Edition 97.  October 23rd 2011

The Lord's Watchmen.

News events and comment.

●Hamas says "We will capture more Israel's" One Israeli released for 1000 Palestinians is what they think is a good strategy.

●New Palestinian statehood talks start in Jerusalem within days, with a vote UN Security Council vote due in November.

●Gaddafi was a lifelong Jew-hater. There were so many incidents; too many to mention, besides I can't bring myself to spend time writing on Gaddafi. How ironic that his last moments are spent emerging from a hole in the ground, just like Jew-hater, Saddam. That's not very different to final journey of Jew-hater, Bin Laden to the bottom of the ocean. What a monumental failure of a human being when everyone in the region throws a party because you're dead!

●The Saudi Crown Prince dies within hours of Gaddafi.

●The Middle East is moving fast. The tables are being turned the furniture re-arranged. Leaders, despots, kings and princes of all the nations surrounding Israel are being eliminated or put on notice. Is all this a coincidence? Never not a chance. It's all part of the stage being set for greatest drama ever to begin.

●Perhaps the biggest false watchman / prophet of our day is the heretic, Harold Camping who has set the date for the coming of the Lord 12 times. The first was in 1978. Interestingly all false prophets are filled with false doctrine as well. I don't want to give any more space to this deceived man, if you want to waste some time, you can look up all the heresies and false doctrines that this man from California believes. You would be better off simply rejecting him completely.

He has cheapened the prophetic word, damaged it and made a mockery of a deadly serious subject.

The Watchmen.

●This in no way whatsoever has anything to do with various counterfeit church / cult organisations who use the term "watchmen"

I'm not a date setter, I'm a watcher! I have a passionate love affair with the prophetic word of God and watching for fulfilments.

I have associations with a number of other watchmen around the world, particularly within the Messianic movement. We watch for the signs of the times and coming fulfilment of Bible prophecy. We often share things with one another before publishing. We don't set dates that are cast in stone. We watch and come up with probabilities. We can't be 100% sure of exact dates because of many variables in the various calendars and the fact that we can all make mistakes.

God is sovereign and can do what He wants when He wants although that is unlikely. He has limited Himself by His own word to His word. "He does things decently and in order" Our Lord has acted with precision in the past relating to all the big prophetic fulfilments. It is most likely that He will continue to operate in a precise exact manner in terms of time and dates in the future.

Here are some verses for the watchmen out there:

Matthew 24:33-34 "Now learn the parable of the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that the summer is near. So you also when you see all these things know (lit. I command you to know) that it is near even at the very doors"

Matthew 24:44 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him." ("Hour" means a specific shorter period of time. It doesn't mean the time in general is not known)

Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Again "day" and "hour" is a specific shorter time period and does not mean time in a wider sense.)

Mark 13:37 "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch." (What would be the use of watching if it were impossible to know the time?)

Ezekiel 33:6 "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand."

Every believer is supposed to be a watchman to some degree for his own safety. It's wise before pulling off at the green light to check if some idiot isn't about to jump the red light on the other side. But many believers, especially new ones are not at a place where they are capable of watching or know what to watch for. Babies and young kids need to have others do that for them.

On the other hand there are many believers who are so in love with the world and it's ways, that they just have no interest in these things. They've had their eyes blinded by the god of this world.

The above verse actually continues to say that if the person hears the watchman and does nothing his blood is upon himself and not the watchman.

Isaiah 58:1 "Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."

Sharpen your eyes watchmen out there! Watch on, watch on, and don't become an "end-time scoffer".

What makes a watchman?

Jeremiah 6:16-17 "Stand in the ways and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said 'we will not walk in it'. Also I set watchmen over you saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, we will not listen...Therefore I will bring calamity on this people.'"

The duty of the watchman is to speak from old pure Biblical perspectives. Obviously many, caught up in the modern ways of humanism and variable values won't listen.

The Biblical watchman is very similar to the five-fold ministry office of a prophet in the true church. The only real difference being, that the watchman's office is not necessarily a five-fold ministry office. Anyone who meets Gods criteria and calling can be a watchman.

●The first and foremost duty for the watchman is to know the Bible backwards. Today, this is extremely rare amongst men of God. People think they know what the Bible says because someone else has told them. They have second-hand information. When they do look at the Bible they turn to the verses that others have handed down to them.

Part of knowing the Bible backwards involves knowing how and when to apply allegory and when to apply literal interpretation. Only the Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart of the believer can lead you safely into "all truth"

A Bible student must know the Bible from studying it without pre-conceived ideas or through church glasses. They must have at least read the Bible from cover to cover in a prayerful manner. There is no substitute or short-cut for knowing your Bible.

●A watchman has an excited, enthusiastic interest in Bible prophecy and has spent many years studying it and sets himself apart preparing himself to be used by our Lord.

●A watchman is one who has learnt over time to discern voices. There are many voices out there and much confusion. But, "our God is not a God of confusion". He speaks through His word, through many circumstances and in that still small inner voice in his heart.

●A watchman has a soft, broken heart before our Messiah and a hard heart to the voice of the world and the devil.

●A watchman knows our Messiah from deep separation in holiness unto Him and therefore can make Him known.

●The watchman will not be a man-pleaser. He will not be moved by the masses of religious wishy-washy conformists.

●The watcher will have long ago forsaken the world system and its power. He will "not love the world nor the things of the world."

James 3:1 "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgement."

It's a frightening thing to know that the people who claim to speak on God's behalf will encounter a more severe judgement. People by and large are gullible. The watchman or prophet can easily influence people. He must not! Because people can be easily manipulated, and dominated, if the watchmen sets out to control people, he is in big trouble with God.

Knowing that a severe judgement is coming on those who speak for God should motivate them into complete surrender before Him. They themselves should be filled with the Fear of God before opening their mouths.

It's also insightful to know what a watchman is not:

People like Harold Camping who repeatedly set failed dates for the rapture and ask for money are thieves and liars. There are many who've set dates for the rapture saying that "God has told them. It's not so much them being wrong, but the fact that they say "God told them".

Because there are many date setters out there, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Our Lord is coming soon and we are to watch, pray and be ready.

Be very careful of ministers and others who tell you that God speaks to them in an audible voice! They are generally liars filled with spiritual pride, arrogance and ulterior motives.

A false-watchman is often legalistic about his position and won't accommodate anyone questioning his view. A false-watchmen often comes up with things that don't fit in with other portions of scripture. He is most times ignorant of the entirety of the Bible.

A false-watchman will often push a particular church doctrine or tradition in support of their own little set of rules.

A false-watchman will be filled with many ulterior motives including the desire for money, to control people and elevate himself.

What does the watchman watch for?

The watchman does not take the place of the pastor or other ministry offices. He compliments them. But God very often uses the watchman (or prophet) to introduce warning or guidance that the others are not seeing or open to.

In these cases others in leadership had better be open to receive what God is saying. I can give you many examples of churches that have become shipwrecked because they rejected the watchman.

In many cases the watchman is the "eyes" of the church.

●The watchman watches for icebergs in the night!

●The watchman watches the clock. He watches to see how close that iceberg is.

Isaiah 21:11 "...He calls to me, watchman what of the night? watchman what of the night?

John 9:4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."

The above two verses are shocking! They clearly show that a deep spiritual "night" is coming. They show that an environment of great danger is coming.

It's the duty of the watchmen to teach on what lies ahead. The Biblical office of the prophet, was always controversial. The prophet was essentially the 'eyes' of God for the people, but many rejected the warnings at their own peril. Today nothing has changed.

The watchman is primarily concerned about the Middle East and Israel in particular. This is the centre-stage for Gods great drama.

Isaiah 62:6 "I have set watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem, Who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord do not keep silent."

Ezekiel 3:17 "Son of man (Ezekiel) I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth and give them warning from Me."

The watchman sees things out there that other don't, or wont!

The greatest tragedy was that Noah was out there warning the people that big trouble was coming. We know the story...they just carried on in their sin as normal. Today the situation is no different.

It's good to bear in mind that it is God that appoints, anoints and places the watchman or prophet in the church, not some church board. Today many churches have appointed prophets to speak and follow their own church mandate. These are dumb, blind prophets and their watchmen see only through their church eyes.

Isaiah 56:10 "His watchmen are blind they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs they cannot bark; sleeping lying down loving to slumber." (Israel's idolatrous watchmen)

The watchman must be awake to the news of the day especially in regard to Israel and the Middle East. Today most westerners are in a blinding deep sleep in this regard.

Jeremiah 6:14 "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying 'peace, peace'! When there is no peace."

Today people want to hear "peace, peace" They want to hear another nice motivational sermon on how positive thinking can make them rich and happy in the world. They don't want to hear that Satan is about to be unveiled as the god of the world.

Jeremiah 14:14 "And the Lord said to me, "The prophets prophecy lies in My name." I have not sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they prophecy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing and the deceit of their heart."

Jeremiah 23:32 "Behold I am against those who prophecy false dreams, says the Lord, and tell them and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them nor command them; therefore they shall not profit says the Lord."

One of the Biblical characteristics of a false prophet and blind watchman is that he speaks peace at the wrong time and he speaks trouble at the wrong time!

Hearing and knowing God's voice does not come overnight, it comes through knowing His heart and His ways and that's a lifelong journey.

A good way to know if someone speaks from God or from his own ideas can be seen in the personal pride or humility of that person before our Lord.

God warns of judgement

God would be very unfair if He did not warn of coming judgement. As we look into the nature of God in relation to this subject, in His word, we find a consistent theme all the way through.

Amos 3:7 "Surly the Lord does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets."

The unfolding of God's judgement on this world is progressive and like a big jigsaw puzzle we need to know how it all fits together. We must know the sequence of events.

God warns of eternal hell for the unsaved. He warns of it more times than He speaks of heaven!

Do not listen to those who in their supposed love, remove God's warning signs!

God warned the people of Noah's day exactly when judgement was coming. Here is just one of those warnings:

Genesis 7:4 "For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights..."

God warned Lot of impending judgement as well.

Interestingly, the days we are in now are likened to in the Bible to the "Days of Noah and Lot" Bear in mind that the people rejected the prophet Noah and carried on in their sin and normal average daily living until they were swept away.

Matthew 13:57 So they were offended at Him, but Jesus said to them "A prophet is not without honour (rejected) in his country and in his house."

Unfortunately the above verses reveals the tragedy of the masses. They're not interested. But this also applies equally to a church. Many in the church today are not interested in the warnings of the watchmen.

I know personally of a number of churches that have no interest at all in the prophetic word.

By the way, that little atom bomb in the image above will be a pick-nick compared to what's coming in the tribulation period.

God reveals untold glory.

On the one hand God warns of judgement and on the other He presents a desirable destiny of pure glory. It is the duty of the watchman to present both.

The coming of the Lord is a great hope and deep comfort for true believers and an absolute terror for unbelievers. The end of the present world system is the beginning of a new world of glory righteousness and everlasting peace.

The watchman must be clear on both. Kingdoms in conflict will cause a great many to come searching for the truth. In fact the entire end time message is a very powerful tool for bringing people to salvation. Everyone has some sort of interest in

Finally

Irresponsible watchmen have a serious condemnation upon them!

Watchmen who give out "lies" and false words of "peace" when there is disaster coming are in big trouble with God.

I hope you've read the verses in this edition. They are filled with serious implications for the watchman and the listener!

Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Heaven or hell:

Rabbi working on the Dead Sea Scrolls, you've studied much, but is it all in vain? Have you found our wonderful Messiah in all the ancient scroll? He is right there. Those scroll will become living word when you find Him. Your tradition won't save you nor will your birth-right. You need to be born again of the Spirit of God.

What a big shock you will get when you realise that right in front of you was the word of God, with the instructions on salvation. Right in front of you were many watchmen speaking warning and giving direction. If you, like the masses reject God's ways and word, He will reject you. You must act while still have the chance.

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Here's a painting by Juan Antonio representing an angel waking up Elijah the prophet.

Kind regards and many blessings...Shalom and grow in grace!