Watchmen on the Walls

Watchmen on the Walls

“The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.' ’
‘Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.’ ”
Ezekiel 33:1-7

In ancient times, watchmen on the walls kept a constant vigil on the city walls against the raiding enemy. The main earthly protection for a city was to fortify itself with a wall and place watchmen on it. These men would watch through the day and night. They would scan the horizon. At the first sign of trouble, they would grab their trumpets and blow a warning signal to the rest of the people in the community. The people knew when they heard the trumpets blow that they were to stop their daily routine or awaken from their sleep and mobilize into action to defend their families, homes, and community.

Ezekiel was made a watchman for the house of Israel. God gave him the words to speak to warn the people if they did not turn from their idols and sin to Him. God pleaded with the people. He came to His prophets and put His words into their mouths, but the people still did not listen. They continued to worship other gods and not turn to the God Most High.

I have been so burdened for Jesus’ precious bride for several years now. I see pockets of Christians hearing the warning signal. They have been aroused from their sleep. They have stopped the entrapment of daily living on this earth and become purposeful about living for Christ. However, Jesus’ bride as a whole is still not true to her first love.

When we told God to get out of our public lives and out of our public schools, as Anne Graham Lotz says, “God, being a Gentleman, did.” We have turned to the god of entertainment, the god of our flesh, the god of money, the god of self, the god of comfort and indulgence, and the list could go on and on. We have nationally dismissed God. With 9/11 we saw the first of what could happen when God’s hand of protection was not upon us. God so desperately wanted us to wake up and look to Him. However, we hit the snooze alarm after that terrible tragedy hatched by evil men.

Just as Ezekiel warned the people of his day, many great and wonderful preachers and teachers are acting like watchmen on the wall for our nation and world and sending warnings. They are warning the bride of Christ to wake up! They are warning people to turn from their sin. As I write this devotion, I, too, am issuing a warning to us. You and I do not want 9/11 to be a prelude. However, we are on the pathway for some hard times on the kingdom calendar.

The church is in desperate need of a revival! You and I are the church My answer for revival nationally has been for years to be revived individually. I let God set me on fire and spit sparks to other people. I leave complacency behind and became contagious. Then, I have prayed for the ones whom God has spit sparks on through me and asked Him to turn them into a bonfire that all can see and become “spark spitters,” too.

Are any of you in need of a little fire of God’s Spirit? I want that. Gosh, I want that, beloved. I believe many of you want that, too. I know God wants so badly for us to respond to His Holy Spirit and to His watchmen and to walk in godliness and be the bonfire for all to see Him in this dark world. So may we let Him set us ablaze!

Pray with me: Almighty God, the world is in desperate need of a true spiritual awakening. The church is in desperate need of a great revival. Believers are in desperate need of a fresh infusion of faith. Please, hear us cry out to You and shower us with Your Spirit. These are going to be some hard days on the kingdom calendar. Lord, help us to be a people who know the signs of our times and stand as watchmen on the wall. Set us on fire with Your Holy Spirit, Lord. Set us ablaze! You are a consuming fire. Your Word is a fire in our bones, and we must share the good news. Lord, give us the courage to be “spark spitters” and to fan the flame burning in others. We want to be a contagious people and not fire quenchers. We don’t want to douse others with water but rather with Your fire. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.