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THE WATCHMAN
Ezekiel 33:1-9
June 1, 2008
Ancient Israelite cities were surrounded by walls of stone. These walls stood twenty feet tall, and were often fifteen to twenty feet thick. For all intents and purposes they were impenetrable, and provided the occupants uncompromised safety. However, every city had to have a gate. Typically the gate was made from wood. The gate had to be wide enough to accommodate all of the business traffic, yet it had to be light enough for soldiers to swing it open and closed. This made the gate the weak spot in the city defenses. If bad guys were going to attack your city, they would attempt to breach the gate. So, on the top of the wall, right next to the gate, every city built a watchtower.
The heart of the watchtower was the Watchman. He had to be young enough to have good eyesight. There were no contact lenses, no telescopes, and no binoculars. At the same time, he had to be old enough to have developed adult maturity. He would bear a great deal of responsibility, and usually held the rank of Captain of the Guard, to provide matching authority (Jeremiah 37:13). He had to be healthy enough, and responsible enough, to show up every day for work – there were no days off for the Watchman. Whether there was 110 degree heat in the Summer, or blowing snow in the Winter, the Watchman stood his post (Job 27:18).
He was supposed to be the first one to discover either a fire or a riot inside the city, and then dispatch the appropriate personnel to deal with the situation. He was supposed to be the first one to identify incoming messengers or political delegates (2 Samuel 18:19-33). And, he had to identify them early enough to get the appropriate greeting committee in place at the gate. It was very bad form for a message runner to arrive at the city gate, and the king not be there to meet him.
Perhaps the most important of all, every time a large group of people approached the city he had to decide, quickly, whether they were a threat or not (2 Kings 19:16-21). Remember, most soldiers didn’t wear uniforms in those days. When a large crowd approached the city the Watchman had to quickly decide whether they travelers on a pilgrimage, a business caravan, hooligans and vandals, or the lead element of an attacking force. The Watchman could destroy the city’s reputation by closing the gates and shooting arrows at merchants and tradesmen. He could destroy the city by ignoring the advance guard of their enemies.
The most dangerous watch was just before sunrise (Isaiah 21:11-12). There was always the tendency to fall asleep. To help keep the Watchman awake he was responsible for calling out the hours of the night, functioning like a town clock. Night warfare was a complicated affair. No one wanted to attack at night if they could help it. The best way was to slowly move your forces into position under cover of darkness. Then, just as the dawn approached begin the assault. You were fighting in daylight, but the townspeople were caught unawares. You could breach the gate and be inside before the Watchman could summon his forces. For the Watchman there was the constant temptation to complacency. “I’ve been the night Watchman for two years, for two years nobody has attacked us, no one will attack us tonight.”
The Watchman was judged not by his effectiveness, but by his faithfulness. He was responsible for identifying what was safe and what was dangerous, and then telling the people. He was not responsible for what they did with the information. If the Watchman called out the warning and no one responded it was not his fault. He had done his job correctly. However, if the Watchman failed to call out a warning and the city was attacked, even if they repulsed the attack and survived, the Watchman would be executed.
From the earliest time of the prophets, continuing until today, God has appointed Watchmen over his church (Ezekiel 3:16-22, Hebrews 13:17). The similarities between the Watchmen of the cities, and the Watchmen of the Church, run very deep. The Watchman of the Church has to be a responsible person, considered trustworthy. There are no days off. Sunday is a workday for a Pastor, and most will take Monday as their non-work day. But, if there’s an emergency or an accident on Monday the Pastor will come. The personal comfort of the Church Watchman is unimportant. Don’t like sitting in the hospital at 3:00 am while someone’s body succumbs to the final ravages of cancer? Too bad, that’s the job.
The Church Watchman has to stamp out fires. One bad rumor can spread like wildfire and destroy an entire body of Christ. When discontent flares up the Watchman has to quickly decide who is leading the riot, and what should be done with them. Every time someone arrives at the church the Watchman has to decide if this is a messenger, and who the recipient is. Most important of all, the Watchman has to constantly focus his attention outside of the Church and judge the winds of politics, religion, group think, and popular trend – then decide what is unimportant, what is deception, and what is an all out attack on the residents of the community. And, of course, the community is in the most danger when the Watchman is worn out with complacency or the effects of a long cold night in their personal life.
For such a small church we are blessed with an abundance of Watchmen. Brandon, Tori and I serve you as paid Pastors. Bud Zumwalt is a retired Pastor, which is a misnomer because they never stop serving, they just find different avenues. John Sanborn and Nancy DiMarco are Advanced Lay Speakers. And, one month from now: Chris Wyatt, Ken and Kris Corkins, Jerry and Theresa Zumwalt, Katie Bristow and Jackie Ellison will have completed Basic Lay Speaker training. In such a tiny church that gives us thirteen Watchmen.
That also gives us thirteen who will voluntarily submit to a stricter standard of judgment. Jesus said, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded (Luke 12:48).” If you’re going to accept the authority of being a Watchman, you must accept the responsibility as well. Jesus’ brother James said, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1).” And he’s right; there is strict judgment for the Watchman.
The Watchman won’t be judged on the people’s response, but on his faithfulness. God was very clear with Ezekiel; he was responsible for delivering the message, and that is how he would be judged. What the people did with the message is how they will be judged. Today’s Watchman is evaluated by the same criteria.
A true Watchman can’t hold their tongue (Isaiah 62:6-7). When they see danger they are compelled to speak out, even if the message is uncomfortable and inconvenient for others to hear. “What’s he talking about today? Ooh, I hope it’s not about money, or homosexuality, or adultery, or families, or politics! I hope he talks about grace and forgiveness, I like grace and forgiveness.” A true Watchman is not only concerned with the wicked and the lost. A true Watchman is just as concerned with what we call the ‘backsliding righteous’. There are people who know the truth, they have been correctly taught, but they choose to live in defiance of the will of God. God values this person, and He guides the Watchman to them.
There are bad Watchmen (Isaiah 56:10-11). Each city had their share of Mafia style Watchmen who offered ‘protection’. For a special fee they would make sure your house didn’t catch on fire that night. For a special fee they would identify the hooligans who stole your donkey at 3:00 am. Most of these Watchmen spent their time on duty drinking alcohol and sleeping. A bad Watchman could hurt the city more than any other individual.
There are bad Watchmen in the Church. When someone promises you that if you send them $100 God will send you $1000, they are a bad Watchman. When someone tells you they know when Jesus is coming back, they are a bad Watchman. When someone says they can’t tell you the ‘special secrets’ about God until after you join their denomination or cult, they are a bad Watchman. When someone says they have secret inside information, that God only shares with them, they are a bad Watchman.
I trust the Watchmen of this church. I intend to use all of the Watchmen with which God has blessed this church. I intend to let them speak the words the Holy Spirit has placed on their hearts, minds, and tongues without censorship. They will be judged by whether they correctly deliver the message. You will be judged by whether you respond. God bless us all.
Kenneth L. Barker & John R. Kohlenberger III, Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Volume I: Old Testament, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 1279.
J. D. Douglas & Merrill C. Tenney, The New International Dictionary of the Bible, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 726.