It's Darkest Just Before the Dawn ... The Thoughts of a Modern Watchman

This is somewhat of a personal post. I hesitate to even share my thoughts because they come from my position as one of God's Watchmen on the Wall. Actually, both my husband and I have been called to that position -- and it is not one that comes with any kind of accolades or acclaim. In reality, it is not an enviable calling because first of all, many Christians do not recognize the need nor the responsibilities -- and let me be honest -- the burden of being a Watchman on the Wall. Secondly, a Watchman is not commonly understood in the Western Church today. For most, it has an Old Testament connotation. And just like those Old Testament Watchmen, we modern ones are just as much ignored and misunderstood. But, without any rancor or spite, I would like to say that what God shows us as we look out into the darkness is just as important and significant today as it was thousands of years ago. 

Most people have seen enough movies or read enough historical books to have an idea of what a Watchman is all about. Whether on the walls of Fort Carson in the Old West, the tower of a castle in Medieval Europe, or the high barrier walls of King David's Palace, there was a Watchman stationed on the wall. His job was to stand guard and look out upon the land, watching for messengers, any hint of danger or movement by an enemy, and then to warn those within his sphere. The Hebrew word for "watchman" is tsaphah, and it means to overlay [serve as a covering], to observe, to spy, to keep watch, and ultimately to give warning of what they see.

The Biblical importance of being called to be a Watchman for God is not without consequences, and should not be taken lightly. The primary Scripture that everyone thinks of is Ezekiel 33 from the Old Testament, but make no mistake, it applies to every Watchman in every age. It reads: 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.  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.  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 (Ezekiel 33: 7-9). So, I hope you understand ... I HAVE to share what my spirit is shown.

We are familiar with the men called by God in the Old Testament to be Watchmen for His people Israel: Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah come to mind. They were men who had the responsibility to share with the people what they saw coming upon the nation. Sometimes, they were successful in waking the people up to repent for their erring ways, thus avoiding God's judgment through the actions of other men. More often than not, they were ignored and the people suffered greatly for clinging to their iniquity and rebellion. And because of their rebellious ways, God spoke through His Watchmen, and the message they delivered was, more often than not, negative. And believe me, it is not fun to be the one giving those warnings.

Modern Watchmen don't find it any easier than their ancient counterparts. God gives us the Bible to counsel us; to educate us in His ways; to show His Glory; to help us learn from His history; and to "connect the dots", so to speak between what He revealed to generations past and what He is unveiling today. Remember, His Character and His Ways never change -- the purpose of the prophecies He spoke thousands of years ago were warnings to return to Him. The same holds true for us. The names may have changed, but the results of disobedience remain the same. 

So, just as Jeremiah was looking for trouble on the horizon of his day, and warning the people to repent and change their ways, so do those of us who have been given discernment as to our own situation. We try to warn those of faith [and the lost[ that trouble is headed our way. But we often receive the same reaction -- no one wants to hear bad news, and you get a reputation for always being negative. "Why don't you ever talk about the Good News"?, they'll say. "Victory is ours! We win in the end"! Yes, that is true. But we may have some hard times before we get to that promised victory; especially if our leaders and the nation continue in rebelling against God's laws. And just because I am saved and try to live a righteous life, it does not mean that I won't suffer from God's judgment against the nation.

Right now, no one can deny that the whole world sits on the edge of war. So much blood has been spilled -- in battles; ritualistically; and through abortions, trafficking, and violence in the streets. And while it looks pitch black, like the dead of night, from the wall where I stand watch, I want to assure you that I DO SEE THE HOPE OF THE DAWN. The darker it gets, I know the dawn is still on the way! I do see people beginning to stand up and shake off the false sense of security that their normalcy bias affords them, and begin to turn to Scripture for the hope it offers in the midst of this chaos and darkness. Hallelujah!

Yes, we're in the middle of a battle for the future of our nation and the futures of our coming generations. But I know, in the deepest recesses of my soul, that we don't fight alone. The battle is the Lord's and He goes before us. He stands watch over us from Heaven, and if not, then my calling is in vain. But He has given me a part to play; and my job is to keep watch and tell the truth -- no matter how unpleasant and troublesome -- so that my fellow believers will not be caught off-guard and unawares [should the prophecies of the Bible come upon us in this generation. 

And I earnestly pray that what my spirit discerns does not materialize in our lifetimes. Furthermore, part of my position as Watchman is to prepare and encourage people to endure and persevere. So, while Watchmen are often accused of painting a picture of "doom and gloom", if you listen closely, the heart of our warnings is the blessed hope we have of the Lord's return. If we can help anyone avoid the "falling away" that the Bible prophesies, by strengthening their spiritual vision of the world and their faith, and fully living in the truth that this is not our home, then we are fulfilling our mission. Without a doubt, it seems as if things are getting darker -- but that only means that the Light of this world is nearer than He's ever been! Get ready for the appearance of our great God and Savior!

Ezekiel 33:3-4   ... and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 

 

What Do You Know About the Book of Revelation?

I ask the question above for the simple reason that so many Christians know nothing of this important prophetical Book of the Bible. Actually, they know very little about any of the prophecies that are revealed in it! Throughout my years of Biblical study, I have often  been surprised at how few Christians study this Book, and it has become obvious to me that Satan has closed the eyes, minds, and hearts of the Body of Christ to receive the revelations it contains. 

I have heard so many reasons why it is discounted. But here is a short summary of the four most prominent reasons sited by theologians: 1) The Idealist view believes Revelation is not to be believed as a presentation of actual events that will occur, but rather as symbolically representing the struggles that Christians will have throughout the ages; it simply presents Biblical themes. 2) The Book of Revelation is looking at events in the past. Everything it prophecies took place with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and we are now living in the age of the new heaven and new earth. This is called the Preterist view. 3) The Book of Revelation is a symbolic presentation of the course of history from the Apostle's life through the end of the age. But this view, known as the Historicist view, finds that those who adopt this view usually interpret the Scripture through the lens of their own period in world history, thus resulting in lots of variations, depending on the generation in which you live. 4) Then there is the Futurist view, which teaches that the Book of Revelation reveals prophecies that will occur in the future. This view does not discount the symbolism or spiritual truths presented in the language of the Book, but applies a literal interpretation, based on the meaning of the language at the time of the prophecies. 

And of course, on top of the various views and interpretations, the different denominations that comprise "The Church" all have their own reasons for ignoring the Book of Revelation. All this disagreement results in a divided and oftentimes hostile environment among Believers, which further separates the Body of Christ from a deeper relationship with God. And Satan is clapping his hands in delight! But, as we increasingly see the prophecies of this amazing Book of the Bible come into view, I'd like to give you just a couple of things to think about.

To begin with, the very first sentence says, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants the things that must soon take place. If we say we believe that the Bible is truth, then we cannot ignore that this is the revelation of Jesus, Himself! Some have mistakenly seen it as the revelation of the Apostle John, as if he might possibly have dreamed it, or the prophecies are of his own making or understanding. But the Bible clearly states that Jesus sent an angel to John to record everything he was about to see, and to write it down in a book and share it with the  specifically-named seven churches that Jesus commands. 

This is where Christians must develop their own Biblical worldview. And that takes time and study. But if it is important to you to fully know our God [who created us] and His Son, through the Holy Spirit, you will be drawn to spend the time and seek Biblical knowledge with all your heart. But, sadly, as it too often appears, our society and culture are all about instant gratification and instant answers. We are too easily distracted by everything that swirls around us, and unfortunately, we oftentimes make God a last priority. This results in our lack of knowledge about Him, the world, and the spiritual reality of a real Enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And so we are perishing in a self-centered demise of our own making.

And because we don't know that the Book of Revelation is Jesus's prophecies to prepare us for what He knows is coming in this battle between Good and Evil, we don't think it has anything to offer us for today. Furthermore, because of our failure to engage with the Bible and seek revelation through the Holy Spirit, we're afraid we won't understand it ... so why bother. But perhaps the biggest reason Christians ignore this last Book in the Bible is because it scares us. We've heard bits and pieces from other Believers [and also false teachers and prophets] that it predicts horrific persecution and world events, and the world is scary enough right now, in this moment. Even if we stay rooted in our "normalcy bias", there is a part of us that is afraid it might reveal the end of the earth and it's just too much to bear.   

But I would like to offer you a word of encouragement! No matter what your belief system is based on, if you call yourself a Christian and believe He died for your sins and went to Heaven to prepare a place for us, then you believe that He is coming again. The Book of Revelation is the voice of Jesus telling us what to expect regarding that future event. You've more than likely read [or heard] what Jesus has to say about His return in the future in Matthew 23 and 24. If you can believe that, then you should know that Jesus would not lead you astray as He reveals more details about those prophecies. Yes, He tells us the world will be full of evil, famines, wars, plagues, and an Anti-Christ figure that will seek to dominate the whole world under his Beast system.

I agree, all that sounds really scary. But if you know and understand who our God is, and who we are in Him, then you will rejoice at the positive things the Book of Revelation reveals to help us persevere through those trials. There will be a resurrection of the dead [just as Jesus experienced] and we will stand before Him to receive our inheritance for how well we stewarded the Kingdom He left us. We will then live with Him eternally, ruling and reigning with Him. That is why God gave us the promises of eternal life for those who believe in His Son; promises of hope and strength in the Might of the Lord! There is more Good News in the promise that there will be a righteous judgment against those who rejected Him and His ways; a judgment against the ungodly and evil men throughout history. You see, Jesus gave us the Book of Revelation, not only to prepare us, but to reward our faithfulness with a clear picture of His victory over the final attempts of Satan and his fallen angels to defeat us. And His victory will be our victory!

So, now I ask you ... don't you think understanding what Jesus revealed to us in God's Word [for our own benefit and well-being] is worth the time to read? Whether or not we are in those final days, there is much wisdom in the Book of Revelation that will train us up for the battle to come. We need not fear it! And I urge the silent Pastors to do their job and equip and train their flocks to be on the front line to overcome the Man of Lawlessness who is knocking at the door. It is time to remove the dirty veil from before your eyes. Seize the opportunity, while we still have time, to see Jesus's prophecies coming into view, and get prepared. Get excited! Suit up in your spiritual armor, and don your weapons of spiritual warfare! Be bold and share the truth as Jesus connects the dots for you. And be ready, for He will make all things new! 

I don't know about you, but I want to be prepared for that day we see Jesus coming on the clouds, and I want to fulfill my purpose in those last days when Evil will be revealed and defeated before the whole world, and the righteous saints greet our God who will dwell with us forever! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 1:3    Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near".