Are You One of the Holy People?

 

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.” Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples. Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.” And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” (Isaiah 62:6-12 ESV).

 

The title for today’s devotional is a bit pretentious. After all, can any of us really be “one of the holy people”? The Scripture tells us that we are all “sinners” (cf. Romans 3:23). That’s certainly a far stretch to being “holy.” However, we can see in our reading today that our calling in Christ brings with it a sense of being separated from unbelievers. That’s not very popular in our common wisdom today, but it is the truth of Scripture.

 

He uses an interesting word to describe this calling when we are called “watchmen” (v. 6). The word "watchman" in the Bible comes from the Hebrew words tzaphah (צָפָה), meaning "to look out, spy, or keep watch," and shamar (שָׁמַר), meaning "to guard or protect". These terms describe a person, often a prophet in a spiritual sense, who stands on a wall or tower to observe, guard, and warn a city or community of danger, whether it be an approaching army, natural disaster, or spiritual peril. In this vision of hope we find a powerful call to action. God says: “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night.” (v. 6). This is a powerful picture of remaining alert, calling out the warning, and intercessory prayer.

 

We don’t have literal watchers on the walls in our culture today, but there are lots of people who do something similar. Weather forecasters tell us what weather is coming. Financial experts keep an eye on the markets. Others watch what’s going on in geopolitics. Is there a situation stirring your heart to call out the warning or to intercede? How might the Spirit be calling you to guard over your neighbors, co-workers, or fellow students? God calls you to be a watcher on the wall. You are one of the Holy people by virtue of God’s redemptive work in your life!