God's Verdict ???

Blind, Ignorant, and Lazy?

The Word of God is so full of surprises. Here is a fairly devastatingly accurate one for today’s church, our leadership, and the watchmen and prophets !! And that includes me !!

Isaiah 56:9-12 (NIV1984)  “Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!  [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.”

That woke you up didn’t it? Blind watchmen – mute and lazy people – ignorant shepherds? Each turning his own way seeking gain and ‘the good life’? Wow – how devastating is that?  Now I don’t want to make this a gloom and doom post, but it does strike me that when the Lord brings a passage such as this to our attention, then there must be a reason.

Those watchmen among us, are we being blasé about that which we see going on around us? Are we getting so accustomed to the signs in the heavens that we simply ignore what we are seeing? Are we so tired of issuing “storm warnings” or “earthquake alerts” and folk not reacting that we have given up warning and alerting?  Is Jesus tarrying too long for us that we have lost patience waiting for Him and have decided subliminally that it’s not going to happen after all?

Have we indeed become a mute and lazy people – saying nothing when we should be shouting from the rooftops? Do we laze around, content in smug self-congratulation at all our efforts, when we should still be working hard to bring the good news of the Gospel to every man, woman, and child on the planet?

Are our leaders becoming ignorant shepherds? Do our shepherds choose to ignore much of the teachings of the New Testament and stay ignorant of the march of time and the signs available for all to see? Do they ignore, or worse, flatly refuse to acknowledge the presence of Holy Spirit? Do they insist on preaching things that are nowhere to be found in God’s Word?

Is each of us turning his own way seeking gain and ‘the good life’? Do we deliberately ignore God’s teaching and Holy Spirit’s leading to follow our own path? Are we seeking the wealth of the world before we seek the wealth of God’s Kingdom?

Hard questions to ask ourselves, maybe, but why on earth would such a passage as this be included in scripture? Why would the Lord bring it back into sight at this time, in this place, and for whom? I believe I am called to be a watchman and I don’t think I have shirked any of the responsibilities of that role. However, God may be telling me that I am completely derelict in my duties in that area. I hope not but I have to review my activities in the light of this scripture and repent where necessary.

God NEVER brings passages of scripture to us for no reason. So it is with this passage. What is He saying to you through this scripture? What is He saying to any or all of us here? I am pretty certain we are deep into the end times and that I must maintain my watch. How about the shepherds and flock – what are you all doing to ensure maximum exposure and coverage for God during this time?

Just askin’ – that’s all. But our answers had better be right answers. I don’t want to face anyone having to answer for my lackadaisical inactivity during such a time as this.