Wtchman, What Of The Night?
The difference between a focus set on the things of this world is very much different than a focus set on the Kingdom of Heaven! The results between the two are very much different as well. In the silence of the night a voice calls to the watchman, “Watchman, what of the night?” What did it mean, “What of the night?” Was it a question concerned about the dark silence of the night, or was it a question concerned for the spiritual darkness! If a person just wanted to know what was happening in the dark silence of the night, then the reply might be that it is just another dark and quiet night. A person whose focus is on this world would go about life as usual because night is usually silent and dark. However, a person whose focus is set on the Kingdom of God would have a concern over the quietness of God and the spiritual darkness. That night would be full of evil, demonic activity, and lawlessness of all sorts! A person focused on this world would be exposed to the human destruction caused by Satan, who goes about in the cover of darkness to steal, kill, and destroy! A person with a focus on the Kingdom of God would live according to the Light of the World, which lives in us because of what Christ Jesus did for us on the Cross. Greater is Christ Jesus who is in us than he who is of this world!
The Apostle Paul had a night experience with about 220 other people in a storm-tossed ship. It was such a dark and horrid night that they all “wished for the day.” “Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.” Paul was the watchman! The captains of the ship, before their boat was torn apart by the massive storm, was debating whether to set sail or not! They were in the dark, they were asking the question, “Watchman, what of the night?” But, they didn’t ask Paul who had insight from the Kingdom of God, they only wanted to know according to a focus based on the elements of this world! But, the Apostle Paul chimed in anyway and said it would be a disaster to set sail. When the captains of the ship saw the gentle winds, excellent for filling their sails, they decided to sail on. Big mistake! As the Apostle Paul said, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it was a disaster. a literal shipwreck! The Apostle Paul, a Watchman of the night, had the light of God in him, he had the Light of the world, his Lord Jesus Christ abiding in him.
If we really want to know, “What of the night?” then we need to go to the Watchman that sees through the dark. He is the One that came to us from God, He came from His Home in the Kingdom of God, and His name is Jesus Christ! He made it His ministry to open blind eyes so that we can see what the world does not see! He is the Light of the world who shines a light in our heart so that we can walk a righteous path in a dark world. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” In the Light, we see the nature of our sin which is food for enflaming demonic activity. Satan destroys and kills humanity through the sin in our heart. However, God has a plan of redemption that puts sin into remission, which simultaneously casts out the darkness of demonic activity. That plan of redemption is realized when we accept what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross. With the remission of sin comes the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and that is when the Light comes on and darkness goes out! We are the light of the world because THE Light of the world lives in us!
Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Scripture Text
“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.” Isaiah 21:11-12 King James Version (KJV)
“Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.” Acts 27:29
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” Matthew 7:7 (KJV)