Isaiah 21 chs 13 - 23 God's judgement on Judah's surrounding nations, Assyrians advancing then Babylon would come
Woes to the Nations. Babylon (13:1 - 14:23). ,Assyria (14:24-27).,Philistia (14:28-32).,Moab (15-16).,Damascus (17).,Cush (18).
Egypt and Cush (19-20).,Babylon (21:1-10).,Edom (21:11-12).,Arabia (21:13-17).,Jerusalem (22).,Tyre (23).,A warning (24).
v. 11 & 12 "The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." Note:-
1. THE REFLECTION HERE - "Watchman, what of the night?" A call to reflect on:-
(a) Their Past - Edom could remember better days but now the night has come
They enjoyed peace with Israel - Deut 23 v. 7 & 8 "Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation."
They enjoyed privilege with Israel - Joshua 15 v. 1 "This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast." v. 21 "And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur," Israel didn't take Edomland
They enjoyed prosperity with Israel - not until Saul and David were Edom subdued i.e. Edom - descendents of Esau and Jacob - Israel
(b) Their Present - "Watchman, what of the night?" - Note:-
(1) The Source of the Call - From those outside the camp of Judah
(2) The Sincerity of the Call - "watchman" i.e. Isaiah - they recognised Isaiah's
Authority - "watchman" i.e. he was God's watchman - he knew the will of God, the word of God, and the ways of God
Authenticity - Isaiah had God's word for the time
Accuracy - Isaiah was not guessing he was revealing the plans and the purposes of God
(3) The Circumstance of the Call - i.e. What of the night? i.e.
Difficulty had come, danger had come, darkness had come
Psalm 34 v. 6 "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."
(c) Their Prospects - "What of the night?" i.e. will it be a long night?, a short night, a black night, or a brief night? What does our future hold?
2. THE REVELATION HERE - v. 12 "The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come."
Note:- God's word gives:-
(a) Light - Psalm 119 v. 105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. v. 130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." 1 John 1 v. 5 - 7 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
(b) Love - God speaks because he loves - 1 John 4 v. 7 - 10 "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
v. 14 "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."
(c) Life - 1 John 5 v. 11 - 13 "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
3. THE RECOGNITION HERE - v. 12 "The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." Note:-
(a) The Promise of an Eternal Day - "The morning cometh" Morning Of :
Creation, Redemption, Conversion, Millenium.
(b) The Provision of an Eternal Day - i.e. purchased by blood, promise of bliss, profilic with blessings - just think of the :-
Peace of heaven, prosperity of heaven, (streets of gold), permanence of heaven, purity of heaven, praise of heaven
(c) The Prospect of an Eternal Day - "The morning cometh" 2 Peter 3 v. 8 - 14 "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."
1. The Passing of the Material - v. 10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."
2. The Priority of the Spiritual - v. 11 "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,"
3. The Pre-eminence of the Eternal - v. 12 "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" "The day of God"
4. The Promise of the Celestial - v. 13 "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
(d) The Preparation for the Eternal Day - 2 Peter 3 v. 14 "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." "Be diligent" -
In peace - saved, in purity - without spot, in preparation - "blameless"
4. THE RESERVATION HERE - v. 12 "The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." - night of eternal doom Note:-
(a) The Certainity of its Coming
(b) The Calamity of its Coming - e.g. Genesis 6, Revelation 8 v. 2 "And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets." ch 15 v. 1 - 7 "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever."
ch 17 v. 17 "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
(c) The Clarity of its Coming - it will settle decisions, directions, destinations
5. THE RESTORATION HERE - v. 12 "The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." Note:-
The Instigation - "if ye will inquire"
The Inquisition - "inquire ye"
The Invitation - reture, come Isaiah 1 v. 18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
