“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the horn and warns the people, then someone who hears the sound of the horn but does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the horn but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’ (Ezekiel 33:2-6).
Watchmen safeguarded fields and vineyards during harvest time (Isaiah 5:1–2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1) and acted as sentinels who announced the start of a new day (Psalm 130:6; Isaiah 21:11–12).
The Bible also refers to watchmen in a spiritual sense. God appointed prophets as spiritual watchmen over the souls of His people: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 33:7; also Hosea 9:8).
The prophets’ job as watchmen was to urge God’s people to live faithfully and warn them of the perils involved in falling away from the Lord and doing evil. As watchmen, the prophets were also called to warn wicked people of the judgment and destruction that would come their way unless they turned from their evil ways.
HERE IS THE KICKER: ARE WE TO BE WATCHMEN TODAY?
Are there Prophets today?
No. We are The Body of Christ. Not Watchmen. Certainly no Prophets exist today as the canon of scripture is complete.
What about Hebrews 13:17? Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17). The Book of Hebrews. Why was it written? To Whom was it written? It is an encouragement / motivation to the Jewish Believers, not to lapse back into Old Testament Judaism. Don't lapse, don't retrogress. How does the author communicate this exhortation? The Author, whoever he was, communicates this exhortation and shows that what Believers already possess in Jesus Christ is higher than anything offered in that prior system in other words you already have the full revelation of Jesus, why would you knowingly retrogress and go backwards? After after all, Jesus is higher than the Angels, Moses and The Aaronic Priesthood. The Book of Hebrews is not written for The Church.
Use context, hermeneutics and discernment and see if this scripture applies to the The Body of Christ? "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand." (Ezekiel 33:6). It Doesn't.
We are Eternally Secure in Christ ((John 10:28-29b; Ephesians 4:30) "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39). We are saved by Faith, irrespective of works burnt. “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Amos 3:7: Another passage that is often misquoted and purposely misinterpreted is Amos 3:7, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." What is the context of Amos 3:7?
Brief Summary: Amos can see that beneath Israel’s external prosperity and power, internally the nation is corrupt to the core. The sins for which Amos chastens the people are extensive: neglect of God’s Word, idolatry, pagan worship, greed, corrupted leadership, and oppression of the poor. Amos begins by pronouncing a judgment upon all the surrounding nations, then upon his own nation of Judah, and finally the harshest judgment is given to Israel. His visions from God reveal the same emphatic message: judgment is near. The book ends with God’s promise to Amos of future restoration of the remnant.
Foreshadowings: The Book of Amos ends with a glorious promise for the future. “’I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,’ says the LORD your God” (9:15). The ultimate fulfillment of God’s land promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:7; 15:7; 17:8) will occur during Christ’s millennial reign on earth (see Joel 2:26,27). Revelation 20 describes the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth, a time of peace and joy under the perfect government of the Savior Himself. At that time, believing Israel and the Gentile Christians will be combined in the Church and will live and reign with Christ. Amos 3:7 is not addressing The Church.
What's holding up an Israeli Flag, clicking pictures and showing your support of Israel? Israel is in disbelief and lost after not accepting Jesus Christ as their Messiah. and here you are clicking pictures of yourself standing with unbelieving Israel? Where in The Bible does it say, financially support Israel ? Or give to these pastors and teachers who claim they will further sow on your behalf / give to Israel? Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. (Psalm 122:6) is being misquoted and purposely misinterpreted to extort money and support from us.
I may be wrong and judgemental, but I believe that: Likes, Sensationalism, and Money is the reason that lot of Pastors and Teachers today tell us firmly and excitedly that we are Watchmen, to indirectly and sub-consciously convey to us, that they are wise, chosen prophets of God, worthy of our Giving and Support financially. It's simply to arouse in us a feeling of belonging and having a special role in the body, that sub-consciously makes us want to GIVE more money and SUPPORT such teachers and pastors.
We are not Watchmen. Don't be deceived. We are to watch our hearts and sow/share into the lost.Please see what "To Watch" actually means in The Bible:
https://www.alittlestrength.com/articles/2018/1804-watch.htm?
(Excerpts from a Teaching by Greg Lauer).
No comments:
Post a Comment