Watching Against Evil
AnalogyNature Nugget★★★★Examples of. When a flock of rooks light on a field, foraging, they often set one of their number on a tree or the fence, to watch when anyone approaches, and caw alarm.
At sea a sailor is sent to the masthead to look out, and tell when the sail of another ship appears in sight, or distant land comes in view; especially at night and in storm, lest the vessel suddenly strike some other bark, or on a floating iceberg, or rush among the breakers. In these cases there is watching against evil. —Edmond. SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS 157 WOE. “Woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him.”
“Woe to him that striveth with his maker.” “Woe to him that giveth his neighbour drink.” “Woe unto you that are rich.” “Woe to them that join house to house.”
“Woe unto them that go down into Egypt for help.” “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.”
— Edmond
The point
The illustration gives two examples of watchfulness: rooks posting a sentinel and sailors keeping lookout from the masthead, applying these to the need for spiritual vigilance against evil.