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Bible Dictionaries
Service

Holman Bible Dictionary

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Work done for other people or for God and the worship of God. Jacob worked for Laban seven years for each of his wives (Genesis 29:15-30 ). Service could be slave labor (Exodus 5:11; Leviticus 25:39; 1 Kings 12:4; Isaiah 14:3; compare Lamentations 1:3 ), farm work (1 Chronicles 27:26 ), or daily labor on the job (Psalm 104:23 ). It could be service of earthly kingdoms (2 Chronicles 12:8; compare 1 Chronicles 26:30 ), of God's place of worship (Exodus 30:16; compare Numbers 4:47; 1 Chronicles 23:24 ), of God's ministers (Ezra 8:20 ), and of God (Joshua 22:27 ). Not only people do service; God also does service (Isaiah 28:21 ). Even righteousness has a service (Isaiah 32:17 ).

Service at its best is worship. This involves the service of Temple vessels (1 Chronicles 9:28 ), of worship actions (2 Chronicles 35:10; compare Exodus 12:25-26 ), of bringing offerings (Joshua 22:27 ), of priestly work (Numbers 8:11 ). Interestingly, the Old Testament never ascribes service to other gods.

The New Testament similarly speaks of forced service (Matthew 27:32 ), sacrificial living (Romans 12:1; Philippians 2:17 with a play on words also indicating an offering), slave labor done for Christ's sake ( Ephesians 6:7; Colossians 3:22; compare Philippians 2:30 ), worship (Romans 9:4; Hebrews 12:28 ), offerings (Romans 15:31; 2 Corinthians 9:12 ), and personal ministry (Romans 12:7; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:11 ). Hebrews 1:14 talks of the ministry of angels. Being in an army is also service ( 2 Timothy 2:4 ), and those who persecute Christ's followers think they do service for God (John 16:2 ).

Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Service'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​s/service.html. 1991.
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