Jan | 02 | The prophet’s position

MASTERY

The prophet’s position

Habakkuk 2:1
I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. NKJV

A long time ago, on the planes of Mamre, Abraham was quite literally shooting the breeze in the heat of the day. Whilst sat at his open tent flap door, three beings disguised as men were seen passing by. Abraham persuaded all three to engage in his hospitality and in the so doing, he entertained angels unawares. Now one of these beings was the pre-incarnate Lord Himself, and the other two, a pair of SAS angels on a snatch and destroy mission to Sodom. It is often said in the media today that Jesus said nothing about homosexuality. Well, i
n Genesis 18, He is on His way to destroy a couple of cities because of it and its seemingly perpetual smoking of the aftermath, would be seen for centuries to come in the dead sea area of the Jordan rift valley. Now then, Abraham rushed to refresh the hearts of these three strangers and once he had hastily prepared their meal, he stood by them, like some silver-service waiter, ready to attend to their every need.

“So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.” Genesis 18:8 Now I mention this verse in Genesis today for two reasons. First regarding Abraham’s acts of hospitality and service. Abraham had his suspicion who these beings were and where they were from. So, he was expectant in his waiting; indeed, Abraham clearly expected a reward for his hospitality and service. Even an angels reward, even a prophet’s reward, even a reward from the hand of the Lord! For this reward, whatever God deemed it to be, he ‘stood’ by them for it and waited. In Abraham’s case of course, that reward was the affirmation of God’s promise of a son, the strengthening of Sarai to believe for it and in the end, the arrival of baby Isaac himself!

The second reason I mention this incident is the word used for ‘stood’ or ‘standing’ by them, in Genesis 18:8 it is the same word used here in Habakkuk. The prophet Habakkuk therefore ‘stood’ with great expectation before the Lord. His question had been asked, his praise and complaint had been given (so like us) and now he stood with great expectation.

As an old sailor in the Royal Navy, I am used to four-hour watches with a two-hour dogwatch covering varying cycles. Whatever the watch system utilized at sea, however, the purpose is the same: To keep the boat functioning and fully operational twenty-four hour per day. So, when Abraham’s son Isaac, later experienced a great famine in the land of his living, he was tempted to go back to Egypt. God came to Isaac and said “No! You shall not go. Stay where you are and I will protect and provide for you, bless you and make your descendents be multiplied and give you the land I promised to your father Abraham” and in the so saying, God also explained that He would do this “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” Genesis 26:5. That is, Abraham, kept my ‘watch’ or ‘charge’ (same word).

So for tonight then friend be sure of these two great truths: You have your ‘watch,’ you have your set period of time to be alert and to be attentive, to be useful and to be faithful.

If you are alive, then you are still on your ‘watch’, the length of which is still unknown to you, for the watch change ending of your expectant life is in the hands of the Master of the boat. Now then, I say 'expectant' because you must stand your watch, that is, you must be looking to the Lord of your watch with expectancy. What have you asked for? Look for it! What have you dreamed for? Hope for it! What have you desired from the Lord? Long for it with the expectancy of soon to be satisfied sailor.

The main mark of the man of God is essentially one of faithful expectancy. Are you standing your watch tonight?

Listen:- Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2NKJV

Pray: -  have kept Your word O Lord. I have served You with my whole heart. I have sacrificed my all to You my God and opened wide the door of my tent. I stand my watch O Lord. I wait for You to come. Speak Lord in the stillness, while I wait on thee, hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy. Amen

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