January 24: THE DUTY OF LEADERS AND FOLLOWERS

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; Isaiah 62:6a

A special word for leaders among the disciples of the LORD is watchmen. God is addressing the citizenry of the Holy City, both leaders and followers. The imagery of watchmen standing guard on the walls illustrates the duty of leaders to protect the citizens from the entry of dangerous invaders. In a spiritual sense, it is referring to false teachings that alter and harm the message of salvation, and can lead to the loss of eternal life.

At the time of the end, the days in which we are now living, this deadly danger has multiplied many times over. Jude pointed out that certain men have crept in unnoticed (Jude 4) who have perpetuated unbiblical doctrines among the people of God. Jude continues: But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe (v.5). Sadly, they had allowed counterfeits of God’s truth to supplant things that they had correctly been shown before leaving Egypt as well as continued learning in the early days following their rescue.

Isaiah continues: They [the watchmen] shall never hold their peace day or night. (Isaiah 62:6b) Like the LORD Himself whose zeal for His people is so great that He declares “I will not hold My peace…[nor] rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness” (see Isaiah 62:1), the faithful watchmen are diligent to contend earnestly (Jude 2) for the uncorrupted faith, the new wine that was given, starting from the very beginning of God’s word. The attitude of the Lord and His faithful watchmen is the opposite of complacency. Isn’t it absurd to imagine God being complacent with all the false teachings in the world that go directly against His perfect law?

Complacency among fallen humans goes hand-in-glove with presumption. The great deceiver conditions people gradually to shift over to false “guidelines” that are not in accordance with God’s word. When he is successful, this conditioning is accompanied by a sense of outrage when hearing the actual truth. Another response, however, is to check for oneself to find out what God really has to say. The duty of followers is beautifully illustrated in the early church at Berea: These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).

You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent. (Isaiah 62:6c) Those who are not fair-minded will use various tactics to silence those faithful ones, whether leaders or followers, who speak up regarding God’s truth. Scoffing is the most common response. In order to protect their current way of living, they will warn God’s faithful not to make mention of the LORD when it comes to cherished habits and traditions that do not line up with Scripture. Nevertheless, if you are one of His faithful, do not keep silent.

“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20

Keep going: Psalm 19:13; Matthew 9:17; Acts 22:15; Revelation 3:10; 13:14