Sing Servant

The Apostles
by Eleanor van der Merwe

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Messiah Jesus.    2 Peter 1:1

In the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan, the people see a great light. He changes them. He makes them fishers of men, witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Nearly every one of them meets a martyr's death. Stephen dies an untimely death by stoning. Herod puts James to death with the sword. Matthew goes down to Egypt and dies there. Peter is crucified upside-down in Rome. Paul is beheaded there. John goes into exile to lonely Patmos. In India an arrow pierces Thomas' valiant heart.

And all they can say about themselves is: "Jude, a servant of Messiah Jesus." "Paul, a servant of Messiah Jesus." "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus the Messiah." "His servant John." What a glorious roll call!

Back to Sing Servant

The End
by Eleanor van der Merwe

Then each of then was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were killed as they had been was completed. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.   Revelation 6:11, 7:15

Out in the open: Hunger, thirst, exploitation, overtime and unpaid salaries. The earth cries: "Blood!" God himself dries all their tears.

Where are they? In the temple, under the golden altar, before God's throne. So close to God! Highly privileged. Smell the incense mixed with prayers and fire. Hear the cataclysmic commands.

All of heaven waits for them to cry: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." Then the heavenly multitudes fall on their faces to worship God. Hear now the great halleluYah choruses of heaven!

Back to Sing Servant