“The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (Isaiah 1:11)
There is much dissention as to whom and where this Scripture refers. It’s Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon. There is much speculation, and it would only muddy the waters of our understanding because it would take a deep study of history and prophecy to understand whether Dumah refers to the Edomites or the sons of Ismael. Seir, also known as the Mount of Esau or Edom is asking the watchman for news of the night because they’re distressed. It’s only one verse of seventeen that prophesy the fall of Babylon as given by the bearer of the news to the watchman. (Isaiah 29:9)
The interesting thing is that the news comes in the night. And the watchman is sought in the night. “What of the night?” is as if they are expecting and waiting for bad news in the night. Figuratively the night refers to adversity. We must remember that in prophecy, words and images are many times symbolically used. “What of the night?” is repeated meaning the intensity of the question. What happens affects them directly, so they are on edge. We could speculate that the fall of Babylon effects them directly.
But what does it mean for us? All Scripture is holy, inspired by the Holy Spirit and relevant to us, even if on reading, it may seem far-fetched. I think we forget how inferior in knowledge and mental capacity we are. We think we can know all things, but God’s knowledge and wisdom has hidden His Truths in the most obscure way. We cannot know it without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Destruction is coming for sure in this prophecy. The workers of wickedness know it. They ask the watchman repeatedly in other words, “What’s going on this night?” or “Is calamity coming?” They know it’s coming. And that is the way with the sinner. They may enjoy their sin, but only in the moment. After sin has done its work, it’s misery and it’s empty doom. Those of us who were saved in adulthood have been through the misery of sin. In the darkness and blindness, we sought after the thrills of sin, but afterward, it was emptiness because sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) There is no hope nor life in sin. We were like the caller in our verse of study in Isaiah 1:11, feeling the coming destruction and asking, “What of the night?” And not knowing the depths of the “burden” which means what is due for the sin.
When we realize that the sinner revels in his sin, but in the night when all is quiet, they are alone and the “burden” of the sin weighs heavy on them, we will have compassion on them because of the darkness they are in. We will understand God’s love for them apart from their sin. We will be compelled to give them the Good News.
Who is the watchman? I think it’s us, believers in Jesus, who watch in the night, who have sight in the light even at night which is the Word of God which illuminates our way and gives us knowledge and shows us the way. Anytime there is a world-famous tragedy such as 9/11, the war in Israel, a volcanic eruption, a devasting earthquake, etc... The unbeliever will undoubtedly ask someone they think knows the Scriptures, “Is this the end?” I personally have been asked this a couple of times. They are the ones in this prophecy from Seir asking, “What of the night? What of the night?” The fear of their sin has become a realization that they are not ready to meet their maker.
What this Scripture reveals is that as the watchmen we need to give those who ask us about the night an answer that will give them hope, that will rescue them from the coming destruction and that will change their lives forever. That is the Gospel of Jesus. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” (1Peter 3:15-16) They may ridicule, mock and reject the Truth. Notice that this Scripture states to give a reason for our hope with meekness and fear. That fear is not for fear of them, but the fear of God to Whom we must give account. The Gospel must never be shared in arrogance or superiority. It is holy and must be taken to the world with the most reverence. It is a treasure not to be thrown about carelessly, but a pearl of great price. It’s beautiful that the Lord has given us this treasure to share. (Matthew 28:19)
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