I have some friends who raise sheep. They have several large dogs that are bred specifically to watch over their sheep. The dogs sound a barking alarm if anything approaches that could harm the sheep. If danger approaches, they will defend the sheep to the death. Because of the presence of the sheepdogs, the herd can graze in a secure pasture. Without the sound of the sheep dogs’ bark, the pasture would not be a safe place. The same holds true for the Church. Our sheepdogs are defined in Scripture as watchmen.
The word “watchman” has been defined as “to lean forward” and “to peer into the distance.” We have spiritual sheepdogs in the Church who, by assignment and gifting, have been called by God to lean forward, looking past our assumptions of the current spiritual reality to peer into the future to see and announce what is coming. While many will define a watchman on the wall as primarily a prayer ministry, it is much more. It is a ministry that sounds an alarm and takes action if the sheep are in peril.
“On your walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent” (Isaiah 62:6). As they pray, watchmen observe, listen, and then announce what they see. It is not a silent ministry. It is a “do as you are told” kind of ministry. “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me” (Ezekiel 3:17).
A failure to warn carries a severe consequence.“But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths. (Ezekiel 33:6,7)
Not everyone who hears the watchman’s warning will heed its announcement. ”I posted watchmen over you who said, ‘Listen for the sound of the alarm.’ But you replied, ‘No! We won’t pay attention!’” (Jeremiah 6:17).
There is a sobering rebuke for those called to shepherd God’s people who do not function as watchmen choosing to remain silent when they should be courageously announcing uncomfortable realities. “For the leaders of my people—the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds—are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming” (Isaiah 56:10).
The sound of a watchmen’s voice is not intended to be a peaceful and accommodating sound. It can sound like the jarring bark of a sheepdog announcing the approach of a predator. It will interrupt those who lie around in ignorance of the current spiritual reality, asleep in their assignment and dreaming in a delusional state of disconnection from what is on the horizon approaching the sheep with evil intent.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
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