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#6.
The waiting upon God that is waiting on Him in service.
p. 220
We turn for a while from waiting on the Lord in prayer, or from waiting for the Lord
in hope, to waiting on the Lord in service.
"They waited on their office according to their order" (I Chron. 6: 32).
"The priests waited on their offices" (II Chron. 7: 6).
"Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited" (Neh. 12: 44).
In the Hebrew this word "wait" is amad, "To stand", and, followed by different
prepositions, it is used of service rendered to a king.
"And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt"
(Gen. 41: 46).
"Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before
thee, and that hear thy wisdom" (I 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" (I 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". "Moses said unto them, stand still" (Numb. 9: 8).