Habakkuk 2:1, commentary and pictures

The prophet takes his place on the tower in watchful meditation with strong faith to learn what God will speak to him. His watching is waiting for the answer to his questioning reproof and for what he himself should answer when corrected, and the answer is a vision to be written plainly that will surely come at its appointed time though it seems delayed, when what was unclear is made plain and the proud are shown not upright while the just live by faith. The command to write the vision plainly was fulfilled in the 1842 chart of Daniel and Revelation, and the word about the delayed vision sustained faith after the 1844 disappointment to wait patiently and live by faith. To stand on the watch is to watch with prayer and wait attentively for God's direction, listening for what God and the Spirit say and trusting Him to give understanding and help under pressure. The watchtower therefore calls faithful watchmen and workers to stand firm at their post with clear spiritual sight, vigilant against Satan's deceptions and ready to warn and defend the truth at once, especially in crisis.

Prophet's Watch and Vision

The prophet takes his stand in a watchful position upon the tower, keeping watch and waiting to learn what God will say to him. He does this while meditating concerning the future, exercising strong faith as he considers what is to come. His posture is one of attentive waiting for the Lord's answer to unfold what is not yet understood.

That watching includes waiting for God's answer to his reproof and for what he himself should answer when he is corrected. He stands alert to hear God, ready to respond rightly under correction. The tower thus becomes the place of listening and of learning the right reply when reproved.

The answer God gives is a vision to be written plainly, which will surely come at its appointed time and therefore must be awaited even when it seems delayed. What remained unclear is to become plain through patient waiting, with the just called to live by faith while they wait. In that waiting the proud are shown to be not upright, but the just live by faith.

Prophetic Fulfillment and Warning

The command to write the vision plainly found its application in the chart of 1842 that illustrated the visions of Daniel and Revelation. The prophet's stance of keeping watch and waiting for God's answer, including what to say when corrected, gives instruction suited to uncertainty, to wait in faith for what is not yet clear to become plain in its appointed time. In the setting of the disappointment of 1844, that waiting belonged to believers who were to wait patiently for the meaning of what remained unclear to become plain, with the just to live by faith while they wait. The words about the vision seeming delayed encouraged those disappointed believers to wait patiently and to live by faith.

The verse introduces a revealed vision of destruction and desolation that will soon come and become universal and will be witnessed just as clearly described. It is the word of the Lord for the last days and will be fulfilled as surely as the desolation seen at San Francisco, with what is shown not tarrying beyond the appointed time. That certainty demands readiness, because the Son of man comes in such an hour as is not expected.

The chapter gives a faint description of the reality of the near end, when every year Satan drills his army to develop strong parties ready for the great battle of the last great conflict. That description will become a living reality requiring wisdom when evil springs forth. At that time men in high places supposing themselves wise block the way until the King's highway is cleared.

Faithful Watchfulness in Service

To stand upon the watch is to watch with prayer and wait attentively for direction from above, listening for what God will say and for what the Spirit says, and remaining under divine guidance. It is looking to the Lord rather than seeking human approval or depending on human judgment, trusting Him to speak and to help under every pressure of circumstances. To those who thus look to Him He gives understanding and knowledge, and to those who watch and pray earnestly in reliance on the merits of Jesus Christ He gives spiritual eyesight through His Spirit and the divine anointing.

Keeping the watch means keeping the soul right in meekness and humility and simplicity of soul. It means refusing to swerve from duty or to sacrifice vital interests in holy things to gain relief from temporal embarrassment, and refusing to strive for worldly advancement and temporal blessings in one's own way. Instead it is waiting till the Lord gives success and victory in His own time and way, trusting Him in and under every pressure rather than obtaining relief by one's own devising and thereby blotting the character.

This emptied-of-self and Spirit-filled watchfulness leaves Satan no power and makes one a greater help to others. By it the faithful receive discernment to know whether Satan or Jesus Christ is the counselor, and without such spiritual sight and discernment there is danger of speaking words or voicing opinions that betray sacred trusts. Vigilance against Satan's efforts and deceptive reasoning is therefore part of standing alert on the tower to hear God and be ready to respond when corrected.

The tower is the post of faithful watchmen, servants, workers and ministers, who are to stand firm rather than be led away from duty, each standing watch attentively with a clear spiritual outlook. As faithful guardians and sentinels they are to watch for spiritual danger and give the warning signal at once when Satan's deceptions threaten the truth. A minister in particular is to remain at his post ready to defend the truth in the Lord's name, especially in crisis, for when watchmen are removed Satan can muster his forces.