The Work of the Servant of the Lord
Chapter III. The Work of the Servant of the Lord
God's Servant Brings Deliverance to Israel
The responsibility assigned to the Servant of the Lord is threefold:
- To plant the heavens.
- To lay the foundations of the earth.
- To say to Zion: "You are my people" (Isaiah 51:16).
"Zion" is the Seed of Abraham. "Zion" refers to God's elect, His chosen, the Seed of promise, whether Jewish or Gentile by physical birth. In the present hour Zion is above us in Heaven.
One day the perfected spiritual Zion will come down and enter Jerusalem on the earth. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit on the Throne of David in Jerusalem. All that the Old Testament promises to Jerusalem will come to pass in the perfected spiritual Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22,23).
God always is saying to His elect, "You are My people." It is difficult for each of us to come to the realization that God has chosen him from before the ages of time so he may stand before God forever as a royal priest. We are not of the world. We are holy unto the Lord, having been chosen from among mankind and set aside by Him for His special use and pleasure.
God always is asking His elect if they love Him (John 21:15-17).
The Lord's elect are the members of true Israel whether they are Jewish or Gentile by natural birth.
It is our understanding that in the Day of the Lord there will be an awakening of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people will become aware that Jesus is Christ.
We believe also, following the symbolism of the life of Joseph, that before the coming of the Lord there will be a reconciliation to Christ of a chosen remnant of the Jews because of, and during, the hour of tribulation that is coming; and that the Lord Jesus will assist the Jews, especially the remnant, through all the troubles that will take place before He returns.
The coming salvation of the Jews does not, of course, change the fact that the Seed of Abraham is One and includes all who are part of Christ whether Jewish or Gentile by race. No person, Jewish or Gentile, can enter the Kingdom of God other than by being born again of Christ. Flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God. There is but one Shepherd, one fold, one Holy Spirit, one Church, one Body of Christ.
First, the Jews must return to Jerusalem from all places where they have been dispersed. We think it is God's will that the nation of Israel once again become one of the major nations of the earth. After a season, when Antichrist has captured Jerusalem and has taken his seat in the Temple, it will be time for the elect Jews to flee into the wilderness.
There, in the Valley of Achor to speak figuratively, the place of trouble and judgment, the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to the elect Jews and they will become one with the elect of the Gentiles, who also have been compelled to flee from the face of Antichrist.
It would not be wise for Jesus to reveal Himself to the nation of Israel in the present hour because the rabbis, being weakened by the knowledge that they have resisted God's Christ throughout the centuries, would fall prey to the great whore - man-operated Christianity, both Catholic and Protestant. They would move from one error to another error - perhaps worse than the first.
We believe that God in His goodness will protect His original chosen people from fleshly Christianity and self-seeking special interest groups and Christian entrepreneurs, until the day Jesus is ready to receive the Jews as part of Himself (not as part of Babylon (man-directed Christianity)).
The concept that there will be a Gentile church in Heaven and a Jewish kingdom on the earth is an error made commonly by Christians. Such a totally unscriptural concept prevents an understanding of the Hebrew Prophets, cutting off the Christian churches from the revelation of Scripture. This confusion is unfortunate and unnecessary.
When referring to the coming of the Lord we are emphasizing the "remnant," that is, the saints of the Lord (Jewish and Gentile) who will give themselves wholly to Christ, becoming a firstfruits "unto God and to the Lamb" (Revelation 14:4).
The Presence and work of the remnant during the days surrounding the return of Christ is mentioned in several places in the Scriptures (Isaiah 4:3; 32:1,2; Joel 2:32; Obadiah 21; Micah 5:3; Zechariah 12:8; Romans 11:5,26; for example).
The story of Gideon and his three hundred is one of the scriptural types of the power of the Lord working through His remnant in the end-time. Even though the great victory will be won with a remnant, eventually every member of Christ will "know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest (Hebrews 8:11).
One of the major tasks of the Servant of the Lord is the building up of Israel - the people chosen by the Lord to be His peculiar treasure in the earth.
By the term Israel we mean all the elect of God, whether Jewish or Gentile by physical birth. The reader may complain we are repeating too many times that the elect consist of both Jews and Gentiles. The reason for the repetition, whether excessive or not, is that currently there is confusion over this point.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:1,2)
The above passage is directed toward "Zion," that is, toward the Lord's elect, His chosen. While the Servant of the Lord is destined to bring justice and truth to the nations of the earth, He also is charged with the responsibility for building up Zion - the royal priesthood of God (I Peter 2:5).
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me."
The Spirit of God abides on Christ - Head and Body. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). The reason we of the Church are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ is that we may become working parts of the Servant of the Lord, of the Anointed Deliverer who is to come.
It is through the Holy Spirit that the Body of Christ will be built into the fullness of unity and maturity. All the ministries and gifts given by the ascended Christ are for the purpose of perfecting the saints, for the bringing of God's Israel into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity as measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ.
"The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek."
The "good tidings" are the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The "meek" are those of Israel who are willing to open their hearts to the voice of the Spirit. The meek are not proud, defiant, self-sufficient, always resisting the Holy Spirit. They are teachable and they desire to serve God. They fear God and are submissive to His Word.
The God of Heaven has anointed Christ to bring the good news of God's salvation to each of the elect who will receive the Word with humility of mind, and will repent - that is, who will change the way he or she is thinking and acting and will think and act according to the revealed Word of God.
"He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted."
There are those of Israel who are happy and prosperous being content, like Lot, to take their chances in a world filled with wickedness and rebellion against God. Although they think of themselves as the Lord's people (whether they are Jews or Gentiles) they "have no room in their inn" for Christ. This has been true of physical Israel and is true today of Christian people.
Then there are those of God's people who are in distress and trouble. They always seem to be out of joint in the present age (even in the churches at times). Such never can be completely happy when the Presence of God is not in their midst. They are not satisfied with things as they are. They find no rest in the world or in a lukewarm, smug, self-satisfied church or synagogue. They weep and mourn for God and are not comforted by the things of fleshly religion.
God always is seeking those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. To them He sends His Servant with healing and blessing. The Servant comforts them and brings the Presence of God to them. He binds up their broken heart and gives them joy and gladness.
Has the Lord ever sent one of His servants to you in the power of the anointing of the Spirit? Did that individual bring healing, blessing, comfort, and the Presence of God to you? If so, then the one who ministered to you is a part of the Body of Christ, of the Servant of the Lord.
Those of Israel who are proud and filled with their own ways - even doctrinally-correct religious ways - will not be ministered to by the Servant of the Lord. The self-sufficient dwell in barrenness and confusion. They will remain in a desolate state, a spiritual wasteland, unless they forsake their proud ways and turn to the Lord.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, . . . . (II Chronicles 7:14)
If God's own people will humble themselves! The need today is for God's elect, His Israel, to confess their sins and turn from their wicked ways. The Servant of the Lord always encourages Zion to repent and turn to God.
"To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."
The "captives," in this context, are those of God's people who are bound and oppressed by Satan.
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? (Luke 13:16)
Jesus of Nazareth, Christ of God, went about doing good and healing all of Israel who were oppressed by the devil. The first sign to follow the believers in Christ is the casting out of devils. The Son of God always destroys the works of the devil.
The Kingdom of God comes as the power of the anointing of the Spirit of God casts out devils. The coming of the Spirit of God tears apart the kingdom of darkness. This is the power that abides on Christ - Head and Body.
Many believers in Christ are heavy and oppressed in spirit!
But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. (Isaiah 42:22)
It is the will of Christ that every one of His people be gloriously delivered from all that is not of the Lord. Who among us will seek God on behalf of God's people? Who among us will lay aside his own life so the saints may be built up in the most holy faith? Who among us will "stand in the midst of Jordan," in the waters of judgment, so God's people may cross over into their inheritance?
The Lord Jesus commands us to feed His sheep and His lambs. Will we provide food for the household of the Lord so the saints may be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might?
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (Matthew 24:45,46)
During the Kingdom Age, further opportunities for building up Israel may be assigned to those who in this life have faithfully nourished God's children. It is true even today that as we are faithful in small responsibilities the Lord entrusts us with a larger area of His Kingdom.
"To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God."
The acceptable year of the Lord is now. Each member of the Body of Christ is to bring deliverance to God's people now as the Spirit of Christ guides and empowers him to do so.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (II Corinthians 6:2)
It is God's will to bless His saints now with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. It is God's will to save us today, to heal our bodies today, to give us gifts and a ministry today, to pour out His Spirit on us today, to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom with signs and wonders throughout the entire earth today. Today is the Day of salvation. Today is the time accepted of God for every one of His elect to grasp the fullness of God in Christ.
Yet, in order for us to gain any of these blessings we must overcome the resistance of the enemy. God enables us to conquer the enemy as we wait on Him, following Him patiently, moving in His wisdom and timing.
There are specific spiritual opportunities available to the Lord's people during each period of history. The day in which we are living is a time of unprecedented revelation and power, and opportunity to take the Kingdom.
It also is a season of deliverance, of judgment on the unclean spirits that have been dwelling in the house of God. It is an hour of eternal judgment, of vengeance on the forces of wickedness that have produced unrighteousness and rebellion in the saints.
It is time now to make the way of the Lord straight in His Church. It is impossible for God to move when the saints are neither hot nor cold. The Servant of the Lord is pleased when both righteousness and lawlessness are well-defined and mature.
It is time now for righteousness to become exceedingly righteous and sin to become exceedingly sinful. God will work in your life and mine until we make up our minds whom we shall serve. Shall we choose to serve Christ, or Satan?
There are multitudes of God's people in the "valley of decision." "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:14).
The Servant of the Lord announces that whoever will choose to do so may come and drink freely of the waters of eternal life. Christ has paid the full price on the cross. Eternal life is free to whoever will accept it as the gift of God in Christ. God's forgiveness readily is available to each person who will repent and receive the love of God in Christ.
At the same time, God's wrath is directed against the kingdom of Satan and against the believers in Christ who are taking pleasure in the things of the world, in the works of Satan.
Today is the day of salvation, of deliverance, of blessing, of glory to all who will receive Jesus as both Lord and Savior - Lord of their conduct and Savior of their soul. In the near future the Lamb will appear in wrath, executing vengeance on the enemies of God. It is the Lord's will that each of His people escape the wrath that is to be poured on the ungodly.
When the Lord Jesus read this passage (Luke 4:19) He did not include "and the day of vengeance of our God." Apparently, the day of vengeance had not come at that time.
It may be true that the scroll has been reopened in our day and this phrase ("the day of vengeance of our God") now is being included. The Lord has come now to cast out Satan from His Church. This is the beginning of the Day of Vengeance - an era that will continue until the end of the thousand-year Kingdom Age.
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)
When Christ builds up Zion, His Church, He is building up His own Body. It is true also of us that when we build up our brothers and sisters in Christ we are building and strengthening the Body of Christ of which we all are members. As we grow strong in the Lord we are to assist the weaker members. When we are converted we are to strengthen our brothers (Luke 22:32). The Body is building itself in the Head - Christ.
The Lord anoints us with the Holy Spirit so we may comfort His people. Because of sin and ignorance the people of the Lord find themselves in miserable circumstances, their joy gone, being oppressed, guilt-ridden, and in various kinds of trouble. There are domestic problems, divorce, sickness, debt, gloom, dread, ignorance of the will of God. Often there are many sins being practiced by God's people. There is an accompanying spiritual and physical weakness, shame, and loss of confidence in God.
The Servant of the Lord brings the beauty of holiness in exchange for the ashes of the bondage of sin; the oil of joy in the Lord in place of sadness and despair; the uplifting spirit of hope, praise, and confidence in God in exchange for heaviness and moodiness.
The Servant of the Lord is victorious in faith and filled with the Spirit of God. He brings resurrection life to the Lord's people. He heals them physically and imparts eternal life to their spirits. He shows them that God loves them and is able to give them the power and wisdom they need.
It is Christ who does all this for God's people, and He frequently does it through the gifts and ministries the Holy Spirit gives to each member of the Body of Christ. It is the anointing of the Spirit that breaks the yoke of oppression.
God is not always scolding His people because of their sins and weaknesses. Rather, He is waiting lovingly until they return to His goodness and mercy. God loves His people with a very great love. Many times we are led to believe that God is angry with us when such is not the case. God is waiting for us to come to Him in faith in His Word (Mark 9:23).
God must have saints who are willing and able to build up their brothers and sisters in Christ. Those saints who bless and nourish the members of the Body of Christ are performing the ministry of the Servant of the Lord to Israel.
"That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."
It may be true that there are not many oaks of righteousness in the Christian churches. To a great extent the believers in Christ sit in spiritual ashes (although some of them are wealthy in material riches).
When the Servant of the Lord ministers to God's people they become righteous, holy, and obedient to God in their daily behavior. Wherever there is unrighteous behavior in the churches the will of God is not being performed.
God did not save us in order that we may wander about in the wilderness of sin and lawlessness. God redeemed us so we may demonstrate a holy and righteous life in our deeds, our words, and our thoughts.
For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (Isaiah 62:1)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
When we are not learning righteousness, holiness, and obedience we are not fulfilling the purpose of God in saving us. We are not bringing forth the fruit for which the Divine Farmer is waiting (John 15:2,8,16; James 5:7).
The reason God called us out of the world is that we may portray His righteousness and praise; that we may be the light of Christ in the darkness of the world; that we may reveal in ourselves the holiness and power of the Person and will of God Almighty.
Whenever we behave in an unrighteous, unholy manner we are not fulfilling the purpose of our calling as saints. When the "branches" do not bear the fruit of righteous and holy behavior they are cut off from the Vine, from Christ, and men gather them in piles and they are burned, so to speak. The reason men "burn" them is that they are useless for the purpose for which God has called them.
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people [people for God's own possession], zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14)
Having your conversation [behavior] honest among the Gentiles [nations]: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12)
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
The nations of the earth must come in contact with the Life of Christ in order to live. The only source from which needy people can obtain the Life of Christ is the Israel of God. But the Divine Life is not present in God's Israel when the saints are walking in sin.
The Servant of the Lord is anointed in order that He may build up the members of Israel into trees of righteousness. When Christ is dwelling in a righteous and holy Church the nations of the earth experience the Person, way, will, and eternal purpose of God.
Those of the nations who accept the Life of Christ that is in the Church, the Israel of God, will be saved in the Day of judgment and brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The nations of the earth will "keep the feast of Tabernacles" by coming to the Church and receiving the blessing of God and Christ, who then will be dwelling (tabernacling) in the Church.
But those who reject the Presence of God in Christ in the Church will deprive themselves of eternal life.
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. (Zechariah 14:17)
The rain of the Spirit will not fall upon them if they are unwilling to hear the voice of the Spirit and the Bride and do not come to the water of eternal Life that will flow from the saints for eternity.