I have been hesitant to post this, perhaps for fear that I have not interpreted it correctly.. There have been three times when I asked the Lord for a word to direct my life. Each of these times about a year apart, when I opened the Bible and started reading it was the same verse.
Isaiah chapter 21:11-12
" The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!”
This prophecy is against Edom which means Red, probably associated with bloodshed. Herod was probably the most prominent Edomite. He ordered the destruction of all the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem in an attempt to circumvent Israel's Deliverer and King Jesus Christ. I believe that it is here representative of Satan himself the devouring beast that wants to destroy all innocent human beings, especially children, both born and unborn.
Dumah was one of the 12 sons of Ishmael and was probably representative of all Edom here. Seir is a reference to Mt Seir which is in Edom.
A Watchmen is defined several versus earlier in verse 6 where it says "Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he's sees." So a watchmen is just that and he is to declare what he sees.
The Watchmen here declares "The morning comes, and also the night."
In the Greek there are two words for time: chronos and kairos. Chronos is where we get chronological. It is a measure of time, a quantity of time. Kairos is a ''quality'' of time. A divinely opportune time to act where God's momentum is with us. The watchman says that the morning comes. I believe that is representative of us having been given a Kairos when we must act because the watchman says "also the night comes."
I love what Matthew Henry says about this text: "It is our wisdom to improve the present morning in preparation for the night that is coming after it. Inquire, return, come. We are urged to do it quickly for there is no time to trifle. Those that return and come to God will find they have a great deal of work to do, and but little time to do it in."
I have no idea of any time frames in this. I just sensed that it is certainly an admonition that He is with us...that it is time to act and there is coming a time of darkness and difficulty...night. We don't want to roll over and go back to sleep during a time of Kairos. Saint Augustine said "God supplies the wind but we must raise the sails."
Another thing that is certain...the night is coming!
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3
Comentarios