Today’s title is a compilation of three Bible translations (because I like how it sounds 😊).
Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield (Isaiah 21:5 KJV, emphasis mine).
They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink; “Rise up, captains, oil the shields” (Isaiah 21:5 NASB, emphasis mine).
Set the table. Spread the rugs by the table. Eat. Drink. Get up, you leaders! Prepare your shields for battle! (Isaiah 21:5 God’s Word, emphasis mine).
A quick word that I follow when sharing from the Old Testament.
When one comes to the actual study or exegetically informed reading of the prophetic books [major and minor prophets], the first thing one must learn to do is to THINK ORACLES (as one must learn to “think paragraphs” in the Epistles).[1]
What is God’s Word to us through these inspired poetic oracles, spoken in another time to God’s ancient people? …Once we hear what God said to them, even if our circumstances differ considerably, we will often hear it again in our own settings in a rather direct way. [2]
Three oracles in Isaiah chapter 21 addressed the future of different countries and are easily recognized: Babylon, verses 1-10; Edom, verses 11 and 12; and Arabia, verses 13-17.
Our passage (21:5) concerns the destruction of Babylon as “the prophet contrasts his own lonely vigils with the careless security of the Babylonian revellers (emphasis mine).” [3]
There it is. There is today’s thought: Careless security as we face impending warfare and a resulting call to prepare for battle. For those at the table in Isaiah’s time, it was a physical battle fought with horses, bows, swords, and shields. For you and me, it’s spiritual warfare with combatants dressed in the armor of God. Yet, the urgency is the same.
The call is for today.
The call is to arise, captains.
The call is to anoint your shield!
It is a call to examine and thoroughly prepare our shields for battle diligently.
“Shields were made of two or more thicknesses of bull hide stretched over a wooden frame, and sometimes strengthened with metallic rims and ornamented in various places with pieces of metal. An occasional rubbing with oil was necessary to keep the leather from drying and cracking, and was often done just prior to a battle. So to ‘oil the shields’ was equivalent to a preparation for battle.” [4]
This picture for a spiritual warrior is to take the shield of faith and anoint it with a dedicated action of prayer,
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20 NASB);
and spending time in the Word,
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 NASB).
I am sure we all have our prayer lists and practices; let this be an encouragement and call to keep our shields anointed, for the battle is at hand. If you would like an excellent list of things to pray for, John Piper has a well-articulated article entitled “What Should We Pray For.”
Until next week: Arise, Captains!
