Bible Dictionaries
Service

Holman Bible Dictionary

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 ).