Inquiring of the Watchman

The second prophetic message of Isaiah chapter 21 brings the figure of the watchman to the fore.  It begins:  "The pronouncement against Dumah: To me there is one calling out from Seir:  'watchman, what about the night? Watchman, what about the night?' "  (Isaiah 21:11) Where is this Dumah?  There were evidently  several towns with that name in Bible times, but none of them are intended her.  Dumah is not found in Seir, which is another name for Edom. However, "Dumah" means "Silence."  So it seems that, as was the case in the previous pronouncement, the region is given a name suggestive of its future.  Edom, long a vindictive enemy of God's people, will end up in silence-the silence of death. Before that happens, though, some will anxiously inquire about the future.

At the time of the writing of Isaiah, Edom lies in the parts of the powerful Assyrian army.  Some in Edom yearn to know when the night of the oppression will end for them.  The answer?  "The watchman said: 'The morning has  to come, and also the night.' " (Isaiah 21:12a) Things do not bode well for Edom. A  glimmer of morning will show on the horizon, but it will be brief, illusory.  Night-another dark time of the oppression-will follow quickly on the heels of morning.  What a apt picture of Edom's future! The Assyrian oppression will end, but Babylon will succeed Assyria as a  world power and will decimate Edom.  (Jeremiah 25:17, 21; 27:2-8) This cycle will be repeated.  Babylonian oppression will be followed by Persian and then Greek  oppression.  There will be a brief "morning" during the Roman times, when the Herods-Edomite in origin-gain power in Jerusalem.  But that "morning" will not last. Finally, Edom will descend permanently into silence, vanishing from history. The name Dumah will fittingly describe her at last.

The watchman concludes his brief message with the words: "If you people would inquire, inquire. Come again!"  (Isaiah 21:12b) The expression "Come again!" may refer to the endless succession of 'nights' ahead for Edom. Or because the expression may also be translated  "return," the prophet  may be suggesting that any Edomites who want to escape  the nation's doom should repent and "return" to Jehovah.  In either case, the watchman invites further inquiries.

This short pronouncement has meant a great deal to Jehovah's people in modern times.  We understand that mankind is deep into the dark night of spiritual blindness and alienation from God that will lead to destruction of this system of things.  (Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4)  During this nighttime, any glimmerings of hope that mankind can somehow bring about peace and security are like those illusory gleamings of dawn that are followed only by still darker times. A genuine dawn is approaching-the dawn of Christ's Millennial Reign over this earth.  But as long as the night lasts, we must follow the lead of the watchman class by staying spiritually alert and courageously announcing the nearness of the end of this  corrupt system of things. -1 Thessalonians 5:6

Next time: Night Falls on the Desert Plain

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind,  2000