Watchman

My article today is not about movie review on the super hero film called Watchmen directed by Zack Snyder. It is about a man named Ezekiel in the Bible.

Last night as I was reading Ezekiel 3, I am reminded of the importance being on guard in the last days. God said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me" (Ezekiel 3:17). I

In the days of Ezekiel, it was common practice for nations to appoint guardians to watch the borders of their territories and warn the people of approaching danger. It was the watchman's duty to sound the trumpet and warn the people the moment he saw the enemy coming. If he saw the enemy coming, yet failed to sound the alarm, his failure was considered a criminal act, and every death brought by the enemy's sword was a murder charge for the watchman.

Just as the watchman appointed to guard the city gates, Ezekiel has a God-given commission to serve as "a watchman for the house of Israel." Ezekiel role was to warn the wicked among his people of the certainty of death if they failed to turn from their sinful ways.

I believe we are called to be watchman too. A watchman that will show the grace of God to the lost. A watchman that brings message of hope and salvation. A watchman that will guard and watch at the "gate" of the church. Being on guard against current trends of deception that are sweeping through the body of Christ..

In Mark 13, we see that Jesus is telling us of the things to come regarding the Last Days. He exhorts us all to be on the alert, to be watchful of the things to come. It seems we have all been called to be in a constant state of watchfulness in some capacity as believers in Christ: "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert -- for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning -- in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep."What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'" Mark 13:33-37

Steven Mitchell writes in his article "Watchman Arise,"

"Since God mentions this ministry several times throughout the Bible with great clarity, we do well to read, heed, and learn to be men and women with this attitude for the church today. While we may not be under the threat of physical invasion today, or living in literal walled fortresses, Satan and his workers seek to destroy and lay siege to the church today through false teachers and ungodly philosophies. He seeks to lead us into false forms of worship and unbiblical teachings that masquerade as truth. He has engineered and orchestrated a full-out assault on the people of God today, complete with deceptive false ministers and non-prophets who no longer view His Word as the primary basis for true doctrine. The church is definitely under attack and, therefore, definitely and desperately in need of watchmen in this age."

Be Blessed.