DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: JUNE 8 THE BIBLICAL WATCHMAN (1) SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 21: 6 – 8

The word “watchman” when looked at from literal point of view will diminish its spiritual significance. Such literal meaning puts a watchman as an ordinary guard or sentry man standing and watching out for encroaching enemies. The watchman of this definition stands on the wall of a city or watchtower, watching out for when invaders are approaching to alert the people of the city. Today’s devotional is looking at the word “Watchman” from spiritual perspectives. The devotional picked on four Prophets who fit into the phrase “Spiritual or Biblical Watchman.” These Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Habakkuk based on Isaiah 21: 6 – 8; Jeremiah 6: 16 – 19; 50: 10; Ezekiel 3: 16 – 21 and Habakkuk 2: 17 respectively. Here we are going to see the Prophetic and spiritual characteristics of a Spiritual or Biblical watchman.

A Biblical Watchman is one who watches out in spiritual matters over his people. He/she examines things in the mind and sees when people are moving away from godly standards; as well as an upcoming anger of God upon the people as the result of their wickedness. The Biblical watchman stands as an alarm that warns on God’s coming judgment. Like ordinary watchman who stands on watchtower watching out for invaders, the spiritual watchman tarries in the night hours praying, interceding and verifying into the righteous and unrighteous stand of his people before God. When the spiritual watchman sees anything wrong, he shouts out to his people warning them against the anger of God over their wicked acts. In the lead text above, Prophet Isaiah said that God told him to: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees…” (Isa. 21: 6 NIV). The “lookout” here means to stand out looking forward for any coming danger.

Prophet Isaiah said he did stands on the watchtower every night standing at his post. This means Prophet Isaiah did have his nights praying and prying into God’s words comparing issues with issues so that his people will not be destroyed by God, as well as external enemies. As seen in today’s lead passage, Prophets and God’s ministers are not merely for seeing evils on God’s children only. They are to stand like watchmen, standing on spiritual watchtower watching their people and sounding warnings over what they saw. Through this, evil will be minimized in the society. And, punishments of God on evil practices will be reduced.

PRAYER:

JEHOVAH my Father, raise us more Biblical or Spiritual intercessors; who will act as watchmen and women over us in this trouble days in Jesus name.

bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch