Watchman What of the Night
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - Dark times have always been a part of history. There have been wars, famines, uprising, persecutions, tribulations, and trying times. The Bible reads with many of them and how God delivers His people through them all.
During my studies on this week God brought something to my understanding that I truly never understood before and I just had to marvel at how the Word of God continually refreshes and renews itself revealing something new day by day.
Today I want to teach on this subject Watchman What of the Night.
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE: - Isaiah 21:11-12 “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 enquire, enquire ye: return, come”.
These 2 verses are in the middle of a passage that is dealing with the prophecies against Babylon, Idumea, and Arabia and although this prophecy in part happened when the Medo-Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. if we truly understand God’s plan and how He warns us of future events what took place nearly 3000 years ago is a prophetic warning of the last days and what will be the destiny of believers and unbelievers.
BACKGROUND: - You have to read the whole chapter to get the true understanding but let me summarize it a little in verses 1-10 deals with the Burden of Babylon the word Babylon means Chaos and Confusion the world, the Israelites, were operating in literal Chaos and Confusion under the oppression of Babylon. In verses 11-12 We have the Burden of Dumah and there is conflicting theories as to who exactly Dumah is but the name Dumah means Tension and the time of this question is a time of tension and unrest. Then in verses 13-17 we have the Burden of Arabia which means Contention or Suspicion. When we apply these same words to the conditions of today, we see that we are living in such the time as this very prophecy. Luke 21:26 says, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken”.
The world is literally in the night time and although some people are benefiting from the affluent lifestyle of popularity and prosperity we have a ever decreasing moral standard, ethical standards are almost totally gone spiritual standards are weak at best, wars and rumors of wars, nation against nations, sin is rampant, selfishness is paramount, greed is priority, chaos rules, contention is normal, tension is just waiting to be touched and suspicion lurks at every corner. People are grasping for a glimmer of hope and a chance of decency. Refusing to go back and unsure of how to move forward. Political corruption is proliferated, School shootings are a common occurrence, we are engulfed by spiritual darkness, moral corruption, depravity it is an understatement to say we are truly living in the worst of times and sad to say it is only going to get worse. But like the question asked in our text Watchman What of the Night? Watchman What of the Night?
Notice this question was asked 2x – this is repetition indicating that this is a serious matter. Remember Dumah means Tension so there is some anxiety and urgency in this question. This is a question that needs the utmost attention, it is of dire consequence that I get an answer to this question. Also, what is important is the one the question is asked of it is asked of the watchman, it is not asked of the political figure or the military figure because victory is not by power nor by might but by my spirit saith the Lord, the watchman represents the spirit of the Lord because they are to speak what thus saith the Lord.
This is prophetic for then and for the future, so we need to understand that the night speaks not only of evil and dark times and the conditions of men’s hearts and imaginations but as well as the spiritual deception the passive water downed doctrines and the weak theology that is overtaking many of the churches of today by the intoxicating spirit of the antichrist. We have Chaos, confusion, tension, and suspicion running rampant in the world and in the church. It is sad to say that a lot of churches today have replaced the leading of the Holy Ghost and the direction of the Apostles Prophets Evangelist Pastors and Teachers with committees that are more concerned about the spirit of entertainment and coffee shops than preaching and teaching the unadulterated Word of God and winning souls for Christ.
Understand the Watchman was and is responsible for warning the people of impeding danger, they were responsible to blow the trumpet and call the people to action. Ezekiel 33 gives warning to the Watchman explaining what their responsibilities are and the penalty if they fail.
QUESTION: - Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? Now let’s look at this question that seems so simple but is so serious. This is not just a question about what time is it or how is everything going so far. This is a question of dire consequence - Remember repetition states the importance and seriousness of the question. Here this man is enquiring from the watchman for instruction to ensure safety and security. He wants to know What needs to be done to make it through the night. What must we do to be saved. We are surrounded by chaos and confusion, we are afflicted, we are being oppressed, tensions are at an all-time high and we need to know what is left of the night.
WATCHMAN SAYS: - the morning cometh, and also the night. Understand we are dealing with the prophetic and morning cometh represents Joy and Salvation. Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning. Morning always follows night; light always follows darkness. With the morning there is peace and safety, with the morning there is comfort and easy but don’t get lackadaisical, don’t become complacent, don’t settle down in mediocrity because also the night. Prophetically speaking, after the joy of the morning then there is the judgment of the night. So, while the morning is here make sure that you prepare yourself, make sure you get your house in order, make sure everything is secure because night is also coming.
Then the Watchman makes an appeal:- if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. He is pleading with the man that asked the question to seek God, be obedient to Him, come unto Him all ye that labor and heavy burden and He will give you rest cast all your cares upon Him for He careth for you. This is basically what the watchman was saying.
APPLICATION: - We as the watchman today doesn’t matter about title, position, denomination, robes, staffs, or any other man-made garb (bage) we are all watchmen. 2 Corinthians 5:18 says, “ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”. We are all watchmen, and we have the responsibility to tell this world that is living in chaos, confusion, tension, suspicion, anxiety, sin that morning is coming also the night. Morning for those that are saved that will rejoice at His appearing, those that will be caught up to meet Him in the air. It will be night for those that have rejected Him, it will be a time of judgment, there will be the second death, they will cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Morning is coming but also night.
We as watchmen cannot be sleep, we cannot be dumb but must with a loud voice herald the warning that morning is coming and also the night. Telling every man woman boy and girl that they need to get there self together repent be baptized in Jesus’ name be filled with the Holy Ghost live obedient to His Word come out from among them and be separated from the world walk in the newness of life.
It is not the time to play around, it’s not the time to think you have a lot of time, just look around and see what is going on in this untoward generation, kids killing kids the first week of school in mass school shootings. In the little town we live in 1 high school in the whole town we don’t even have a grocery store but the other Friday night at the High School football game there was a shooting. Watchman what is left of the Night? Morning is coming – Also the Night. Are you READY!.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
