Watchman

The night time holds terrors for many. We can walk the same paths during the day without fear, without anxiety, but the sun goes down and...

Isaiah 21:11-12 "...Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12) The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come."

"Watchman, what of the night?" The night watchman stands on guard on the top of the city wall. The gates and doors are shut. What is the watchman guarding against?

Ephesians 6:16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.

1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,

There are many things we must be on guard against. We all know that to steal, lie, or cheat is wrong. Other things to guard against are; idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, (21) envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; (Galatians 5:20-21)

You might say, "Now wait a minute! I don't practice idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, or...well, any of those things!"

So, what are 'those things'? Well, idolatry is anything that we place before God. It could be a football game, (yes, I know those can be very important, but...) or any sport game that we miss Church service for. It could be a school function that we attend instead of Bible study. It could be any number of things we do instead of doing what God wants us to do. Sorcery? We think of it as 'witchcraft', and we don't do 'witchcraft' do we. But... have you checked your astrology 'sign' lately? Tarot cards? Ouija boards? Those would come under 'sorcery'. And enmities, strife, jealousy wraths, factions, divisions, parties, (21) envyings,--these things are shown in a backbiting spirit. Enmities or hatreds show themselves in arguing fault finding and quarreling. The parties here aren't the birthday parties, but the-- they and them, we and us--partitions that divide congregations. These are all 'works of the flesh, caused by Satan, and (he) uses them to 'divide (the Lord's church) and to attempt to conquer (the Lord's church).

Isaiah 21:12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.

Yes, the morning comes. And for those who don't watch, also the night (will come). But watch.

Luke 21:36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Luke12:35-36 Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning; 36) and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him.

Be ready.

Ephesians 6:13-14 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

And stand. This is so important it's stated at the end of verse thirteen and repeated at the beginning of fourteen. It is a soldier's term. As a soldier standing, ready to do battle, ready to hold the fort...or die in the attempt.

Luke 12:37-38 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. 38) And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so blessed are those servants.

We might ask, 'when comes the morn'? If Jesus comes in the physical, what joy for his servants, but if we see him in either our physical bodies or in our spiritual bodies, he will lift our heavy burdens, and make our weary hearts sing.

Revelation 22:20 He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen.