I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
— Habakkuk 2:1
Habakkuk’s watchtower was personal. He was a watchman for his people, declaring to them the judgment of God. He is a watchman for us, encouraging us to put on spiritual eyes. He was also a watchman for himself. He points out two things he says he will watch out for.
“what he will say unto me”
The first thing Habakkuk watches out for is the answer from the Lord. He boldly asks the Lord questions which he must reconcile with the truths he accepts. Habakkuk has so many questions. My pastor pointed out yesterday how God can turn our question marks into exclamation marks. Habakkuk is FULL of question marks. It’s not until chapter 3 that these question marks are turned into exclamation marks. He climbs up the tower, stands upon his watch, and sets himself upon the tower. The idea in this wording is that not only he stands vigilantly watching, he sets himself in place so that nobody could move him. Then he says that he “will watch to see what he will say unto me.” We mentioned yesterday how we can make our watchtowers personal. We need to have one. It may be a table, a desk, or a chair. Wherever your watchtower is at, every day you must boldly climb your tower and stand vigilantly watching, actively engaged. You must also set yourself up in the tower, determined for nobody to knock you down, distract you, or discourage you. Our Bible reading time and personal time alone with God is the most important part of our day. The Devil doesn’t want you to have it. You will have a lot of distractions and discouragement. These distractions may even come from those who don’t mean to be the cause of it. But when you set yourself down to read the Bible and hear from God, picture yourself as a watchman. The enemy wants to take down the watchman. The enemy is able to do more damage to the inner, spiritual man when the watchman is asleep or unaware at his post. The enemy wants us to believe our watch is not that important. The enemy wants us to believe it is OK to bypass our watch for another time. DON’T GIVE IN TO THE ENEMY. We need to hear from God NOW more than ever. WATCH to see what HE will say to you. THAT’s what we need to be watching for.
“and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”
Habakkuk knew his requests deserved some reproof. After God answered his first prayer, Habakkuk seemed to not be in agreement with the judgments of God. The way Habakkuk pictured the solution for eliminating sin in Judah was much different than what God had planned, and he was discouraged at why God Almighty, the Wise, All-Knowing, and Holy God would judge Judah in a way so contrary to how Habakkuk imagined. He had questions that he wanted answered. Not only was Habakkuk waiting to hear those answers. He is waiting to see how his own mindset would change. He is waiting to see what his own response would be to God’s answers. Are you getting this? Habakkuk is expecting change in his own heart. The man in Habakkuk chapter 3 is much different than the man of chapters 1 and 2! Habakkuk was expecting God to purify his heart and mold his thoughts. Habakkuk was expecting God to help him change out his earthly, carnal eyes for spiritual eyes.
When you enter your watchtower for your Bible reading, daily devotion, and prayer. You must set yourself up as the watchman, determined to stand your guard and vigilantly watch for what the Lord will say to you. But this is not enough. You must be willing to change. It is wonderful to sit down at your Bible, expecting God to give you grace and strength to carry you throughout the day. Many Bible devotions are fruitless and powerless because the watchman is not willing to change. We must allow the Lord to search us and try us. We must give up whatever the Lord commands us to. We must be willing to change. When you begin your devotion, expect change to take place.
Search me, O God, and know my heart:
try me, and know my thoughts:
and see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
– Psalm 139:23-24