Training to be a Servant

Why did Joseph, before he became vice-ruler over Egypt according to God's will, first have to perform slave labor in the house of the Egyptian guard officer and be exposed to the wife's constant advances? Why did he unjustly have to spend more than two years in prison?

Why did God first let Moses study at the Egyptian universities and then spend 40 years tending sheep in the desert before giving him the task of leading the people of Israel out of Egypt at the age of 80?

Why did Joshua serve in Moses' tent for a long time before he was allowed to lead the people of Israel into the land of Canaan?

Why did Samuel spend his youth serving with the spiritually weak priestThe priests in the Old Testament were fully occupied with serving God. They offered the ordered sacrifices and were thus the link between the people and God. They had to... More Eli in the templeThe house and dwelling place of God in Jerusalem in the OT. The forerunner was the tabernacle.  It consisted of two main rooms, the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies,... More before becoming one of the greatest prophets?

Why was David despised in his father's house and spent his time tending his father's few sheep, and why did he have to flee from his arch-enemy Saul for years before God appointed him king over his people?

Why did Elijah have to rely on ravens and a poor widow for years before God executed judgment on Jezebel's cult of BaalThe name means "ruler, owner," and, in the Bible, mostly refers to a deity of the Canaanites and Phoenicians. Unfortunately, the people of Israel also worshipped idols of Baal at... More through him?

Why did Elisha first have to learn to plow with twelve yoke of oxen and then perform minor services for the elderThe word sometimes refers to an older person who is endowed with wisdom and dignity. It often also refers to an office (both in Israel and the early church). In... More Elijah before he could succeed him?

God has always placed people in positions of great responsibility. But he also places very special demands on such people. No human being can fulfill these requirements on their own. God chooses people who are suitable in terms of their natural abilities. Nevertheless, every responsible task in God's service requires special training in the school of God. Perhaps God would also like to give you a responsible task in His service one day. You may even make this your heart's desire (cf. 1 Tim 3:1). But it is not possible without training.

• Faithfulness in small things

Each of the people mentioned above first had to carry out small tasks and prove their faithfulness before taking up their great tasks. This is a principle with God because "he who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much" (Luke 16:10). Joseph was able to prove his faithfulness as a slave; Moses and David first had to tend sheep, Joshua, Samuel, and Elisha initially practiced in the service of their predecessor. None of them had set out to occupy an important position. They did not want to make a spiritual "career" as quickly as possible. But God was able to choose them because he saw their faithfulness in small things.

Even today, God first tests his servants in small things. He looks at your everyday behavior. How do you behave in the family? Are you hospitable? Do you manage your finances well? How do you deal with alcohol? Are you secretive when people tell you something in confidence? What reputation do you have in your unbelieving environment? How do you behave in conflict situations? Are you at home in the Bible? These are all questions that affect your everyday life but are important for your suitability as a servant of God.

And when you have proven yourself in small ways, then there will come bigger tasks that you can do for God. For a young brother, this will certainly not initially be speaking at a national Bible conference or giving a talk at a neighborhood meeting, where the danger of presenting yourself is too great anyway. The tasks will be appropriate to age and spiritual growth.

 

• Trust in God instead of self-confidence

Joseph feared for his life in prison. His only hope was God. David fled from Saul. He found refuge in God again and again. Joshua experienced the power of God through the uplifted hands of Moses in the battle against Amalek. And Moses was first sent into the desert by God when he tried to save Israel from the Egyptians with his hand. Later, he learned to let God fight and to be quiet himself.

If you trust in yourself, in your spiritual strength, in your knowledge of the Bible, or your charisma, you are useless to God. Because any experience of faith that God would give you, you would attribute to yourself. But if you trust in God alone, you will also give Him alone the glory for everything He has done in your life. Jacob is a good example of this. He only became an "Israel," i.e., a "warrior of God," after God had given him a constant reminder with his dislocated hip joint that his strength was broken (Gen 32:26, 29).

You realize that the basic training in the school of God is not complete at some point. Faithfulness in small things, awareness of our own weaknesses, and trust in the power of God are things that we have to learn again and again.

 

• The "Joseph lesson" – living holinessIt generally denotes something separate from the ordinary or even evil. Holiness is, above all, an attribute of God; He is glorious in holiness, He sits on his throne of... More

God intended to make Joseph a dual ruler in Egypt in order to "preserve a great nationNation (not nations) refers to any kind of people on the whole earth. This term is used to describe both Jews (John 11:51; Acts 10:22) and all other tribes. The... More" (Gen 50:20). Egypt was a totally godless and sinful environment for Joseph. There was a great danger of adapting his rule and lifestyle to the principles of Egypt. But he had proven himself in a small way when he recognized the seduction of Potiphar's wife as a great evil and fled (Gen 39:9, 18).

For you: Don't let your ungodly surroundings infect you and tempt you to sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More!

 

• The "Moses lesson" – meekness

The 40 years of Egyptian training had made Moses a man who was "mighty in word and deed" (Acts 7:22). Was this not enough to lead the million-strong nation of Israel into the Promised Land? Obviously not. God gave him private training with the sheep in the desert. What was left of the wisdom of Egypt after that? "I am not a man of speech" was Moses' verdict on his rhetorical skills (Exodus 4:10). But perhaps it was the desert that had made him the most gentle man in the world (Numbers 12:3). How much he needed this quality later on when dealing with the stubborn people. In the desert, he had also learned what it means to be a stranger (Acts 7:29). He, therefore, knew what he was choosing when he chose to "suffer affliction with the people of God" (Heb 11:25).

For you: The wisdom of this worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More is foolishness with God (1 Cor. 3:19). It is not your ability to interpret texts from your German lessons that make you a good Bible interpreter. They are sometimes more of a hindrance. Nor do your qualifications as a manager in a company make you a good leader among God's people. Learn meekness from Moses and realize that you are a stranger and that your real home is in heaven.

 

• The "Joshua lesson" – determination

The time Joshua spent in Moses' tent as his servant certainly left its mark on him. Here, he experienced the intimate interaction between Moses and God (Ex 33:11). Here, he learned what it means to have a heart for God's people without encountering much opposition on the one hand and to stand firmly on God's side on the other. As a spymaster, he was able to confidently argue for the conquest of the land of Canaan against the opinion of the majority. In doing so, he stood up for God and had the best interests of the people at heart. God acknowledged this and prevented his murder through the appearance of his glory (Num 14:6-10).

For you: Stand up for your God fearlessly and show heart for the good of your brothers and sisters. Even in God's service, you will not always meet with approval, but God is committed to this. And where do you learn this? In the "tent of Moses," i.e., with older brothers and sisters who set an example of love for God and his people.

 

• The „Samuel lesson“ – Submission and accepting difficult Missions

Samuel's stay with Eli in the templeThe house and dwelling place of God in Jerusalem in the OT. The forerunner was the tabernacle.  It consisted of two main rooms, the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies,... More was important for his later ministry. Here, he got to know the voice of God. He listened to God so carefully and passed on God's words so precisely that none of his words fell to the ground (1 Sam 3:19). Later, God gave him some unpleasant assignments. Again and again, he had to rebuke Saul, the headstrong king who was hierarchically above him. But God had already prepared him for this in his youth when he had to announce judgment to Eli, the priestly authority in Israel. Eli was a spiritually weak priestThe priests in the Old Testament were fully occupied with serving God. They offered the ordered sacrifices and were thus the link between the people and God. They had to... More. Nevertheless, Samuel had learned to respect him as an older man and as an authority.

For you: You may also receive unpleasant assignments from God at some point. But he will prepare you for them. Don't forget to treat older people and authorities with appropriate respect, even if they are spiritually weak. "Do not deal harshly with an older man, but admonish him as a father, ... older women as mothers" (1 Tim 5:1). We younger people today need this advice more than ever in a society in which respect and reverence have become almost foreign words.

 

• The "David lesson" – Enduring Contempt and Showing a Shepherd's Attitude

David was to shepherd the people of Israel (2 Sam 5:2), and for this, God took him directly "from the pasture, behind the small flock" (2 Sam 7:8). For his brothers, David's task of tending the "few sheep" was something lowly, but for God, it was an important time of preparation. God knew that David needed to trust in him, which he had gained in the battle against the lion and the bear and then impressively demonstrated against Goliath, also in the battle against Israel's enemies. But why, then, the years of flight from Saul? David was able to experience the closeness of God even more directly but also learned what it means to be homeless. When God later gave him rest, his first wish was to build a home for the ark of God, which had also been "homeless" until then.

For you: Remember that God wants to prepare you for His service even through tasks that may seem menial to yourself and others. Learn from David to endure contempt and to continue to do what God has given you to do. And like David, your service to God's people should be characterized by the desire to find the place where God still wants His name to dwell today and to help build the house of God.

 

• The "Elijah lesson" – Humility

Elijah's first service for God was brief. In one sentence, he announces a great drought to Ahab. It is a short but powerful message with a devastating impact! Elijah's career as a prophetA prophet is someone who receives a message from God and passes it on to a specific group in the Old Testament, very often Israel. Prophets are, therefore, in close... More had begun! Really? God then takes him aside for years and entrusts his provision to greedy ravens and a starving widow. This was perhaps not how Elijah had imagined his early years as a prophetA prophet is someone who receives a message from God and passes it on to a specific group in the Old Testament, very often Israel. Prophets are, therefore, in close... More. But God wanted to bind Elijah very closely to Himself, make him dependent on Him, and thus protect him from arrogance. Elijah was still prone to arrogance later on (1 Kings 19:10), but this characteristic made him useless in the service of God.

For you: Allow God to take you aside for certain times to show you your dependence on him. He wants to teach you humility, which is so indispensable in serving God, especially in positions of responsibility. And then wait for the next clear assignment from God; it will surely come!

 

• The "Elisha lesson" – Love for the Lord

Before Elisha began his ministry as a prophetA prophet is someone who receives a message from God and passes it on to a specific group in the Old Testament, very often Israel. Prophets are, therefore, in close... More, he was faced with a choice several times. Did he really want to follow Elijah? Or were his parents more important to him? Did he really want to give up his job as a farmer? Elijah does not force him. He waits for Elisha to volunteer. After a brief hesitation, Elisha breaks all ties. In a sense, he sells everything he has and gives it to the poor in order to follow Elijah (cf. Mk 10:12). In doing so, he acquires a treasure in heaven that is worth working for. On their last journey together, Elijah gives his successor the option of turning back three more times. But Elisha remains firm. He loves his master and wants to stay with him. The valuable lessons and the experience of the raptureThe rapture of the believers is one of the great mysteries that was unknown in the OT and is only described in the NT (1 Cor 15:51). It describes the... More shaped his entire subsequent ministry. Finally, he has one more wish. Again, he desires nothing for himself but strength for the ministry.

For you: Out of love for your Lord, be prepared to give up everything that could hinder you in your service to Him. Do not put earthly things above your love for the Lord. Not your family, not your job, not your money, not yourself. Remain firm in His fellowship and discipleshipDiscipleship is a commandment of the Lord Jesus for His own (Mk 2:14). In discipleship, we follow the Lord Jesus in obedience; He is our authority. It means sharing His... More; then, He will teach you valuable things and equip you with strength for your service.