Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. – Isaiah 56:10

 Today's Scripture Reading (September 5, 2020): Isaiah 56

English humorist P. G. Wodehouse, in "Love Among the Chickens," writes, "If there is one thing I dislike, it is the man who tries to air his grievances when I wish to air mine." I get it. There is nothing like arriving at a friend's place so that you can lodge your complaints about the world around you, only to find that your friend has a list of grievances as long or longer than your own. (I have to admit, I have actually tried this with some of my friends, just to see their reaction. Sometimes the response is good, but often I am reminded of the foolishness of the endeavor.)

I suspect that an unknown author wrote this portion of Isaiah at the end of the exile as Jerusalem's former inhabitants began to make their return home. And as they made their way home, the reality is that going from living in Babylon, in exile, and under the direct command of foreign kings and leaders, then suddenly being thrust into the leadership role and governing a nation on their own, meant a steep learning curve. It seems likely that the leaders had grown permissive, trying their best to keep their people happy without stepping on too many toes. And they had grown selfish, wanting the best for themselves.

Isaiah sees this and realizes that none of this is in the job description of a leader. And so, he reminds them of their duty. They are to be watchmen for the nations, ever watching for the dangers that might befall the people. They were watchdogs, charged with the responsibility of raising the alarm whenever the enemy approached, regardless of whether the threat arose from outside the community or from within it. And while they might want to lie around and dream of a better day, right now they were required to keep their attention on the things that were needed in the present, so that, one day, they might live in the world of which they liked to dream.

It was time to get to work. Isaiah insists that if they lacked knowledge, as it is likely the exiles did, then they needed to do something to gain it. Ignorance was not an excuse. If they were blind, then maybe they should try opening their eyes so that they could see the society that they were attempting to lead. If there was a problem, they needed to voice it, even if it did upset some within the community. The time for selfish sleep had ended. There was much to be done to create a society that pleased God. God had commissioned them as leaders, and it was time that they grew into the role.

They needed to listen to the grievances of others, but also take action on what they have heard. Now was the time to give themselves to the problems of the other.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 57