a wayward tongue and God knew this.
Job 42:7 And it happened after Jehovah had spoken these words to Job, Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

Isaiah, as a prophet, must have continually communed with God and was obedient to speak God’s truths. In return, God showed him guiding words for Israel and the future including such things as the coming of the messiah and the end of times before Jesus reign. He was given a vision of how Israel would one day become a nation ruled by Christ. However, for that time he preached repentance without success and had to eventually announce God’s judgement and banishment for disobedient people. He is believed to have married a prophetess and lived in Jerusalem near the temple. Hebrews 11:37 alludes to his being killed by being sawn in two. The writing below shows the extent that he was willing to obey God and visibly proclaim his servanthood to God. He is called the prince of the Old Testament prophets.
Isa 20:3 And Jehovah said, Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years, a sign and wonder on Egypt and on Ethiopia;

Eliakim was a priest faithful to God and King Hezekiah. He became favored by the king and became the prefect or chief magistrate over Israel. Hezekiah was 25 when he begin to reign and was influenced to be a Godly king who tore down the false idols that the people were worshipping. When Hezekiah was 39 the king of Assyria attacked the cities of Judah. Hezekiah gave the king of Assyria all the gold in the temples and in the palace to try and prevent destruction. When the Assyrian emmasaries came demanding to see Hezekiah, Eliakim instead came out to speak for him. Later, he came to Hezekiah with torn clothes to report the meeting. Hezekiah sent him to Isaiah, the prophet, to find God’s will. Isaiah reported that God would not allow the Assyrian armies in Jerusalem (2Ki 19:31). God would defend the city (2Ki 19:34). God’s angels killed 185,000 Assyrians that night and the remnant went home. Eliakim went on to become a blessing to the people as an overseer for Hezekiah. His faithfulness resulted in his becoming God’s representative also.
Isa 22:20 And in that day it shall be, even I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah.
Isa 22:21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will fasten your girdle on him, and I will give your authority into his hand. And he shall be a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Isa 22:22 And the key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Neh 12:41 And the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, were with trumpets,
2Ki 18:18 And they called to the king. And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, went out to them.
2Ki 18:37 And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn. And they told him the words of the chief of the cupbearers.
2Ki 19:1 And it happened when King Hezekiah heard, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth. And he went into the house of Jehovah. 2Ki 19:2 And he sent Eliakim who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz.

Jacob was chosen by God because of his linage and because Jacob cared for God in spite of his actions. God had made a covenant with Abraham and Issac, Jacob’s father, and carried through with His promises to bless the family. However, Jacob was stubborn and liked doing things his way. He bought his brother’s birthright and tricked his father to obtain his blessing. Gen.27:30 Consequently, he had to flee from the local family and went to take a wife from his mother’s side of the family (Gen.28:2) as directed by his father. Ironically, Laban tricked Jacob into first marrying the wrong wife first. (Gen.29:25) Laban responded that giving the older daughter first in marriage was the proper way to follow God’s will. (Gen.29:26)
Jacob wrestled with an angel to receive his blessing. (Gen.32:26) It seems he wrestled with God all his life. Thus, it seems proper that Jacob was renamed Israel (Gen.35:10) for the nation of Israel also continually rebelled against God and had to be corrected before they could be blessed.
When Jacob’s youngest son Joseph was taken from him to Egypt, Jacob could not bless him as he would have desired, because he loved him more than his brothers. Later, when they were reunited and Joseph had two boys, Jacob stubbornly blessed the wrong son against the wishes of his own son. (Gen.48:5- 19) Consequently, the older son, Manasseh, likely turned from God when Joseph (and likely Manasseh) saw the act as evil. (Gen.48:17)
Still, Jacob did good in that he passed on his love of God to Joseph, who always chose God’s will over his own. Joseph even married the daughter of an Egyptian priest. God continued to correct and bless Jacob because He had sworn to, and because Jacob tried to honor God, even though he made mistakes. Don’t we all.
Isa 41:8 But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, My friend;
Isa 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen;
Isa 44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are My servant; I have formed you; you are My servant; O Israel, you shall not be forgotten by Me. Jer 46:27 But you do not fear, O My servant Jacob, and be not afraid, O Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar off, and your seed from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall return and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way they knew not; I will lead them in paths they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. I will do these things to them, and not forsake them.
Isa 42:19 Who is blind but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger whom I sent?
Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as Jehovah’s servant?
Isa 42:20 You see many things, but do not pay attention. Your ears are open, but not any hears.
Isa 43:10 You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me.
Isa 49:6 And He said, It is but a little thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You for a light to the nations, to be My salvation to the end of the earth.
Isa 52:13 Behold, My Servant shall rule well; He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
Isa 53:11 He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify for many; and He shall bear their iniquities.
God trains all who are his. He leads us and creates a path to Himself and righteousness. He knows that we often do not pay attention to him. We do not see as he sees and do not hear his spirit. We are desired to be blind to the words and things of the world and follow God. He is patient to love us and continue working with us until we learn to do what is right and can be blessed by Him. We are called to show God to the world, to lead them to Christ, the savior, who bore our sins before the Father.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful warring king living in what is now Iraq. He had no desire to serve Jehovah God in the beginning. In fact, many other gods were worshipped in his land. None-the-less, God gave him power and chose to use him to punish Judah after a time of their disobedience. God does use anyone or anything He chooses to accomplish His will. From the second year of his reign God began to deal with Nebuchadnezzar. He sent Daniel to interpret the king’s dream about the kingdom. This highly impressed the king who worshipped Daniel, but did not change his beliefs about God. Then when the king ordered all people to worship other gods, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused and were tested in the furnace of fire. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed by Jehovah God that he could deliver them from the flames. He gave an outward show of worshipping Jehovah, but did not change his prideful and sinful ways. Daniel 4:24-27 shows Daniel asking the king to repent and give up wealth, but he evidently refused and went through a period of insanity where he lived in the fields. Finally, sanity was restored and the king really worshipped Jehovah in his latter days. Unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, never learned the lessons his father had gone through. He plundered the temple, dishonored its contents and lived an ungodly life. God ended his reign when he was murdered.
Jer 25:9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says Jehovah, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and will bring them against this land, and against its people, and against all these nations all around. (Babylon & Chaldea as given in verse 12) And I will completely destroy them, and make them a waste, and a hissing, and everlasting ruins.
Dan 2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and worshiped Daniel, and he commanded to offer an offering and incense to him.
Dan 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Dan 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king’s words and have given their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.
Dan 3:29 And a decree is given by me, that every people, nation, and language, who speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be made into mere members, and his house shall be made an outhouse. Because there is no other God who can deliver in this way.

Dan 4:24 this is the meaning, O king, and this the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king.
Dan 4:25 They shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. And they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.
Dan 4:27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be pleasing to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, whether there will be duration to your prosperity.

Dan 4:33 The same hour the thing was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar. And he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Dan 4:34 And at the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation.
Dan 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.

Dan 5:18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.
Dan 5:22 And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this.
Dan 5:23 But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you; and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your breath and all your ways.
Dan 5:30 In that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed.

Zerubbabel was the head of the tribe of Judah at the time they returned from captivity in Babylon. He is thought of as a prince in the linage of David. He led the first colony to Jerusalem and accompanied by Jeshua, the high priest, and other priests of the tribe of Levi and Benjamin, they set about to rebuild the ancient altar, restart the daily sacrifices and rebuild the temple. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged him in this work. He was chosen by God for a specific series of tasks and faithfully followed through.
Hag 2:23 In that day, says Jehovah of Hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, says Jehovah, and will make you like a signet; for I have chosen you, says Jehovah of Hosts.

God made an offer to Joshua, the priest. If he respected God enough to follow God’s laws and directions, he would be given a place of honor as a leader and judge. Some believe “my servant the branch” in verse 9 below refers to Zerubbabel, however, it could also refer to Christ. The “7 eyes” refer to the eyes of God who not only see but understand as God sees our hearts. Jesus will also remove the iniquity of the land in one day at the battle of Armageddon when he returns to earth. Jesus could also most certainly be considered as a servant of The Father God. He is also given all glory and will rule on His throne in a temple he has built in Jerusalem as our high priest.
Zec 3:6 And the Angel of Jehovah charged Joshua (the high priest), saying,
Zec 3:7 So says Jehovah of Hosts: If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My charge, then you shall also judge My house, and shall also keep My courts, and I will give you places to walk among these who stand by.
Zec 3:9 For behold! I will bring forth My Servant the Branch. For behold the stone that I have set before Joshua: On one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its engraving, says Jehovah of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Zec 6:13 Even He shall build the temple of Jehovah; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And He shall be a priest on His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Jesus invited all to become His servants and be honored by the Father. Note the added distinction of being called “friend” because we have been told the purposes of Christ and the Father. We are to join in those purposes to help redeem a lost world and point the way to holiness before God. Jesus was certainly a willing servant of The Father. He is the physical embodiment of The Father and always does what He sees (by the Holy Spirit) the Father doing and saying. He is our perfect creator, teacher and redeemer.
Joh 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also My servant shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Joh 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept My saying, they will also keep yours.