"WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?"

A Sermon by the Rev. Patrick A. Rose

Listen to audio version of sermon

"He calls to me out of Seir, 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?' The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night." (Isa. 21:11,12)

IN THE STORY of the Lord's birth we are told that when Mary gave birth to her baby, she laid Him in a manger because, we are told, "there was no room for them in the inn."1  There was no room for the Lord!  Many people have commented and reflected on the irony that the celebration of Christmas itself often leaves little time to devote to the Lord and to His Word.  There is no room for Him.  It is almost as if, in the busy lives of people here on earth today, there are repeated the same problems that existed in the world when the Lord was born.

Indeed this is the case.  Even though life in the 21st century is far more complicated and complex than it was at the beginning of the first century, people, within themselves, still face the same fundamental problems, the same fundamental issues.  The story of Christmas is the story of the coming of the Lord.  In its literal sense it tells of the Lord's historical advent just over 2000 years ago.  In a deeper and more universal sense, though, it speaks of His coming to all people of all time.  Historically He came to this world 20 centuries ago.  Spiritually, He comes today.  He comes to us so that He might be with us and so that He might save us.

And so, no matter how busy you might find yourself, no matter how frantic you might feel in trying to get everything ready for the celebration of Christmas, do not fail to make time for the Lord Himself!  It is so obvious, isn't it?  It is so obvious that it sounds like a cliché.  Yet if we are so busy preparing to celebrate the birthday of the Lord that we forget about Him, there is something wrong, something fundamentally wrong.  We have, in effect, allowed external things to stand between us and the Lord.

How does this happen?  It is not a deliberate thing.  None of us say to ourselves that we will focus only on external things.  None of us plan to ignore the Lord.  It is something that happens without thinking. Our attention is so taken up with external details that we simply do not stop to think and to ask ourselves the purpose of all that we are doing.

Now if the angels were to look down into our minds at this time, what is it that they would see?  They would see a darkness in our minds.  It is not that we do not know the truth.  What is happening is that we fail to think about the truth that we know.  The Lord's truth finds no place, no resting place, within our minds.

We are taught in the Heavenly Doctrine that "an inn" stands for a place of instruction.2  The fact that there was no room in the inn when the Lord was born represented the fact that there was no instruction in spiritual things at that time because the teachings of the Lord's Word had been falsified – they had been completely twisted and distorted.3  If a person at that time had wanted to learn the truth about God and the truth about how to live a life of good, he would have found it very, very difficult indeed.  Now with us it is, in a way, different.  We have the truth.  We can learn if we want to. But if we do not take the time to learn and to reflect, then we, like the people at that time, are also in a state of darkness.

We thus need to make room for the Lord in our minds.  We need to take the time to pick up His Word and read it and reflect upon it.  If we can take the time during our celebration of the Lord's advent to reflect upon the meaning of the story of His birth, it can help us understand far deeper the course of our lives, and our relationship with the Lord Himself.

The actual account of the Christmas story as it is recorded in the Gospels is surprisingly brief.  There are the first two chapters of Matthew and the first two chapters of Luke.  Mark does not speak at all of the Christmas story.  John speaks of it only in a general way in the first few verses of the book.  Depending on the size of the print, it is a total of only five, six or seven pages.  Most of us will, if given the opportunity, read at least twice as much as this if we pick up a magazine or newspaper.

It is such a brief story.  It is a story we can read in less than half an hour.  It is a story that we can all make the time to read if we want to.  And yet it is the most wonderful story in the whole world.  It is the story of the coming of the Lord, both His coming in history, and His coming to us in our individual lives.  If you pick it up and read it and think about it, it is going to teach you something, teach you something every time you read it, about yourself, about the Lord, and about your relationship with Him.  It is such a short story, but it can teach you so very much.  It can teach you more than all the newspapers and magazines in the entire world.

The story of Christmas speaks of many things and it can be summarized in many different ways.  On a fundamental level, though, we might say that it is the story of darkness and light, the story of the night and of the dawn.  In the opening verses of the Gospel according to John, our second lesson this morning, the Lord who came into the world is called the Light.  "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."4  And in the actual account of the Lord's birth, darkness and the coming of the Light is a theme that occurs a number of times.

When John the Baptist was born, Mary was already six months pregnant.5  And when John was born, when he was circumcised on the eighth day, his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit. Zacharias prophesied about the Lord who was about to be born.  He spoke of the Lord as the Dayspring or Dawn from on high: "The Dayspring from on high has visited us.  To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."6

Later, after the Lord was born, when He was taken to the Temple by Joseph and Mary, an old man by the name of Simeon took the child Jesus up in his arms.  Simeon also prophesied.  He called the Lord "a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel."7

The coming of the Lord was thus the coming of the Light, the coming of the Light into a world filled with darkness.  So we read of the shepherds, "keeping watch over their flock by night."8  It was dark, very dark.  And then, all of a sudden there was this brilliant light surrounding them.  "The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid."9  Later the wise men would also see a light in the darkness.  In the vast dark sky they saw a brilliant star whose light was a sign that the Lord was born.

Now we have noted how brief is the account of the Lord's birth – just four chapters in the New Testament.  And yet these four chapters do not stand alone.  The whole of the Old Testament looks to the coming of the Lord.  This is not always obvious on the surface.  The Old Testament speaks of many things that in the letter can seem obscure and sometimes completely worldly.  Yet, in a deeper sense, everything in the Old Testament also speaks of the coming of the Lord.  Sometimes this deeper sense shines through, and then the Old Testament speaks plainly of the Lord's coming.  There are many prophesies to be found throughout the books of the Old Testament, prophesies speaking of the day when He would come.  And in these prophesies also we read in places of the coming of the Light to a world of darkness.

Remember Balaam who spoke of a star.  "“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel,"10 Or consider the glorious prophesy near the end of Isaiah: "Arise, shine; for your light has come!  And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.  The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."11  

Darkness covering the earth!  Ever since mankind had first turned to evil, a darkness had arisen upon the earth.  And gradually, over the course of countless years, people turned further and further away from what was spiritual.  The angels of heaven were acutely aware of the spiritual darkness that existed in people's minds here on earth.  They knew, though, that one day the Lord would come to bring light into a world of darkness.  They waited for His coming.

Earlier in the book of Isaiah there is a prophecy which perhaps more than any other speaks of those who longed for the coming of the Light.  Our first lesson this morning was the 21st chapter of Isaiah.  In the literal sense it is, like many passages to be found in the Prophets, difficult to understand.  There is a great deal of correspondential imagery which can only truly be understood when we know something of the internal sense.  And yet just over halfway through this chapter there are two verses which speak plainly of waiting and watching for the coming of the Lord, for the coming of the Light.

Much of this chapter speaks of the way in which the Lord's church here on earth would be devastated by evil and falsity.  Indeed it begins by speaking of the wilderness of the sea.  Just think of a sea as becoming a wilderness.  It represents there being no knowledge of spiritual things, no truth.  It speaks of a time of distress, a time of darkness.  "My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; the night for which I longed He turned into fear for me."12  But then this chapter speaks of a watchman, a watchman who is waiting for the morning, for the light.  And the watchman sees that the morning is coming.  "He calls to me out of Seir, 'Watchman, what of the night?  Watchman, what of the night?'  The watchman said, 'The morning comes, and also the night.'"13

The land of Seir was one of the boundaries of the land of Canaan, and boundaries represent what is outmost.14  This is why this land at times represented the Lord's natural, that is, the Lord Himself here in the natural world.15  Someone called to the watchman out of Seir because this was a prophecy about the birth, the coming, of the Lord into the world.  At that time there was night, spiritual darkness, upon the earth, but when the watchman was asked about the night, he said that "the morning comes, and also the night."

When the Lord was born here on earth, He came as the Light.  He was the Dayspring, the Star of Bethlehem, the Light to lighten the Gentiles.  He brought spiritual light into a world filled with darkness. And yet the watchman saw something else.  "The morning comes, and also the night."  In explaining this, the Arcana says that this prophecy is "speaking of the coming of the Lord, which is the 'morning, which coming was when there was no longer any spiritual truth in the earth, and which is 'night.'"16

What is it that we see when the Lord is born here on earth?  He brings light.  He is the Light.  But this light is attacked by what is dark.  And so, yes, we read of simple good shepherds running to see the Savior lying in a manger.  We read of good wise men traveling countless miles so that they could worship Him.  But we read also of Herod, a king whose heart was so frighteningly dark that he murdered the infant sons of Israel in his attempt to destroy the Lord.  Once the Lord had grown and began His ministry, He preached to huge multitudes who followed Him and were astounded by His teaching.  But always there were those who hated Him in their dark hearts, and sought to destroy Him.  Then right near the end, in that darkest of nights when the Lord was arrested, even Peter himself denied Him, and denied Him three times. And we read that when the Lord was then crucified the next day, "from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land."17

The coming of the Lord was a coming of the Light in the midst of darkness.  And the coming of the Lord always makes us aware of the darkness, because the light helps us see the darkness.

Think once again of the strange irony so common at Christmastime.  People rush around frantically getting ready for the celebration of the Lord's birth, and in the process forget about Him.  As far as society in general is concerned, it seems almost pitiful.  Drive around your neighborhood some night, and see snowmen, and reindeer and Christmas trees.  Only once in a while do you see a scene of the Nativity.  But we see a similar thing in ourselves all too often.  We find we need to struggle at times if we are to embrace what is spiritual at Christmas time.

The fact is that there is within all of us a tendency to turn away from what is spiritual.  We are born natural, and we have this tendency to care more for the things of this world than the things of heaven. Throughout the year we need to make a conscious effort to make a place for what is from the Lord in our lives.  But at Christmas time it is as if this struggle takes on greater meaning.

Why do people find it hard to turn to the Lord at Christmastime?  It is almost as if there is with all of us this reluctance to turn from away from all the busyness, and, in quietness, to reflect upon the Lord and our relationship with Him.  The Lord comes to us.  He was born into this world so that He could draw close to each and every one of us.  And yet part of us resists Him.  We resist Him because He is the Light.  The Lord's light shows us how dark and empty our lives are without Him.  Sometimes it can seem so much easier to stay very, very busy, than to turn to the Lord and come to see ourselves as we really are: in darkness, in denial, and so often loving things that are wrong.  The Gospel of John explains clearly why we avoid the Lord, why we avoid the Light: "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."18

Take the time this coming month to read the story, the most wonderful story in the world.  Take the time to turn to the Lord, and pray to Him, and worship Him in your heart.  Ask Him to draw near to you, and bring His light into your heart and into your life.  And He will come to you.  This can be painful.  You will see things about yourself you would rather not see.  You will see the night within yourself.  "The morning comes, and also the night."  But the Lord will have come close to you this Christmas.  He will bless you.  He will bring light to your mind and direction to your life.  He will guide your feet in the way of peace.19

Amen.

Lessons: Isa. 21

 Jn.1:1-14       

  AC 4240:2

     

Isaiah 21 1The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea. As whirlwinds in the South pass through, So it comes from the desert, from a terrible land. 2A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All its sighing I have made to cease. 3Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it. 4My heart wavered, fearfulness frightened me; The night for which I longed He turned into fear for me. 5Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield! 6For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, Let him declare what he sees.” 7And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, A chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, And he listened earnestly with great care. 8Then he cried, “A lion, my Lord! I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night. 9And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen!” Then he answered and said, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.” 10Oh, my threshing and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, The God of Israel, I have declared to you. 11The burden against Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” 12The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; Return! Come back!” 13The burden against Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanites. 14O inhabitants of the land of Tema, Bring water to him who is thirsty; With their bread they met him who fled. 15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, From the bent bow, and from the distress of war. 16For thus the LORD has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail; 17and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the people of Kedar, will be diminished; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.”

John 1:1-14 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

AC 4240:2.  [2] . . . what is signified in the Word by "Seir." As in Moses:  Jehovah came from Sinai, and arose from Seir unto them, He shone forth from Mount Paran and He came from the ten thousands of holiness (Deut. 33:2-3).  In the song of Deborah and Barak in the book of Judges:  O Jehovah, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, the clouds also dropped water, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai, before Jehovah the God of Israel (Judg. 5:4-5).  In the prophecy of Balaam:  I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh; there shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise up out of Israel; and Edom shall be an inheritance; Seir also shall be an inheritance of his enemies, and Israel maketh strength (Num. 24:17-18).  Everyone can see that in these passages "Seir" signifies something of the Lord, for it is said that Jehovah "arose from Seir," that He "went forth out of Seir, and marched out of the field of Edom," and that "Edom and Seir shall be an inheritance." Yet what of the Lord it signifies, no one can know except from the internal sense of the Word; but that it is the Lord's Divine Human, and specifically the Divine natural as to good, may be seen from what has been said above. To "arise," and to "go forth out of Seir" denote that He made even His natural Divine, in order that from this also there might be light, that is, intelligence and wisdom; and that in this way He might become Jehovah, not only as to His Human Rational, but also as to His Human Natural; and therefore it is said, "Jehovah arose from Seir," and "Jehovah went forth out of Seir." (That the Lord is Jehovah may be seen above, n. 1343, 1736, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035.) The "prophecy concerning Dumah" in Isaiah involves a like meaning:  He calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night; watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night (Isa. 21:11-12).