Old Testament passage for Tuesday, October 1, 2013: Isaiah 62:6-65:25
6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, 7 and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7 (NKJV)
When the watchman does his job, the city can sleep in peace. When the watchman fails at his task, the city is filled with fear. The watchman on the wall is the warning system -- the alarm that sees danger as it approaches. His job may not be to fight the battle, but rather to warn the troops so that THEY can fight and win.
The watchman is usually understood as DEFENSIVE. He is part of the protective system that secures the city.
But, Isaiah describes an additional aspect of the watchman's job. Not only does the watchman INTERCEPT the enemy's attack (as depicted in Ezekiel 33:1-11), but he also INTERCEDES for the presence of God.
He cries out until God's power is released. He refuses to be shut up or shut down. He spends sleepless nights interceding for the will of God. Like all good ministry, it is not enough to simply eliminate the bad. The watchman's burden is also to imitate the good.
That's what watchmen do. They are vigilant against the invasion of the devil, but also tuned in to the power and presence of God.
Throughout Scripture, God is looking for those who will stand on the wall. Four times Jesus repeats, "Watch and pray." (Matt. 26:41, Mark 13:33, 14:38, Luke 21:36) There are continual calls to vigilance. Be alert! Wake up! Pay attention!
This is not just to avoid danger but also to invite blessing.
Your family needs you on the wall. Your city needs you. Our nation is in desperate need of watchmen on the wall. Will you be one?
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