“Go set a Watchman”...the Wayfarer 4/23/14

“Go set a Watchman”

“For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.”

(Isaiah 21:6)

Isaiah, in his prophesies covered the entire world that was known of the time. Of particular interest, Babylon was prominent, because of the power it held throughout that world.

Babylon was the “superpower” of its day, full of riches, having large and competent armies, conquering and pillaging all about them forcing subjugation on all those peoples conquered. It was both feared and respected by Israel and all of its bordering neighbors.

Because of this power, those conquered and subjugated were forced to accept the customs and laws of those now in charge.  This extended down to, and in particular, religious worship of any kind, their own gods given absolute priority, above any worshipped by the conquered.

Once their laws were established within the conquered nations, any violation of those laws was severely punished. The laws, the morals, the very history, and heritage, of the conquered, were removed, replaced by the teachings, laws, morals and mores of the conqueror.

Then, as now, those of that nation, those of all that had preceded that superpower that built that nation, and those now attempting to rebuild that same power, denied the very existence of God, and would have replaced Him with their substitutes, would have replaced His laws with their own man made laws which they gave precedence to and yet give precedence to, above the laws of all other nations, and above the laws of God.

As Isaiah was given the prophecy that Israel would once more be redeemed from the circumstances of slavery and occupation that it had doomed itself to by assimilating those of other cultures which only corrupted both bloodline and the blessing given them through the covenant that they alone would be God’s people, he was given specifics in regard to each of those nations and their coming fates. The 21^st chapter returns to the fate of Babylon, and what Israel needs to do in preparation for its downfall.

“The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up o Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighting thereof have I made to cease.

Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth I was  bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

(Isaiah 21:1-5)

The vision that was declared spoke of a treacherous dealer, and a spoiler.  Those who dealt treacherously and those spoilers both came with the same promises and same false empathy for the children of Israel, that had happened, and continues to happen daily in a world where promises are made with no intent to keep those promises, both by individuals and by leaders of nations. Alliances are formed; treaties are signed with parties who would reneg on those items contained that are inconvenient for them, until such time as they themselves require the assistance to resist a common enemy.

Isaiah was compassionate toward the people to whom he prophesied, his own pain was quite palpable with the knowledge that the warnings, and with them any hope of redemption for those peoples would be ignored, their own path, their own gods followed.

Like many prophets before him, and after him as well, He first had to be instructed in order to be effective. He had to have his own heart prepared for the devastation of nations that were to come, and the joy of Israel’s finally being reconciled to the love and covenant of God.

He was told to prepare the table, to prepare himself and to be the watchman that was to be set spoken of by that 6^th verse, but to also call upon others to serve in that same capacity as well.

“And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

And he cried, A lion: my lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights.

And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horseman. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you,

(Isaiah 21:7-10)

Having been chosen to be that watchman, the vision given Isaiah continued, to give him the needed information to pass to the people that despite the military might that exceeded other nations because of their advance in weaponry of the time, Babylon would in fact be cast down.  It was after all God himself that proclaimed that fall, and the need to prophesy of it.

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman what of the night?

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye  travelling companies of Dedanim.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty; they prevented with their bread him that fled.

For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the greviousness of war.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.

(Isaiah 21:11-17)

That watchman was set to give warning of the dire things yet to happen, the death yet to come, the fear and fleeing of homes, the lack of food, lack of rest, lack of all that was and is good in life, and was reminded that God, the ONE True God was the only hope for any that were forced to flee, and that it was in fact God himself that ordained the very need for that flight.

A later prophecy, found in 13^th Chapter of Mark refers to the same flight given reference that in Isaiah.

That flight referred to in Mark, and also in Matthew 24 and 25, also speaks of the need for a watchman to be set.

“Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

(Matthew 24:42)

“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing or in the morning:”

Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

And what is say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

(Mark 13:35-37)

Once again, as in the time of Isaiah, the need for watchmen has been established. Those watchmen have been called. They have been given their boundaries and perimeters from which to watch, the enemy has been identified for them to know in advance. What yet remains is for the watchmen to do the job set before them:

“For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.”

(Isaiah 21:6)

The time is now come for the watchmen to do their job and declare what is clearly seen. It is time to make known the dangers of the enemy. It is time to assure that God’s People are warned, not only of the enemy about them, that will fall as did Babylon, but warned also of the enemy among them that stands and loudly proclaims that there is no enemy. Those dealing treacherously still exist; the spoiler seeking only spoils still exists.

The residue of the number of soldiers of the children of God are daily diminished, but must stand fast in the face of that enemy knowing that God himself will be leading that fight.

The time frame of this battle that has been coming from the beginning of time is only known to God, Himself; it is therefore needful to watch!

I close once more a simple sinner saved by grace through faith in my Lord, chosen by him to take my turn at the watchtower and to declare what I see.  What I see is that evil will be defeated and those having met the requirement of redemption for repentance will no longer flee anything but may remain safely and securely in the presence of God.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer