By Cynthia Hyle Bezek
Note: This Bible study is formatted for small group open discussion. If you use this study by yourself, we suggest you journal your answers to the discussion questions. Also, please use suggested translations where indicated. Biblegateway.com is an excellent source for translations you may not have on hand.
By the time you read this, we will have witnessed, or soon will witness, the inauguration of the next president of the United States. But today as I write, the election is still a few weeks off. I have deep concerns about the future of our nation. So I have joined with thousands of others in fasting and praying for the 40 days leading up to Election Day.*
Desperation drives me to my watch post every morning. Because I am desperate, it is not difficult for me to wake up before the sun does and go to the place where I pray. So much is at stake in this election—not just for the United States but for the world. So I take my position on the wall and pray.
As I interceded this morning, the Spirit of God caught me off guard. It’s good that you are dedicated to being a watchman now. But will you remain as dedicated once the election is over?
Good question. He’s good at those.
So now, friends, by the time you read this, the election will indeed be over. We will have a new president. But for many voters, our new chief of state is just “the lesser of two evils.” The election solved nothing. The issues of poverty, unemployment, terrorism, immorality, illegal immigration, racial tensions, foreign relations, and all the rest of it, have not gone away.
What that says to me—what I believe the Spirit was saying to me through His question—is that we need to watch and pray now more than ever! Our assignments as watchmen are not over just because the election is—our assignments are just beginning!
Discussion Questions
James Goll writes, “Each of us has been chosen to be a watchman of the Lord in this generation.” Review the tasks of watchmen that he draws from the Scriptures listed on p. 14. Which ones do you already do? Which ones would you like to become stronger at doing? Can you think of specific ways you could grow as a watchman for your nation? ______________________________________
God sent the prophet Isaiah to warn King Hezekiah of judgment that was coming to Israel. Read Isaiah 39:5–8. What did Isaiah say would happen? How did Hezekiah respond to his prophecy? What attitudes are displayed in such a response? If you ever found yourself in a similar situation in the future, how would you like to respond? ______________________________________
David Kubal discusses the great sins of our nation, including the sins of abortion, pornography, and sexual immorality. But these are not the only sins that grieve God and incite His judgment. Read Isaiah 58. What sins of Israel grieved God? What remedy did He call for? How might this be relevant to God’s people in America today? _____________________________
Jeremiah 29:1–23 describes the manner in which God meant for His people to live during a time of severe hardship in Israel’s history. They were exiled in Babylon, far from the land God had given them, subjugated to a pagan despot. How do these verses illustrate the principle Dale Schlafer suggests—that we can be simultaneously prepared for both the best of times and the worst of times? What applications can you think of for God’s people today? _____________________________
Goll points out that much of the last-days teaching we hear is fear-inducing rather than faith-building. What does God tell us not to fear, according to the following passages? Circle the ones that you relate to most: Numbers 14:9; Deuteronomy 20:3; Isaiah 8:12, 51:7, 54:4; Jeremiah 42:11, 51:46; Ezekiel 2:3–6; 1 Peter 3:14.
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What truths about who God is and what He does do you find in the following verses that can help to counter such fears? 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 138:3; Isaiah 12:2, 41:10, 52:12; 2 Corinthians 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:7. _____________________________
Action Steps
First, to build your faith, pray the Scriptures about who God is and what He does. Choose one to memorize so that you can pray it as needed. Write it out here:
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Then, sign up for some watchman shifts. Do you sense God calling you to serve on a watchman post daily? Weekly? Monthly? For a 40-day season? Or some other designated time? Record the day(s) and time(s) of your watchman shifts here: __________________________________
For what specific people and needs of your community, nation, and the world is He giving you as an intercession assignment? _____________________________
*I did my 40-day watch using a guide provided by Every Home for Christ.
CYNTHIA HYLE BEZEK is editorial director for Community Bible Study. She has worked in Christian publishing for more than 20 years.
