My glorious Victor, Prince Divine

c. The Servants Who Would Not Go Forth from Their Masters Because They Loved Their Masters and Their Households Having Their Ears Run Through with an Awl and Being Servants Forever

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“If he says to you, I will not go forth from you, because he loves you and your household, for it goes well with him to be with you; you shall take an awl and run it through his ear and into the door, and he shall be your servant forever; and thus also shall you do to your female servant” (vv. 16-17). This is an excellent type of us as slaves of the Lord Jesus. We love Him, we love His family, and, not wanting to leave Him, we tell Him that we want to remain in His service forever. Whenever we make such a free-will offering to the Lord Jesus, He will never reject it but will always accept it. Then He will run an “awl” through our “ear, ” representing us, and into the “door, ” representing God. The ear thus becomes one with the door, and there is much traffic between the ear and the door. From that time onward, our relationship with the Lord is one in which we have a listening ear. We are at the door, waiting to hear the voice of the Master and to serve Him.

All the full-timers have had their ears “awled” by the Lord. We may say that they have had their ears “nailed” to the doorpost. Now there is a hole in their ear. This hole is not for an earring (something for beautification) but for service, which requires a hearing ear. If we have a hearing ear, nothing will keep us away from our Master.

As the Slave of God, the Lord Jesus had His ear run through with an awl (Isa. 50:5). On His ear there was a hole, so between Him and God the Father, whom He served, there was a thorough traffic. The situation with us should be the same.

, ,, , I can testify that, as a servant of the Lord, I consider myself as having no freedom and no future. In a very real sense, I am “finished, ” for my ear has been nailed to the doorpost of my God. I hope that the young ones will have this kind of feeling about themselves and that they will say, “I belong to the Lord Jesus forever. My ear has been nailed to His doorpost, and I have given up my freedom. ”

Life-study of Deuteronomy
Message 15 The Rehearsal of the Law (8)
(LSM)

I hadn't heard this hymn before. Looked at it up as I was reading Amy Carmichal's biography of Walker of Tinnevelly, which mentions it was his favorite. I can see why- great words!

Born in England, Moule eventually became the principal of Ridley Hall Theological College, Cambridge. He was an evangelical Anglican and also closely associated with the Keswick Convention. He was a scholar, but could also speak and write for ordinary people. He wrote hymns, poems, commentaries, expositions on books of the New Testament and books on devotion. This hymn is based upon Exodus 21:5-6. The law in these verses concerns a slave who upon release decides not to leave his master but to remain his slave forever. This portrays the believer's willing and absolute consecration to the Lord for whatever He desires. This poetic hymn extols the freedom of being the Lord's bondslave, the weariness of self's liberties, and the ability of "pierced ears" to hear the Lord's speaking. - Songs of the Spirit by Martin