Sleeping dogs

Isaiah searingly indicts the “watchmen” of Judah. They are blind – not a good thing in a watchman (Isaiah 56:10-12). They are like dumb dogs, incapable of barking out a warning when danger shows up. But they wouldn’t bark anyway because they spend their days lying around sleeping. They live a dog’s life, not the life of a watchdog.

They are sedated by two things. The first is money. They are greedy of soul, never satisfied. Because of their greed, they know nothing. Their pursuit of money rather than wisdom leaves them ignorant. They pursue money and comfort and luxury, and so sleep the day away when they should be growling at intruders. They are also sedated by wine and strong drink. These dogs talk to one another, but when they talk it’s just to plan the next drinking binge.

Isaiah’s portrait could apply to a lot of different sorts – lazy frat drunks, for example. But he is specifically speaking of watchmen, and elsewhere watchmen are the prophets of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 33:1-7).

He’s talking about pastors, who have become dumb dogs, greedy, sleeping dogs, drunk dogs.