Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"His watchmen are blind"
Text: Isaiah 56:10
A REBUKE TO THE WICKED ENEMIES
The LORD issued a word of warning to all the enemies of Israel. In the days of Isaiah, the dominant empire was the Assyrians. The Babylonians would be the next empire that would pose a dire threat to Israel.
“All you beasts of the field, come to devour,
All you beasts in the forest.
His watchmen are blind,
They are all ignorant;
They are all dumb dogs,
They cannot bark;
Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”
Isaiah 56:9-10
1. A description of the enemies.
a) They were called “beasts of the field”.
b) They were also called “beasts in the forest”.
c) These beasts had a ravenous appetite.
d) They lived to devour their prey.
2. The watchmen.
a) All cities had walls and watch towers.
b) Watchmen were employed to help guard the cities.
c) But after victory is secured many watchmen became lazy.
d) Many were not watchful; many were asleep in their watch towers.
3. They were described as:
a) Blind
b) Ignorant
c) Success in the battle field could end up in defeat
if the cities were not carefully watched over.
4. An unfavourable comparison made.
a) The watchmen were compared to “dumb dogs”.
b) They cannot bark because they are dumb.
c) Worse, these were lazy dogs.
i) They like lying down.
ii) They liked their slumber.
iii) They preferred to sleep than to be watchful.