Isaiah 62:6-7Think about this: Jerusalem at this time had no walls. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls in 444/445 BCE. Isaiah lived from 740 to 681 BCE. The rebuilding of the walls was not started until centuries after Isaiah made this prophecy. Isaiah was using an extended metaphor to preach about prayer. If we carefully read the passage, we realize that God has set men and women to pray that God's plans will be accomplished for Jerusalem. This passage is about God having prayer warriors interceding for the nation of Israel in order that God's promise to rebuild Jerusalem will be accomplished.
On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the LORD in remembrance,
take no rest,
and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.
The following quote is from a commentary on Isaiah explaining the significance about the above passage.
J. Alec MotyerHere is another passage about being watchful in prayer from Paul.
Watchmen is 'keepers, 'guardians'. Those who engage in prayer are the true guardians, and true prayer is:
(p. 507, The Prophecy of Isaiah)
- (i) ceaseless (lit.) 'all the day and all the night';
- (ii) vocal, verbalizing the need (never be silent);
- (iii) effective Godward (you who call on the Lord!' who put the Lord in remembrance'). We do not conclude that otherwise he would forget, but that our prayers are, by his will, in some way a vital ingredient in the implementing of his promises. Cf. how the promise of Malachi 4:5 came in answer to the prayers of Luke 1:13. Prayer is also:
- (iv) disciplined (give yourselves no rest);
- (v) urgent and pressing (give him no rest; cf Lk. 18:1-8); and
- (vi) sustained (till he establishes, i.e. fulfills all that was foretold in chapter 60 regarding Zion, the whole work of salvation and righteousness in 61:10-62:1). Jerusalem is made the praise of the earth, something the whole world gives praise to the Lord for, because in saving Zion the world has been saved.
Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
F. F. Bruce on Colossians 4:2Stephen Charnock, who is called a "Puritan Divine" by some, commented on Hosea's wife's ungratefulness. The book of Hosea is a living metaphor of Israel's relationship with God. Hosea gave his wife everything she needed in life and more. She was clueless about who was her true benefactor; she turned over her bounty over to the priests of Baal, which was a slap in the face to both Hosea and God. Israel did the same when they pursued and sacrificed to idols rather than give thanks the one true God. They were purposely unaware of who their true benefactor was.
Men and women of persistent prayer are those who are constantly on the alert, alive to the will of God and the need of the world, and ready to give an account of themselves and their stewardship.
Hosea 2:8Here's Charnock's commentary, which he points out that we perform the same sins as Hosea's wife when we blind ourselves to God's bounty and presence in our lives.
And she did not know
that it was I who gave her
the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and who lavished on her silver and gold,
which they used for Baal.
Stephen CharnockLewis makes the same comment on thankfulness and awareness of God's bounty and presence.
Those things which are so common, that they cannot be invisible to our eyes, are unregarded by our minds: our sense prompts our understanding, and our understanding is deaf to the plain dictates of our sense. We forget his goodness in the sun while it warms us, and his showers while they enrich us; in the corn while it nourisheth us, and the wine while it refresheth us: Hosea ii .8, 'she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil.' She that might have read my hand in every bit of bread, and every drop of drink, did not consider this.(p. 625, The Existence and Attributes of God)
C. S. LewisJesus exhorting the disciples about their lack of watchfulness.
We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake.” (Letters to Malcolm, Chapter XIV)
Mark 14:38Piper comments on what it means to be watchful in prayer.
"Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
John Piper
"Watchful" means being vigilant, like a sentry on duty outside the camp at night knowing that if you go to sleep in this job, the enemy can overthrow your mission. This is the note of prayer that is so often missing when the church has settled into the world and is just using prayer as a domestic intercom instead of a wartime walkie-talkie. So Paul urges the church to remember how tremendously serious the battle is. Heaven and hell hang in the balance next week. So be watchful, awake, vigilant. Pray the way you would if you knew that twelve unbelievers next Sunday morning would hear the gospel for the last time. (Sermon: "O Lord, Open a Door for the Word!", November 12, 1989)
Ephesians 6:18Peter O'Brien comments on the above passage how prayer fits into the armor of God analogy.
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Peter O'BrienJesus warns the disciples to always be on mission in the prayers.
Paul wants his readers to understand that prayer is 'foundational for the deployment of all the other weapons', and is therefore crucial if they are to stand firm in their spiritual struggle. He has already shown his concern for them by praying that they might know the greatness of God's power (1:15-23), and be strengthened by it so as to grasp the dimensions of Christ's love for them and be filled with all the fulness of God (3:14-21). The apostle wants them to realize that a life of dependence on God in prayer is essential if they are to engage successfully in their warfare with the powers of darkness."
Luke 21:34-36
But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Mark 13:32-37
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
