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Watchmen On the Walls … Who Are They?

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MY MORNING READING  took me to Isaiah 62:6-7. Who are these “watchmen” and what should they be doing?

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent
And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

One thing sure about watchmen (and I can verify this from my own military experience), they must stay vigilant. To get caught sleeping on watch is a serious charge. Watching is a job that is much more focused on the comfort and safety of others than on oneself. Many homes today use an electronic watchman–a security system–that allows the residents to sleep peacefully, knowing they will be alerted to fire, a gas leak or an intruder. The job of the watchman is about as serious as a job can get.

They shall never hold their peace day or night … these watchmen are to not only be vigilant, but they are to sound the alarm without delay. They are not to hold back on what they see. And–for these particular watchmen–it appears from the text that they see a Jerusalem that is not being praised, a Jerusalem that is apparently not being blessed.

Does Isaiah 62 refer to the city of Jerusalem or to the Church?

Some theologians spiritualize Scripture entirely. They see references to Israel and Jerusalem as concrete examples pointing to a Heavenly truth. Others argue for a literal interpretation of the Bible. It seems to me that every lesson in Scripture has both a literal and a spiritual application. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son, for instance, was an actual event designed to test Abraham’s commitment to the Father–but it also pointed ahead to the Father’s own willingness to give his own Son.

Whatever your own view, think of this: Is Jerusalem honored and praised throughout the world today? You need not look far to find those who hate Jerusalem, who want to destroy her, who continually speak hatred against her people.

And how about the Christian Church? How is it faring in the opinion polls? Have you heard much in the way of good reports in the news about her lately–or is the Church being slammed as a gathering place for hypocrites and con men?

Isaiah says the watchmen God has set should give Him “no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”

So, who are those watchmen?

My guess is that those who are called to pray for Jerusalem (and/or) the Church will feel the call of the Holy Spirit to watch and pray. Who are those watchmen? You could be one of them. I could be one of them.

Today, let’s listen to the voice of the Lord and find out. Today, let’s not forget to pray that the Lord establish His people in righteousness–that He draws us so strongly to Himself that others can see Him in us.

(Illustration: László Mednyánszky [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Aijalon Mahli Gomes Abandoned?

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Still surprised by the lack of commentary and outcry concerning Aijalon Mahli Gomes–imprisoned by North Korea for the “grave offense” of being a Christian and entering the country without permission–I asked a colleague, who has direct access to the pulse of the South Korean Christian community, for his take on the situation. Here is the response:

Interestingly, the South Korean church has always been rather unfazed by what happens in North Korea. You can’t live next to a crazy neighbor for this long without learning how to tune them out in your head, I guess.

Overall, most of the human rights and religious groups are coming to a recognition that the strategy employed by Park and Gomes was quite a harmful one for the North Korean underground church and for the conduct of missionary work in China.

It may be that the church is ticked at Aijalon for acting like a Christian, the U.S. State Department is ticked at Aijalon for trying to do something about North Korea’s acts of oppression and the rest of the world either doesn’t care or is afraid to care.

Even the other recent captives of North Korea aren’t speaking out on his behalf. I note only myself and two others who have blogged, Twittered and otherwise written more than a blip or two about Aijalon Mahli Gomes. The general consensus, it seems, is that Aijalon made the choice to enter North Korea, so he can stay in North Korea.

Aijalon, if ever there was a roadturn, Buddy, you are on it. My prayer is that your work is effectual and that your mind and body can persevere. Don’t count on your country or your church to step in on your behalf. If the Creator is on your side, you don’t need them anyway.