"The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass........" Revelation 1v1
In these early parts of the book of Revelation, we are setting the scene for what is to come, and learning the nature and character of the book. God's people here are described as servants. In other parts of the Bible we find that they are called "saints," "brethren," "sons," "beloved," "dear children," in the Revelation they are described as "servants." This is in line with the portrayal of Jesus Christ as the sovereign Lord in all things divine; therefore all associated with Him are servants. There are many different words for "servant" in the New Testament, at least eight different words all with slightly different emphasis. The word used here "doulos" is referring to the most menial of all service. Literally it could be rendered slave. According to bible historians, in a rich Jewish household there were four ranks of servants.
- The head servant who was the steward of the household.
- The personal servant to the lady of the house.
- Those who tended to the needs of the children of the household.
- Those who attended to visitors.
The last named of these is used here. This would involve the washing of their feet, attending to their animals and generally settling them in for meeting with the master of the house. In John chapter 13 when Jesus "took a towel and girded Himself..... and washed the disciples feet" we have the supreme example of menial servitude. In the setting in the book of Revelation, Jesus is no longer the servant, rather is He the Sovereign and we are His servants.
Throughout the letter, this word is used to describe all who are associated with Him. The occurrences are as follows: chapter 2v20 (describing the members of the church); chapter 7v3 (describing the Jewish evangelists of the period of the tribulation); chapter 10v7 (describing those who served Him as prophets); chapter 11v18 (describing the rewards to His servants in a future day); chapter 19v2 (describing the martyrs of all ages); chapter 22v3 (describing our occupation in the new heaven and the new earth); chapter 22v9 (describing the work of angels).
Perhaps the most informative of these is the last named. John has just received a panoramic view of future events (in essence history described before it happens) directly from a glorious angel who communicated it to him. It is no wonder, faced with someone from heaven, one who stands in the presence of God, glorious in might, and glorious in power, bringing with him all the aura of heaven that John was prompted to fall down before him. Most of us would do the same, but the angel forbade him and said " see thou do it not....... worship God." The reason he gave is quite revealing. The angel said to John "I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book." Revelation 22v9 Thus the angel considers him to be on the same level as the apostle John and of the prophets and of all those who follow the Lord Jesus. This is an amazing truth and whilst the term "servant" meaning slave suggests humble service indeed, when we consider that angels, prophets, apostles and ordinary believers are put together in the same group as the servants of the Lord, it takes on a higher meaning.
Slavery to any man or any system of man is the greatest drudgery imaginable because such men exist, and such systems are designed for selfish reasons. However to be a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ is the most liberating, exhilarating experience that can ever be known. To serve the Lord Christ on the same level as the apostles and prophets of old as well as the ranks of angels in heaven is the highest privilege that can be accorded to any human being. Such is the awesome majesty of this glorious person Jesus Christ, that to serve Him, to be a slave to Him, is the highest honour, and brings the greatest joy. The great apostle Paul wrote these words "what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ." Philippians 3v7-8. The reality is for all of us, that we are either the slaves of sin or the slaves of Jesus Christ. The majestic figure of the One who humiliated Himself to enter this world as a servant for our sakes and who is now enthroned in the glory of heaven, is brought before us in this book and it is the greatest occupation of our lives that we are His servants, and according to Revelation 22v3 we shall be His servants forever in a world that has no more curse.
The image of the slave describes the kind of service that we render to this majestic One. Doulos which means menial servitude, involves the following; the surrendering of all our rights; the giving up of all our possessions; the dedication of all our time; the consecration of all our talents. All of this may seem foreign to the modern mind, but when we consider, as we shall, that the One whom we serve loves us, gave Himself for us, lives for our interests and reigns supreme in all the universe we understand that service to this One is bliss.
The late C.H.Spurgeon is reputed to have said "if God has called you to be a missionary, don't you lower yourself to become a king!!"
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