April 5, 2001
"Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge;
they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough.
They are shepherds who lack understanding;
they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.
"Come," each one cries, "let me get wine!
Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,or even far better."
Isaiah 56:10-12
I learn so much about the heart of God by what disturbs or angers him. In these verses he has another rebuke for Israel's watchmen, their leadership. Their job was to watch the people, to stand guard, to warn them to keep them from sin that would separate them from God. However, as these verses describe they failed in their task... they were so immersed in themselves and their pleasures that they were blind, willfully blind is what the verses are talking about. They stopped caring about the people; they became apathetic to their condition and allowed sin to continue unchecked and uncontested in their lives. They reach a point where their revelry and sinfulness is habitual.. "and tomorrow will be like today". It caused me to stop and think about why this angers God so much and how it applies to us today... very simply this is not the heart of God! God is the ultimate watchman, he has set the example for what he expected, he is completely selfless in all that he's done for us. The watchmen didn't defend God's truth, his honor or his word -- they didn't revere his Name!! The lesson for me today is the same in principle... each one of us becomes a watchman when we become disciples. We are all leaders on some level, even those who've just become disciples. It's God's expectation that we care for one another, that we keep our eyes out for each other, strengthen one another; help each other stay strong in times of temptation and when we sin to get strong again. That's a responsibility that he has given to each one of us and that we must take seriously because that is the heart of God! How distressed God must have been to look at Israel's watchmen after all he had done... despite their sin God was constantly calling and encouraging them, spurring them on to greater heights, pouring himself out for them and they became too selfish to do that for each other. It's easy to look at that and point fingers but it's true today.. God has done so much in our lives individually and he expects that we will have HIS HEART toward each other...
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. "
Romans 12:10-11
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Galatians 6:2
"And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
1 John 4:21