And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
God calls Israel His servant as the one through whom He will display His glory. Christ Himself is that servant called Israel, whose work is to restore Israel and carry salvation to the nations even when His labor seems without fruit. In its wider reach Israel includes the church and its workers and ministers today, appointed to make God's truth known, to be a light to the Gentiles, a covenant of the people, and to free those bound in darkness. All who are brought into this special service hold it as a sacred trust and must not treat it as a small matter, so those who minister the word allow no cheap talk or trifling conduct but give their highest desire to perfect service. God is glorified in His servant when life and conduct represent the principles of His Word and reflect His character rather than human ideas, and this is the way Christlike character is obtained.
Servant's Identity and Mission
The servant named in the verse is Israel, through whom God declares that He will be glorified. Christ Himself is that servant addressed as Israel, and the declaration of His identity stands in connection with His asking who people believed Him to be. The verses surrounding the declaration define the servant's work as restoring Israel and bringing salvation to the nations, even when that work seems fruitless.
In this application Israel includes the church and its workers, whose labor is to make God's truth known. The verse is directed to those who claim to respect the law of Jehovah, identifying them as His servant Israel appointed to display His glory. God's ministers today are His servant Israel in whom He will be glorified.
Keeping the lamp trimmed and burning means entering the servant work described in Isaiah 48 and 49: to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel, to be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the end of the earth, to be a covenant of the people, and to say to prisoners bound in darkness to go forth and show themselves into feeding pastures. The chapter foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world by telling people why this faith is held and giving the information they desire through camp meetings. That work is to be supported with means to establish sanitariums that educate and reform people and restore the moral image of God unto conversion, and it is done by arousing slumbering senses to see departure from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and transgression against the law of God.
Called to Glorify God
The servant Israel in whom God will be glorified includes everyone connected with His appointed institutions. Such persons are brought into channels where the light shines and are given work for God in a special way. That position is a sacred trust and a special favor. It must not be treated as a small or light matter, but must be met with responsibility and devotion proportionate to the position of trust.
Those engaged in the ministry of the word are God's servants in His special service in whom He will be glorified. Their work is not a light thing and must not be esteemed as such. Cheap, common talk and light, trifling behavior have no place in them. Their highest desire must be to offer perfect service to Christ.
God is glorified in His people when their lives and conduct represent the principles of His Word and reflect His character. This comes by being shaped by God's character and word and will. It does not come by human ideas or by self-confident leadership that puts God aside. God's declaration to His servant Israel that He will be glorified in him belongs to the way by which Christlike attributes of character may be obtained.
God calls Israel His servant as the one through whom He will display His glory. Christ Himself is that servant called Israel, whose work is to restore Israel and carry salvation to the nations even when His labor seems without fruit. In its wider reach Israel includes the church and its workers and ministers today, appointed to make God's truth known, to be a light to the Gentiles, a covenant of the people, and to free those bound in darkness. All who are brought into this special service hold it as a sacred trust and must not treat it as a small matter, so those who minister the word allow no cheap talk or trifling conduct but give their highest desire to perfect service. God is glorified in His servant when life and conduct represent the principles of His Word and reflect His character rather than human ideas, and this is the way Christlike character is obtained.
Servant's Identity and Mission
The servant named in the verse is Israel, through whom God declares that He will be glorified. Christ Himself is that servant addressed as Israel, and the declaration of His identity stands in connection with His asking who people believed Him to be. The verses surrounding the declaration define the servant's work as restoring Israel and bringing salvation to the nations, even when that work seems fruitless.
In this application Israel includes the church and its workers, whose labor is to make God's truth known. The verse is directed to those who claim to respect the law of Jehovah, identifying them as His servant Israel appointed to display His glory. God's ministers today are His servant Israel in whom He will be glorified.
Keeping the lamp trimmed and burning means entering the servant work described in Isaiah 48 and 49: to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel, to be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the end of the earth, to be a covenant of the people, and to say to prisoners bound in darkness to go forth and show themselves into feeding pastures. The chapter foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world by telling people why this faith is held and giving the information they desire through camp meetings. That work is to be supported with means to establish sanitariums that educate and reform people and restore the moral image of God unto conversion, and it is done by arousing slumbering senses to see departure from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and transgression against the law of God.
Called to Glorify God
The servant Israel in whom God will be glorified includes everyone connected with His appointed institutions. Such persons are brought into channels where the light shines and are given work for God in a special way. That position is a sacred trust and a special favor. It must not be treated as a small or light matter, but must be met with responsibility and devotion proportionate to the position of trust.
Those engaged in the ministry of the word are God's servants in His special service in whom He will be glorified. Their work is not a light thing and must not be esteemed as such. Cheap, common talk and light, trifling behavior have no place in them. Their highest desire must be to offer perfect service to Christ.
God is glorified in His people when their lives and conduct represent the principles of His Word and reflect His character. This comes by being shaped by God's character and word and will. It does not come by human ideas or by self-confident leadership that puts God aside. God's declaration to His servant Israel that He will be glorified in him belongs to the way by which Christlike attributes of character may be obtained.