Blind Watchmen

Isaiah 56:9-12 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, each seeks his 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.”
 
WHAT has happened? Through Isaiah 54-56:8, the prophet has proclaimed the joy of God’s redeeming power to one day come to Israel and to the world. But now God’s voice becomes one of judgment and condemnation to Judah’s leaders. God has spoken, and Isaiah has moved from the far-future new heaven back into the near-future reality of exile. God will call the beasts of the field – the conquering nations such as Babylon – to devour Judah. This, indeed, is a very sobering understanding of our just God. For his own purpose, the LORD tolerates sin for a time. Then he will judge and sentence the sinners.
   All family and church leaders be aware. You have a profound responsibility to guide others to Jesus. God condemns Judah’s kings, princes and priests as blind, ignorant, lazy and speechless watchmen for the LORD. They tolerate sin and lead the people into it. Lazy, self-indulgent watchmen are a great danger to a city and its citizens. So it is with kingdom leaders who do not lead.
   God continues to speak his frustrations and condemnation in the gospels. One of Jesus’ regular condemnations was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law. He warned they had rejected the Lord’s teachings and would not be prepared for the Lord’s justice on earth. Matthew 24:50-51 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
   When people say, “Jesus loved everyone.” they don’t include the love of his warnings. The Son of God urged Israel’s leaders into the truth, so they would be saved. The King of Heaven commanded them to be trusted followers of God, true watchmen for the kingdom. Luke 6:39-40 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Note this. A learner is like his/her teacher. What are people learning from you?
   In one way or another, each one who says, “Jesus is my Lord.” is a watchman. Are you the LORD’s “watchman” for your family? Are you guarding your home’s gateways from evil? Do you know the LORD’s law to do what is right? Do those who follow you live with God as you do?
   It is a precious, wondrous gift to be God’s Watchman. Take on your responsibility with joy and determination. Be alert. Be steadfast for the good the Lord gives to you.
 
John 10:3 “The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.”