Life in biblical times is no different than today. Sins that were present back then are the same today. You read how foolish man was in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, and nothing has changed. God had to continuously give wake up calls before He destroyed the land that His disobedient creation inhabited.
God gave Isaiah in the Old Testament visions of the future that he was to warn people so they could prepare themselves. One particular vision was a wake up call. It was time to rise and shine and return to depending on God. In Isaiah 21:1-10, Isaiah was very troubled over what was going to take place for Babylon. Disaster was fast approaching. In verse 3, you read how troubled Isaiah was, “I grow faint when I hear what God is planning. I am too afraid to look.”
What made Isaiah even more troubled is what you learn in verse 5. Even though trouble was approaching, people continued to ignore it and live as if nothing was happening. They continued to enjoy their lives by feasting and drinking with one another. The end of the verse speaks of Isaiah going, “Hey, it’s time to rise and shine. Wake up everyone!”
“Quick, grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked!”5b
Verses 6-10 tell you that God continues to show Isaiah what to tell people so they can be prepared and ready for what God is going to do. They were to be like a watchman, ready for what God is doing. “Let the watchman be fully alert.”7b
For today, you are called to rise and shine, be fully alert, prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. You are to be a watchman over your own faith. If you are a man with a wife and/or children, you are called to be the watchman over your family. God has made every man to lead his family spiritually; see 1 Peter 3:7. Spiritual hindrances and spiritual attacks are heightened when the husband/father does not rise up.
Currently, this world is moaning and groaning. It has been since Adam and Eve succumbed to the devil’s lies in the Garden. Every generation since then has had to find their way back to God. The enemy is loud and proud today. Many are falling and failing like those in Isaiah’s time. They are remaining blase’ towards the warning signs that are all around. Many are ignoring the warning signs as they continue living for themselves rather than living dependent on God. You read how foolish people are in Isaiah 20:1-6. They were trusting in foreign alliances rather than trusting God.
Are you trusting God first and foremost? Are you paying attention to the warning signs that are evident in our culture. Friend, may I ask, what are you doing about it? Here’s what God asks of you:
Romans 10:9-10 – “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
Acts 2:38 – “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
Psalm 25:5 – “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.”
John 3:3 – “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'”
A warning in Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”
God wants you to follow His Son. God wants you to let go of the things in this world and rise up and shine for His glory and kingdom. Your life on earth is not about you. It never has been. All life on earth has been created to bring glory and honor to the Creator, who is God. May you and I live accordingly.
Carol J German 