The King’s Word to His Servants

 The King’s Word to His Servants

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”

II Chronicles 29:11

The kings of the Old Testament often serve as either types or antitypes of God Our Sovereign, the King of His people.  Hezekiah, one of the good kings of the Southern Kingdom, was such a type. During the first year of his reign, he instituted the project to repair the house of God.  He gave to the Levites a charge with regard to their service in the newly reopened temple.  It is a charge which all of us should take to heart regardless of the exact capacity we occupy in the Lord’s work.

As Hezekiah exhorted the Levites, so God exhorts us to diligent service for the advancement of His glory.   Hezekiah’s exhortation was specific, “Do not be negligent.”   Paul echoes a similar charge in Romans, “not lagging in diligence, fervent in Spirit, serve the Lord.”  So we may take it to ourselves that now is not the hour for repose, or to be about lesser things.  In His earthy ministry, Christ insisted upon the necessity to be “about His Father’s business.”  Our charge is just the same and Christ is our example.

God exhorts us to diligent service because of our familial relationship with Him.  As Hezekiah addressed the Levites as, “My sons,” so God has called us His sons and daughters by the adoption of grace, through the blood of Christ.  We have, through Christ, a family connection which should encourage us to diligence.  We also have a sure election.  Hezekiah encouraged his people upon the basis of their election to that office. He said, “the Lord has chosen you.” So we also may take encouragement from our standing in election.  God has chosen us; therefore, we have cause for diligence.

In the end, Hezekiah outlined the labors of those chosen servants.  He said that they were “to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that they should minister unto Him, and burn incense.”  Herein lies a full scope of service in which they could engage for God’s glory.  We have a full range of services that we can render as well.  Keeping our eyes on the Risen Christ and engaging with the work of the Holy Spirit gives us the means whereby to both determine and execute the specific scope of service God intends for us personally.  Where is your place of service today?

Our King and Our God,

make plain to us

what service we can render today

to advance Thy kingdom.

Where the Bush is Burning

Tomm Tice