Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/73

Contributor - Margaret Van E\eck

Title - Watchman, what of the night?

Topic - Advent

I cannot help it, when I think about advent. I think about Christ's return: His second coming. Sometimes it brings the chills down my spine and goose bumps on my arms to look at the time we live in and to look at the present day happenings; to realize that we are living in the last days! Christ's put return is at hand! I am not putting a date on it, but I sure ry do what the Bible tells me to do: give heed to what is happening and by doing that keeping myself awake! Matt. 16 : 2, 3; Luke 12 : 35-40.

We are, when you read this, very close to Christmas. One of my daughters asked me already what plans I have made for Christmas. That means: Are you going away or are you staying home? I said: "My plans are not sure. So far I have changed my mind already twice." It seems so far away, yet it is there in no time at all.

In Isaiah's days, the Lord spoke and said to the people: "Go, set a watchman, let him announce what he sees", 21 : 6. And today, the Lord is speaking to us with the same urgency: "The day of My return in drawing near." In the same chapter, we read: "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" The watchman says: "Morning comes., and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire, come back again. R.S.V.

Inquire - search - make sure where we stand, where we are in history fulfilled. Is it still night? - or is the dawn already on us? Inquire!

In Isaiah's days, Jesus was not born yet. Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah. He came hundreds of years later. It may take a thousand years or it may only take a day, but He will come again, He has told us.

In God's sight it does not make any difference. A thousand years are the same to Him than one day, and one day as a thousand years. But since it makes a difference for us and since we know that this day comes on us as a thief in the night, we better be ready! Peter 3 says: "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and dedicated to God."

It seems to far away, but it will be here in no time at all. The people in Noah's days were not expecting it! Some of them may have said, when Noah started to build the ark and preached, "You never know, we will see." But after many years, nothing happened, and they agreed with the rest of the people in saying: "Noah is a dreamer and talks too much, I came nevertheless, and these drowned too.

What I tried to tell you is this: We may believe that the end of the world is coming. But that is not enough! We have to live as if it is coming now! That makes all the difference.

When we know somebody is coming, but we don't know when, we may not be ready when he comes. But when we think: "We don't know when, but he may be here any moment," we make ourselves ready. This is the way the Lord wants us to think and act. "Be ready, for you do not know the day nor the hour."

In Isaiah 22 : 12-14, the Lord calls for weeping and mourning, and the people say: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." The Lord's answer to this is: "Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you till you die." People know they are going to die. But they don't see any reason to worry about it. Why worry about the future? Things have been like this from the beginning and nothing has changed. O.K. what about it? We all have to die. Life, is short, why not enjoy it? Why worry about dying, when the going is good?" For not listening to what the Lord says, and even do the opposite things, (not weeping, but fasting) the Lord is very clear in His verdict:

The penalty is death - eternal death! For the people in Noah's clay - death by drowning. For the people in Jerusalem - death in captivity. For the people in our day - death by fire.

The time for repentance is now. Don't wait - don't make excuses. Tomorrow may be to late!

"Watch and wait, it's getting late."

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