Where Are The Watchmen?

WHERE ARE THE WATCHMEN?

"Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul." Ezekiel 33:1-9. (NKJV).

Ezekiel was a priest during the time the Jews were removed from their homeland because of their idolatry and rebellion against God. They were in captivity in Babylon. God is calling him to stand in the office of a prophet. He compared Ezekiel’s ministry as a prophet to that of a watchman. He will be given instruction and warning from God and was expected to pass it on to the people in other to avert tragedies.

THE WALLED CITY!

An ancient city without a wall was wide open to be plundered by thieves or rampaging enemies. The walls helped to protect people and their households, as well as their blessings. Walls provided security. Walls serve as shield.

A broken wall makes an individual, family, church or city, to be vulnerable to the strike and bite of the old serpent, "He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent." Ecclesiastes 10:8. Repentance brings back divine mercy, grace, protection, and the restoration of the broken walls.

By being inside a city with walls, the people had two forms of protection:

1. The wall. It stood as a formidable barrier between the people and their enemies. The wall separates that which was acceptable and that which was not.

ii. A second form of protection for those living in walled cities was the watchman. The watchman stood upon the walls and kept watch over the surrounding areas. When invading enemies or other dangers came into his view, he sounded the trumpet for warning and those inside the wall to be prepare.

Both the watchman and the wall were crucial to the survival and prosperity of the city. Without the watchman, those inside the wall were blind and without the wall, the watchman would have been unnecessary.

"5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6.

“40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:40-41.

The night hour is near. Jesus's time on earth is coming to an end. The appointed time has come for the betrayal and the enemy to manifest. Jesus is groaning in prayer. Yet, the beloved disciples are not ready. They have been sleeping when they should have been watching and praying. The disciples could stay up all night fishing but not stay awake for some few hours praying for their Lord.

We have an enemy. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

The Greek word for “watch” means, “to be vigilant, wake, to be watchful.”