Watchman What Of The Night?

Watchman what of the night?

Isaiah 21:6,11

(6) For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

(11) The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Matthew 2:18. In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

INTRODUCTION:

It was said by someone that "Adversity brings us to see ourselves" And surely what we have experienced this week as a nation has brought us face to face with our inadequacies and inabilities to stop Terrorism. There has been a great mourning and weeping for our children. But, we as a nation are bound together more tightly than we have been in a long time.

Adversity not only brings us to see ourselves, but it unites people who have a common goal, and I fear the enemy has awakened the sleeping giant. The enemy we face today is faceless, He has no borders, no defining lines that we can say "This is the enemy"

We live in a world today that utilizes such things as radar, Satellite tv systems, and sophisticated communications to where we can readily see what is going on in just about any part of the world. Our spy satellite network can detect movement of troops on the ground.

During the war with Saddam Hussein we kept tract of every movement that was going on. And if we can see and hear all that with man made devices, just think what God can see and hear.

Proverbs 15:3 tells us that "the eyes of the Lord are in every place, seeing both the good and the evil."

Sometimes we take for granted the fact that we can turn on our TV sets and see just exactly what is happening over in the middle East. Within a few minutes every part of the world saw what was happening on Tuesday. Sixty years ago you would have never heard of the incident, the earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, and famines that plague the world.

It was not so in Isaiah’s day.

Back in the time of Isaiah they built their walled cities and they relied on the Watchmen who set in their towers to keep them informed as to the conditions around them.

And there were times during the night that a call would go forth, "Watchman, what of the night?" "Watchman, Declare what you see"

And he would respond with a report of "All is well", or he would let them know of impending danger.

And I believe today that God has raised up pastors, and evangelist, Apostles, Prophets, and church workers that they might be watchmen over His kingdom. And not only that but he has given Mothers and Fathers the same responsibility. Just as He told Ezekiel, "Son of man, I’ve made you a watchman unto the house of Israel.","Therefore, hear the word in my mouth." I believe He was saying, "Get real close to me and hear what I have to say.", "Warn my people" When you see : Impending danger.... Disaster coming.... The enemy approaching... The church start forsaking the assembling of themselves.... Them become complacent....

Watchman, what do you see? Don’t hold not back! Don’t keep silent, Sound the alarm!

Don’t stick your head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist, but be like Nathan, walk into the king’s chambers and boldly declare, "Thou art the man"

You and I have a responsibility as watchmen. We have been commissioned by God to cry out against sin.

In Isaiah 56:10-11; He spoke about a group of "Watchmen" that they were blind, they were ignorant, they were as dumb dogs that cannot bark, they are sleeping, they were greedy, looking after their own gain, and never satisfied" I thought, what a description of those who were supposed to be looking out after the household of Israel. We have them today, my friend. I believe the church world has been inundated with some of the most arrogant and bold wolves in sheep’s clothing, evangelist, teachers, that has ever been around. Greedy, lazy, ignorant, never getting enough.

They have slid in under the wall and they’ve infiltrated our churches of today!

Always looking out for # 1.

But let’s bring it down to home. You know we always like to point a finger at someone else and say, "The fault lies out there, but as Shakespeare put it, the fault dear Brutus may well lie within us."

BUT, I believe it’s time to take inventory of ourselves, and ask our self, "What kind of watchman am I Lord?" And, "What of the night?" Hear me today, this sermon is for you. Don’t throw it over your shoulder and say, "This is for you". No, you take it and apply it to your life! What kind of watchmen are we today? Can we discern between the real and the counterfeit?