Today’s Devotion
Topic: Where Are The Watchmen Of Our Day?
Text: Isaiah 56:9-12.
9 Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest! 10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way; they seek their own gain. 12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.” Amen.
Most of the major cities of importance in the time of Isaiah were likely to be walled with a watchtower; from where watchmen observed day and night to see if there was any threat or danger approaching. They would attack and distract the attention of the foe while alerting the citizenry ahead of time to prepare a much greater defence against the approaching adversary.
Since they are the first target of every approaching enemy, these watchmen are extra vigilant to the tiniest detail; giving their eyes no sleep till it was time to change over. But you see, God was not pleased with the spiritual watchmen of Israel. Those who were to watch in prayer and intercede for the nation and its people. Those who should foresee the attacks of the enemy approaching and destroy them before they even get close enough to hit their targets. They seemed not to care about their duty.
Our text for the day begins with a strange call unto all the beast of the field to come and devour. Why? Because the watchmen refused to watch the city. The Lord called them BLIND and lacking knowledge (or judgment). They were all mute dogs who couldn’t bark. They loved sleep and they loved food; becoming totally irrelevant to their duty and call.
Beloved, “where are the watchmen of our day too?” The intercessors of our families, churches, communities, generation, and nation? Why are our watchtowers filled with gluttons who love sleep and wine more than to watch for our safety? Think about it. Is it not sad to see that we are worse than the watchmen of Israel?
See how blind some of our fathers, mothers, family heads, pastors, church leaders, mentors, managers, political leaders, and spiritual heads are becoming; lacking all sense of discernment. They sleep so much in the very nights they should be watching. They all turn to their own ways and seek their own gain. Saying to each other, “Come, let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! Tomorrow will be like today, or even better.”
How can tomorrow be better than today when each day of careless observation allows the enemy a step closer to destroy? How can tomorrow be better when those the Lord has appointed to watch for our safety do not even watch for themselves? They lie around and dream; they love to sleep. No wonder our homes and communities are invaded by all kinds of demons controlling affairs from the very top to affect everyone down below.
Refuse to allow them a step further; not in your home nor anywhere near your jurisdiction. Arise, child of God! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Defend your home and nation with your last breath. Watch and pray every day lest you fall into temptation; pray for your spouse and children, career and jobs, the nation and the world at large.
Do not be too assured that your father, manager, pastor, or spiritual head is watching over you as you lay to rest. He or she may just be dreaming a little ahead of you. You cannot be disappointed in them at all because they also had thought you are watching, especially since you appear to want the best of everything for all. How can anyone desire the best and not watch out against attacks and plots to destroy what they are building?
So you see, we are our own watchmen then: the family and nation is rather depending on our watch. God, the Senior Watchman, watches over all things so that our watch will not be in vain. Now let us take advantage of His watch to resist every approaching adversary. In His light, all darkness will flee and the children of Zion are safe until they stop watching and cease praying!
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