UNDERSTANDING our ROLE as ‘INTERCESSORS’!
August 5 Bible Reading: Isaiah Chapters 61-63
UNDERSTANDING our ROLE as ‘INTERCESSORS’!
"I have set watchmen on your walls, O
Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention
of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and
till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." (Isaiah 62:6-7)
In the above passage we see that Jehovah God has set watchmen
on the walls of Jerusalem and has instructed them not to rest in their
intercession or to give Him rest till Jerusalem becomes the greatest city of
the world and a source of adulation from all the people of the world.
On the spiritual side, God appoints watchmen (overseers) for
the further protection of His people. Watchmen are a symbolic figure for prophets (see Isaiah 56:10). God’s
restoration will include watchmen of
prayer. These are spiritual watchmen whose primary occupation is to pray on
behalf of others, and based on Daniel 4:18 and I Kings 22:19, they could be angels. However, they are most likely
intercessors who pray for the final peace
of Jerusalem. They are not to hold their peace day or night but continuously offer intercessory prayer to
God. They are also to pray persistently
and intercede on behalf of the people (see Isaiah 64:12; 65:6). Along with that,
they will look for the coming of the Lord victorious over Jerusalem’s enemies
(see Isaiah 21:11-12).
When Jerusalem is restored, it will become “the praise of the earth.” God vowed on
oath that His redeemed city will never again be oppressed by “foreigners”. God’s promises should become our prayers! Isaiah prayed that
Jerusalem might be restored (Isaiah 62:1), and he urged the watchmen and all of
God’s people to pray as well (vv. 6–7). The psalmist also prayed “for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms
122:6). When there is peace in Jerusalem,
there will be peace in the world!
As we examine the role of a watchman, he/she is a person who oversees, stands in guard and observes. God has
‘set’ watchman on the walls. The word
‘set’ means to appoint. God is the one who did the choosing, and He had called
certain individuals and churches to this ‘set’
place. Now it came to pass at the end of
seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have
made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My
mouth, and give them warning from Me" (Ezek. 3:16-17)
These watchmen shall never
hold their peace…never be quiet. Day and night they keep at it, praying,
calling out, and reminding God to remember His promises. If they are not quiet
what are they doing? They are praying and
declaring what they see and hear. "Prepare
the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes,
anoint the shield! For thus has the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman,
let him declare what he sees." (Isaiah 21:5-6)
Let us understand our role as intercessors, and go into the place of prayer where we ‘stand on the gap’ and pray for the restoration of God’s kingdom. Our prayer should be in line with God’s Word, and in conformity with the prayer that our Lord Jesus has taught His disciples: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt. 6:10) Are you willing to spend time in God’s presence and pray for the restoration of His kingdom today?
