Isaiah 21:12
12 The watchman [shamar] said ['amar], The morning [boqer] cometh
['athah], and also the night [layil]: if ye will enquire [ba`ah],
enquire [ba`ah] ye: return [shuwb], come ['athah]. KJV-Interlinear
12 The watchman says, "Morning
comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again." NASB
And just as
quickly as the prophecy against Edom arose in the prior verse, so it ends in this
the second of only two verses given to it.
Indifference, disinterest, derision, and even subtle mocking, pretending
interest, are met with courtesy, but here is an answer that matches the
inquiry.
The question was
not genuine, even though the fear was.
The answers have
been provided since before Isaiah’s time, and have been written for the many generations
following.
Even you and I
have this daily study and there is more than enough time for anyone who really desire
to know, to learn and know what the Bible has to teach.
But as so often
is the case, the interest is not genuine, the questions are no more than an
attempt to get someone else to do busy work, and the whole interest bit is no
more than pretense or a game of arrogant fools thinking they are fooling or
mocking others.
The morning is
the dawn of hope, the provision of light or truth, the possibility of safety
and blessing.
The night is
symbolic of the time of trouble, of affliction, of suffering, of loss, of
failure. Regardless of how ones life
goes, it is the end that records the final and permanent score. And anyone who disregards truth ends up the
loser.
And finally
Isaiah gives those who really are not interested, the answer. If you want to know, then inquire, genuinely
inquire, make an effort, search as you would for known treasure. If you knew that there was certain treasure
in a certain place, and that it was there for the taking, then you, or most
people, would go get it.
But doctrine is
not seen as treasure, even though it is the most valuable treasure in
existence. It is mocked, laughed at,
ignored. And when trouble comes along,
then the solution that is and always has been there, is given a frivolous look,
and then turned away.
This principle
is true throughout the ages. But here is
the prophecy of how an entire world will be afraid during those terrible final
years in the Tribulation, and yet the obvious and phenomenal destruction that
will surround everyone, will still not be enough to get many to repent. Their fears will be more real than the hope
of doctrine.
And the odd
things is, everything in this world is false, on which people place their hope,
while doctrine is the truth and foundation of life and yet people disregard
it. Kind of like doing nothing but still
saying, ‘amen’ anyway, and then continuing to do nothing.
Only the fool
looks and sees the treasure, a gift from God, and then walks away.
