The Faithful Watchman

Are you holding on to the promises of God’s word? Is there a promise which God has personally given you of which you are still waiting to see the fulfillment? Every one of us is waiting to see God’s word fulfilled in one way or another: whether it be in our individual lives, in the lives or our families or communities, or simply to see the fulfillment of the return of the Messiah. In the times of silence and years of patient endurance, we need to remember the One who has given us His word and His promises. 

The Promised Son

This week’s Torah Portion continues to tell the story of Abraham. At the opening of chapter 18 we read how the LORD appeared to Abraham along with two angels and ate a home-cooked meal prepared by Abraham and his wife Sarah. After the meal the LORD reminded Abraham that he would have a son by his wife Sarah.

The prophecy that Abraham would father a son was not new news to Abraham. The LORD had appeared to Abraham several times before and had spoken to him with varying details about his son and his descendants (Gen. 12:7. 13:15-16. 15:4). The LORD had also previously spoken to Abraham regarding the son, who was to be called Issac, whom Sarah would bear for him (Gen. 17:15-16). Despite all of these confirmations from the LORD, Abraham struggled to believe God for this miracle and even tried to help God. Abraham had formerly asked God if Ishmael could take the place of this promised son through Sarah, but the LORD told Abraham an emphatic No! Sarah would bear a son to Abraham and it would be through Isaac that the blessing and covenant would continue (Gen. 17:17-19).

Trusting God for a Miracle

It was a battle for both Abraham and Sarah to believe that God’s promise of a son to them would really come to fruition. In Genesis 17 we read of Abraham’s struggle with God regarding this prophecy and in Genesis 18 we read of Sarah’s similar struggle to trust God for this humanly impossible attainment. After the meal was finished, we read of the following scenario between the LORD, Abraham, and Sarah:

Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” – Gen. 18:9-14

Sarah’s reaction was human and normal. She was old and past the years of having children. The words of the LORD seemed impossible to Sarah. Humanly speaking these words were impossible, however, both Sarah and Abraham needed a reminder that the One who was talking with them was the Creator of the universe.

The God of the Extraordinary

To put this situation into perspective for both Abraham and Sarah the LORD asked the following question, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14) The answer to this rhetorical question is obviously “No,” however just like Abraham and Sarah, each one of us needs to be reminded of this truth from time to time.

When the LORD asked the question which is quoted above, the phrase “too difficult” comes from the Hebrew יפלא – yi’pa’le which could be translated too wonderful, too extraordinary, too marvelous, too difficult, or too miraculous. God made His point crystal clear, there is nothing that is beyond Him, even allowing a woman who is past the normal years of childbearing to have a child. God was faithful to His word to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah became pregnant and provided a son to Abraham the following year (Gen. 21:1-8). They named him Isaac.

The Bible is a record of numerous amazing and miraculous ways in which God has worked and moved on behalf of His people. We need to be careful to never forget that the same God who fulfilled His word to Abraham and Sarah is faithful to fulfill His word today.

A Lesson from the Almond Tree

There is a beautiful word picture in the book of Jeremiah which illustrates how God watches over His word to see it through to the end. Immediately following the call of Jeremiah to be a prophet, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah and give him a visual illustration: 

The word of the LORD came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a rod of an almond tree.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” – Jeremiah 1:11-12  

The LORD used the branch of an almond tree to remind Jeremiah that the LORD Himself was watching over His word to make sure it will come to pass. Unfortunately, the image of the “rod (branch) of an almond tree” is lost in translation from Hebrew to English. 

The word for “almond” in Hebrew is the word שקד – sha’ked. After the LORD showed Jeremiah the almond branch and told him that he has seen well, the LORD said כי שקד אני על דברי לעשתו – ki sho’ked ani al de’va’ri la’ah’so’to – “for I am watching over My word to perform it.” The LORD chose to use the poetic verb form of the word שקד – sha’kad to emphasize how He is “watching over” – שוקד – sho’ked – His word to perform it.

The verb form of the word שקד – sha’kad has the meaning of to remain awake, to be alert, to watch, to diligently look about, and to be insistent. We see an example of how this word is used in another Scripture to help bring out the meaning:

Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, a wolf of the deserts will destroy them, a leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, their apostasies are numerous. – Jer. 5:6 

In the phrase “…a leopard is watching their cities.” the word “watching” is the Hebrew word שקד – sho’ked. A leopard can lie in one place for hours waiting for its prey to pass by before it attacks. The word שקד – sha’kad carries this meaning of patient waiting and watching until the desired goal is accomplished.    

We see another example of this word שקד – sha’kad in the book of Psalms: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” (Ps. 127:1) In the second part of this verse, we read that if the LORD does not guard the city, “…the watchman keeps awake in vain.” The word for “watchman” in this verse is the Hebrew word שומר – shomer but the word for “keeps awake” is the Hebrew word שקד – sha’kad. When we think about a watchman keeping awake and remaining vigilant throughout his shift, we understand more fully the meaning of this word שקד – sha’ked. 

The Faithful Watchman

We need to always remember that it was 25 years from the time that the LORD first spoke to Abraham until Isaac, the child of promise, was born. The LORD continually spoke His word to Abraham and Sarah and He was diligent to watch over His word and to perform it on behalf of Abraham and Sarah.

When the LORD gave Jeremiah the image of the almond branch to illustrate His faithfulness to perform His word, the LORD was emphasizing that He is diligent to remain alert and keep watch over His word until it is fully completed and comes to fruition. Just as the almond tree is the first tree to awaken from the cold, dark winter and to blossom revealing the faithfulness of the spring season to burst forth in flower each and every year, so too the LORD God is faithful to remain awake and watch over His word to perform it in our lives and to allow the seed of His word to come to fruition and burst forth at just the right time. 

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Gen. 18:1 – Gen. 22:24

Haftara: 2 Kings 4:1-37

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