'Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand

continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom' (1 Kings 10:8).

'And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and

of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the

end thereof they might stand before the king' (Dan. 1:5).

The words of the Queen of Sheba concerning the felicity of those that

stood before Solomon, take on a deeper meaning when applied to those who

stand before the Lord.  The careful provision and preparation of Daniel and

his friends, in order that at the end of the time they might be able to stand

acceptably before earthly majesty, should help us to realize somewhat the

blessed acceptance that must be ours which makes us meet not only for glory,

but for acceptable service here below.

Prophets as well as priests are said to stand before the Lord:

'Elijah the Tishbite ... said ... As the Lord God of Israel liveth,

before Whom I stand' (1 Kings 17:1).

This word translated 'wait' and 'stand' has in its meaning the elements

of the thought of firmness and endurance:

'The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever' (Psa. 33:11).

We are exhorted by the apostle 'to stand', 'to hold fast', 'to run with

patience', 'to finish' the course.  'Moses said unto them, stand still' (Num.

Service does not consist only in peaceful and gentle ministry, for

there is an aspect of it which must be likened to conflict and battle:

'From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait

upon the service' (Num. 8:24).

The margin reads 'Heb. to war the warfare of', and be it noted this is spoken

of the Levites.  The same warlike expression is used of the sons of Gershon,

whose duties were to bear the curtains and coverings of the Tabernacle (Num.

4:23).  Yet again in Numbers 31:7 and 42 this same act of service is used of

'the men that warred'.

The word translated 'to wait' in Numbers 8:24 already referred to, is

the Hebrew tsaba, and the reader doubtless thinks immediately of 'the Lord of

Sabaoth', 'The Lord of Hosts'.  Tsaba means 'to go forth' and 'to muster',

but often takes on the special sense 'to go forth as a soldier' or 'to muster

as an army', much the same as the words 'to enlist' and 'to mobilize' often

leave their wider meaning for a particular one.

The word is used of creation, 'All the host of them' (Gen. 2:1); the

sun, moon and stars (Isa. 34:4); of the angels that attend the throne of God

(Psa. 148:2), and of all three spheres together (Neh. 9:6).  In the Old

Testament God is called, 'The Lord of Hosts' (Isa. 1:9); 'The Lord God of

Hosts' (Isa. 3:15); 'The Lord, the Lord of Hosts' (Isa. 10:16) and 'God of

Hosts' (Psa. 80:14).