Servant Ruler

Genesis chapter 24 verse 2 reads “And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:“. Genesis chapter 24 verse 10 reads “And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.” Although some Biblical commentaries attempt to prove that this servant was Eliezar of Damascus, interestingly though, this servant is left unnamed as if one of no reputation. Notice how Abraham had made his servant to be ruler over all that he had and all the goods of Abraham were in this servant’s hand. Herein is hidden not only a model expression of Master-Servant relationships but an emulation of good because it is Godly leadership as well.

For those who are masters of men (managers and executives), we ought to delegate authority and responsibility to our subordinates who are trustworthy. Abraham’s servants were trained to be more than servants – they were trained to be soldiers and went to fight for him, risking their very lives in the rescue of his nephew Lot (Genesis 14:14). While this is a very important lesson in relationships, what is even more vitally important is to recognize the pattern of God’s leadership. Here we see the servant is made ruler of the house of Abraham.

The Holy Scripture (Bible) records that God took David a shepherd boy and made him ruler over his people (2 Samuel 7:8). David served his father Jesse in tending his father’s sheep and God noticed that. We also learn from the Bible that  Jesus made himself of no reputation and took on the form of a servant and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross, wherefore God also has highly exalted him and gave him a name above all names, that at the name of Jesus Christ, every knee (things in heaven, things on earth, and things under the earth) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (ruler) (Philippians 2:7-11). God made Christ Jesus ruler over all (Ephesians 1:22) things to the Church. This teaches us that to be a ruler, one ought to be a servant first, hearing and heeding (obeying) the word of God, becoming subject to his will over ours.

Points to ponder:
There are many who seek to be rulers but fail to recognize that they must be servants first. The path to ruling starts with service – serving God and worshiping him alone for worship and service go hand in hand (Matthew 4:10). Service to God means that we tend to the people (flock) of God leading them to the grow in God’s knowledge (green pastures – John 21:17) and teaching them to have their minds fixed on God (still waters of peace – Isaiah 26:3), and be fighting for them against the roaring lion (1 Peter 2:5) and wild beasts (Jude 1:10).   So you want to be a ruler … well, then, put on the mind of Christ and become a servant (as did Christ Jesus himself) and if it is in God’s permissive will that you should rule, there will be no stopping you.

Genesis 24:2, 10 (KJV)
² And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
…
¹⁰ And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)
⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ephesians 1:22 (KJV)
²² And [God] hath put all things under his [Jesus’] feet, and gave him to be the head [ruler] over all things to the church,
²³ Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.