Watchman, what of the night?...the Wayfarer 11/14/17

Watchman, what of the night?
11/14/17

Isaiah 21:11-12

King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

¹² The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

It was my privilege, and pleasure to have heard a sermon given by a young preacher, (young by the standards of my own rapidly encroaching years at any rate), and that used both this title and this particular scripture as the basis for that morning’s offering to his congregation at a local church.

Though I have no intent of plagiarizing that sermon, I find the substance of that sermon demands repetition.

 Though perhaps the words are my own, the power if those words belong to neither of us, but to the source from which those words were given.

That young preacher spoke of the fact that it is the duty of all preachers to answer the question asked of the watchman, as the fact is that watchmen is what each of us remains.

Positivity, solace, the unquestionable joy that awaits us must be tempered with the warnings that have also been given us through the prophets of God, whose scriptures have been passed down, generation to generation for a reason, not by coincidence, but in preparation for the time that we find ourselves facing that must precede that time of joy that is so readily preached by so many without having delivered the warnings that accompany the promise.

That young preacher spoke of the malaise that troubles so many that he comes into contact with, both Christian and unbeliever alike in his daily interactions with them.

That malaise IS evident, and DOES require addressing, IS pertinent and MUST be answered just as an answer was required of the watchman to whom it was addressed in our opening scripture.

The young preacher prefaced his sermon with the fact that he would rather preach the comfort of the promise, the edification of the teachings that always continue to apply to the daily lives of those gathered, but that duty compelled the warning be given of the approaching storm that confronts both believer and unbeliever… a storm that will define the preparedness of belief and the unpreparedness of unbelief as well.

He pulled no punches as he spoke so eloquently of the storm that has gathered through unbelief… a storm brought on through the rapid and rabid departure from God’s laws, toward man’s laws, laws that are an abomination to God, provoking the wrath that must come with that abomination.

He spoke of the persecution of that remnant that remains true to the belief in what is taught throughout the pages of our living scriptures, a persecution that erodes faith, erodes the blessings given because of that faith.

He spoke of the storm that assaults and assails Christianity itself, attempting to relegate it as outdated, and to be disregarded when it disagrees and refuses to conform to the laws passed by men.

He spoke of the financial storm that builds daily that will take its toll on believer and unbeliever alike, a storm that will also define believer and unbeliever as each faces its consequence.

He spoke of the physical storm that ravages rich and poor alike, the unpredictable devastation that destroys cities and nations that lie within its path.

He spoke of the storm that is in evidence as wars, and skirmishes are fought over ideology… as alliances and allegiances are formed, not for the purposes of leading us back to God’s intent, but away from His intent, ever promoting man’s intent for himself, ever promoting man’s wisdom and ability while denying God’s wisdom, omniscience, and omnipotence.

What of the night?

It approaches, it is inevitable.

What of the darkness that it brings with it?

Also approaching ever more rapidly and inevitable.

With the warning that has been given, none should question that inevitability, none should question the TRUTH of that warning.

Yet there remains another TRUTH as well.

MORNING APPROACHES TOO!

Redemption Draweth Nigh

Years of time have come and gone
Since I first heard it told
How Jesus would come again some day
If back then it seemed so real
Then I just can’t help but feel
How much closer His coming is today

Signs of the times are everywhere
There’s a brand new feeling in the air
Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky
Lift up your head redemption draweth nigh

Wars and strife on every hand
And violence fills the land
Still some people doubt He’ll ever come again
But the Word of God is true
He’ll redeem His chosen few
Don’t lose hope soon Christ Jesus will descend

Signs of the times are everywhere
There’s a brand new feeling in the air
Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky
Lift up your head redemption draweth nigh

Lift up your head redemption draweth nigh

Luke 21King James Version (KJV)

21 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

² And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

³ And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

⁴ For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

⁵ And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

⁶ As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

⁷ And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

⁸ And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

⁹ But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

¹⁰ Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

¹¹ And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

¹² But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

¹³ And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

¹⁵ For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

¹⁶ And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

¹⁷ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

¹⁸ But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

¹⁹ In your patience possess ye your souls.

²⁰ And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

²¹ Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

²² For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

²³ But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

²⁴ And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

²⁵ And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

²⁶ Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

²⁷ And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

²⁸ And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Redemption draws nearer with each phase of the storm that has begun to rage.

I call out to each and all to heed the watchman, and to remember that our purpose as watchmen is to echo the words of Christ Jesus, to echo both the warning and the promise given by Him, THROUGH Him for all willing to hear the simple message HE preached, in certainty of HIS ability to deliver that promise to ALL willing to accept that promise and heed that warning:

“Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Look up! The storm holds not reason to fear, but holds the delivery of the promise!

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