The Watchman

Eat the Scroll

Read Ezekiel 3:1–17 (ESV)

Warning!

Ezekiel primarily warned the the Israelites of sin.

Warn means “to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or evil; to give admonishing advice to: counsel; to call to one’s attention: inform,” according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Warning is addressing, alerting, cautioning, notifying, preparing, summoning, urging, exhorting, reproving, directing, reminding, prompting and advocating.

What are we warning the church of? Not just demons, but sin and false teachings.

We are warning the church due to widespread abortion, homosexuality, obscene wealth while extreme poverty exists, racism that exist inside the church.

The atrocious sins grieve the Lord, and very few are willing to address it.

“Preachers rarely proclaim the apostolic message that demanded that people “should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” - Paul Washer

“No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying… We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” - Leonard Ravenhill

“Prayer isn’t merely preparation for the work. Prayer is the work!” - Oswald Chambers

In his book Spiritual Avalanche, the late Steve Hill warned of seven great lies in the church today. He lists those as

1) an overemphasis on prosperity

2) exaggerated views of grace

3) antinomianism, which literally means “against law”

4) deification of man

5) challenging the authority of the Word

6) rejecting hell

7) universal reconciliation.

This warning was the last major trumpet blow Hill released before he died of cancer in 2014.

Was he right?

The Watchman

The watchman’s job is to sound the alarm.

The watchman has been given the ability to see what the enemy is doing.

The watchmen is to stand in the gap and make up a hedge in urgency until the enemy is shut out or the opposition to the Lord’s entrance is dealt with in the spirit.

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines watchman as “a person who keeps watch: guard.”

Synonyms for watchman are “keeper, lookout, minder, sentinel, and watcher.”

According to Hebrew Scholar Robert Alter, a watchman was someone posted on an elevation to look for the approach of hostile forces.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines watchman as “used to designate a sentinel on the city walls…or on the hilltops.”

Simply put, watchmen are prophets, prophetic people and intercessors.

Jeremiah 6:17 (ESV)

17 I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’

Watchmen have three specific activities.

What the enemy is doing

What angels are doing

What God is doing.

The 4 Hebrew Words for Watchmen

Tsaphah - means “to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, or watch.”

According to The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon. When Eli the priest was watching, with his heart trembling, for the return of the ark of God in First Samuel 4:13, this is tsaphah.

1 Samuel 4:13 ESV

13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.

When watchmen stood at the tower in Jezreel spying out Jehu as he came in the glory of God in Second Kings 9:17, this was tsaphah.

Several Scriptures that use the word tsaphah speak of the Lord Himself watching, including Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

2. Natsar - “to guard, watch, watch over, keep” and “to preserve, guard from dangers, to keep, observe, guard with fidelity, to keep secret, to be kept close, be blockaded.”

This is a type of watchman that includes a stronger thrust to guard.

This is also the type of watchman who calls the church to worship the Lord in unity.

Jeremiah 31:6 ESV

6 For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ ”

3. Shamar - “to keep, guard, observe, give heed, have charge of, save life, wait for, retain, treasure up (in memory), to keep (within bounds), restrain, celebrate, keep (sabbath or covenant), to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care, beware, abstain.”

The shamar watchman is one who watches daily at God’s gates

Proverbs 8:34 ESV

34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: The distinction in meaning between the various words is clear, tsopheh having the idea of “outlooker” and notser that of “careful watcher” (being applied even to besiegers from outside:

4. Shomer - “defending” or “guarding.”

Isaiah 21:6 ESV

6 For thus the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees.

The watchman’s role, in a nutshell, is to keep watch, spy out the enemy’s plans, look for the coming of the Lord, discern the work of angels, and generally be on guard. The watchman gives warning, blows trumpets, sounds the alarm, stands in the gap, and makes up the hedge.

Habakkuk 2:1 ESV

1 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

Watchmen have a watch. They have a territory or spheres of influence for which they are responsible.

Modern-day watchmen are primarily called to watch in the government; others are called to the church or the entertainment industry.

Scripture reveals three types of prophetic sentinels whose mission is to stand guard, keep watch, and report what they see.

We find Old Testament prophets on the walls, walking in the streets of the city, and in the countryside.

In the new testament God uses preachers as well as prophets to be His Watchmen!

Let me give you three New Testament verses that deal with the importance of being a watchmen

Save Yourselves!!!

Carmel Save Yourselves!

1 Timothy 4:16 (ESV)

16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Even though salvation is a free gift the we couldn’t earn, we could choose to turn on the faith by denying Christ, worshiping other god’s, living in disbelief and adhering to false doctrine.

Why do you think the word of God says to let every man workout his own salvation with fear and trembling.

Acts 20:28–31 (ESV)

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

The word of God explicitly says that many false prophets have gone out in the world.

If you heed to the teachings and instructions of false prophets then you will surely damn yourselves!

But if you heed to sound doctrine and receive the true prophets and teachers of the word of God then you will surely save yourselves!

Look at what Hebrews 13:17 says.

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

They are called to do what?

Keep watch over your souls!

Preachers, there is blood on your hands!

The watchman’s role is one of the heaviest responsibilities in the Bible and the only time the Lord tells us the blood will be on our hands if we fail to obey the call to warn.

Ezekiel 33:7–9 ESV

7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

This carries the same theme as 1 Timothy 4:16.

It is imperative that preachers preach the truth because if they don’t they will not only risk losing their own salvation but will risk the lives of others as well!

Where Are the Watchmen At?

This generation is spiritually illiterate.

Truth is determined by their own life experiences.

They are the authority and their feelings will trump facts and logic.

They are the most traumatized generation in all of history.

Only 4% live with a Biblical worldview right now.

And only 1% that actually live it.

Only 9% of born again believers answered yes to if absolute moral truths exists.

Is the Bible 100% correct in its entirety? Only 9% said yes.

96% don’t believe the gospel

96% believe that the Bible is not accurate

You can’t blame this on culture or generational gaps!

This happened because of poor preaching!

Preachers!!! I’m calling you out!

There is blood on your hands!!!

If you have come into this church and haven’t felt uncomfortable because the truth of the word of God didn’t convict you of your sin I apologize!

Tell the story of “comfort” that a church member told me.

“When Jesus Christ comes back, it’s not the liberal politicians who ought to be trembling. It’s the pastors…because so many men have built their ‘ministries’ on the dry dead bones of unconverted church members.” - Paul Washer

Watch and Pray!

Mark 14:27–38 (ESV)

27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”

30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.

34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”

35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

You wont be able to withstand the oncoming tribulation if you fall asleep!

You must watch and pray!!!

Tell them the grocery store / gas station dream.

Tell them the P14 dream.

Encourage the people of God not to be afraid.

Encourage them to watch and pray!