Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Isaiah 21:12

Copyright Ó 2014 J. Neely
Isaiah 21:12ues

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.