THE HEAVENLY WORKERS AND THE EARTHLY WATCHERS
Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 62:6-7. For Zion’s sake will I not hold My peace. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, &c.
Two expository remarks.
1. The speaker is the personal Messiah (Isaiah 61:1).
The remarkable parallelism in the expressions selected as the text should be noticed: “I will not hold My peace;” the watchmen “shall never hold their peace.” And His command to them is literally: Ye that remind Jehovah—no rest (or silence) to you! and give not rest to Him. Christ, the Church, and God are all represented as unceasingly occupied in the one great work of establishing “Zion” as the centre of light, salvation, and righteousness for the whole world. Consider these three perpetual activities—
I. THE GLORIFIED CHRIST IS CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR HIS CHURCH. The greatness of Christ’s work in the past may lead us to forget the true importance of what He evermore does. His present life is presented in Scripture under two contrasted and harmonious aspects—as being rest, and as continuous activity in the midst of rest [1761]
[1761] His session on the throne proclaims the full accomplishment of all the purposes of His earthly ministry. It points backwards to the forces lodged in the world’s history by Christ’s finished work,—the basis of all our hopes; it points to a future as the goal of all these hopes. But while He rests as from a perfected work, He also rests not day nor night. “The right hand of God” is significant of the operative energy of the Divine nature; “sitting” there is equivalent to possessing and wielding that measureless power. The Evangelist who uses the expression says “they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them.” The words at the beginning of Acts—“all which Jesus began both to do and teach”—suggest the same thought. The whole history of that book is shaped by this conviction. The Lord adds to the Church daily; His name works miracles, &c. Not the Acts of the Apostles, but the Acts of the Lord in and by His servants is the accurate title of this book. Stephen beheld his Lord “standing”—as if risen with intent to help—“on the right hand of God.” John in Patmos saw Him who “holdeth the seven stars in His right hand,” and “walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” The text speaks of a continuous forthputting of power: “I will not rest.” His power is in exercise as the inspiration of good men, using them as His weapons, and the axe must not boast itself against Him that heweth. He orders providences, and shapes the course of the world for the Church (1 Chronicles 16:21-22). The word of this Master is never “Go,” but “Come.” There is besides, the wonderful truth of His continuous intercession for us. His work on earth is ever present to the Divine mind as the ground of our acceptance and the channel of our blessing (John 17:24).—Dr. Maclaren.
II. CHRIST’S SERVANTS ON EARTH DERIVE FROM HIM A LIKE PERPETUAL ACTIVITY FOR THE SAME OBJECT (Isaiah 62:7). Note a twofold form of occupation devolving on these Christ-sent servants. They are watchmen, and they are also God’s remembrancers. The former metaphor is commonly applied in the Old Testament to the prophetic office, but in accordance with the genius of the New Testament, as expressed on Pentecost, should be extended to the whole mass of Christian people.
1. Our voices should ever be heard on earth. With faith in Christ come responsibilities. We are watchmen. Let us ponder the pattern.
2. Our voices should ever be heard in heaven. Faith is a mute appeal to God’s faithful love; and, beyond that, our prayers come up for a memorial before God. They remind God. The prayer that prevails is a reflected promise. These two forms of action ought to be inseparable. Prayerless work will soon slacken, and never bear fruit; idle prayer is worse than idle.
3. The power for both is derived from Christ. He sets the watchmen; He commands the remembrancers. And our pattern is His manner of discharging them, and the condition of receiving the power is to abide in Him.
III. THE CONSTANT ACTIVITY OF THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST WILL SECURE THE CONSTANT OPERATION OF GOD’S POWER. “Give Him no rest.” Bold words. The prophet believes that those who remind God can stir up the strength of the Lord. Practically, God reaches His end—the establishment of Zion, through the Church. The great reservoir is always full; but the bore of the pipe and the power of the pumping-engine determine the rate at which the stream flows from it (Matthew 13:58). We may have as much of God as we want, as much as we can hold, far more than we deserve. An awful responsibility lies on us. With what grand confidence may the weakest go to his task.
STIMULATING LESSONS.—
1. Look at the energy around us. Do we work as hard for God as the world does for itself.
2. Look at the energy beneath us. If we are sitting drowsy by our camp fires, the enemy is on the alert. It is no time for God’s sentinels to nod.
3. Look at the energy above us. On the throne of the universe is the immortal Power who slumbereth not. Before the altar of the heavens is the Priest of the world. Round Him stand perfected spirits, who “rest not day and night.” Do we work for God as He and all that are with Him do? Alas! have we not been like the three Apostles sleeping, even while the Lord was wrestling with the tempter in Gethsemane. Let us lift up our cry to God: “Awake, awake” (Isaiah 51:9); and the answer shall be an echo of the prayer turned into a command (Isaiah 52:1).—A. Maclaren, D.D.: Sermons, Second Series, pp. 19–38.