Watchers & Gatekeepers

In the times of the Bible, or as many of us have watched early AD movies, we’ve noticed cities fenced in by thick walls spanning miles and miles.

Since looting was common those day, the supremacy of one city depended on whether it took control of another city.

To prevent the downfall, the probable thing most governments had to induce was to post different watchmen to guard the city while they walked on top of the wall.

Gatekeepers were also posted. Now the gates long ago were not as small as our 3-meter-ones of today. Vast gates spanned as large as ten-fifteen metres and were high as the same. Some needed machinery to open them, or twenty men to push open.

This was of utter crucialness, because once an army attacked, and went through those gates, that meant the fall of that specific city or the enslavement of the people therein if the enemy reached the palace.

The territory that city owned or the king in that city would be in danger of being owned by another! So, by all means, the watchers (or watchmen) had no room for a slip up. If the gatekeepers discovered an enemy disguised trying to enter through the gates, they’d immediately apprehend him!

If the watchers above saw someone approaching from afar, yes even in the dark, if it were night, they had to warn and alert the larger defence.

Sadly many have slept while watching. Even Jesus’ disciples did shortly before his demise. The first watchman and gatekeeper we all need, is God Himself. The psalmist understood this. Perhaps his men disappointed him as well, and he had to turn his eyes to someone who couldn’t sleep.

Psalms 121:3-8 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

His protection is guaranteed in the latter part of that psalm. Later on in life, I have understood that, after us coming to an understanding that God is our watchman, He appoints us watchmen, over our families or friends, or nations.

“Nehemiah 7:3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar [them]: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one [to be] over against his house.”

Elijah was a whole watchman over Israel. When the enemy came to attack, the man prayed, and they all were stricken with blindness! Now what’s the point of going for war if one can’t see! They’ll end up dead!

The watchmen today aren’t necessarily under the physical side of things (though we still have security guards). God’s raised spiritual watchmen who see danger coming days away, or miles away, and He provides a solution and warning to the victim.

We’ve seen men have dreams about accidents, and God tells them to warn whoever needs to be warned, in order to prevent the effects. We see Joseph being a watchman when God through His angel warns Him and the family to go to Egypt when Herod sets out to destroy all children born at that time!

Mordecai was also a watchman in a certain way and Esther was the defence, otherwise, the Jews would have become extinct! Joseph was a watchman to His brethren, otherwise, hunger could have killed his father and brothers and their kindred! God in His compassion orchestrated a plan unbeknownst to them that saw an enemy of famine come a decade before, and man the necessary defence for their preservation.

Just like the watchmen back then had qualifications, we notice as well that these watchmen had requirements that enabled them be who they were in their times.

Today, we are watchmen to stop disease and death from taking over our lives (firstly,) then over our daughters and sons (for fathers and mothers) or parents and siblings or family (for sons and daughters)

What makes us competent watchmen then! Let’s learn from God our gatekeeper. David wrote,

“Psalms 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.”

God, just being God, is able to watch, and fight off any enemy! But what is God’s nature? What’s that thing that enables Him to watch, just like an eagle’s sight is sharp enough to see prey while it soars feet above!

God’s nature is His Word (John 1:1) and that same word has given birth to our regenerated spirits (1 Pet 1:23) making us of the very same nature as well. We are now the nature of God’s word. And it decrees a thing and it is established!

His word never returns void! Meaning, a fire can try to spread to the walls of your city gates, or family gates, but the authority in your voice’s rebuke sends it off cool and extinguished.

If disease comes, it is scattered in seven differs directions! God’s word qualifies you to be a competent watchman, and one who will keep away the enemy, preserving the peace and prosperity within the walls!

His Spirit is another factor as far as watching is concerned. Why? Only a spirit of a man knows what is in that man. Remember God knows all things! His Spirit knows all of them, and so He is able to tell us the enemies coming (especially as we pray, or in any other way He chooses).

He told Joseph the famine coming, and saved not only (just a city but) a nation of Egypt, but also thousands of other nations, and kingdoms! This was God’s Spirit of wisdom revealing these things (which you as well have)!

His Vision, God’s vision is the final factor that qualifies us for watching. In an aeroplane, space folds. You are able to see below, a place that was tens of kilometres away from a certain point that you wouldn’t see horizontally while on ground. If God is big and if in Him all things consist, He is able to see enemies start their journey 12 hours earlier and warn the watchmen, who can later prepare adequately to fight back.

We do not only need vision to see the physical things. We need God’s very eyes to see by, to be able to see what things He has designated for us so that we may not live a life less than what He prepared for us.

Without vision, men perish. If Peter had looked at Jesus with his carnal sight, he could have remained a fisherman that we never got to know about. But, God helped Him see that He that invited Him was no mere man, but the Prince of Peace. He forsook all, and we continue to draw inspiration from His life 2000 years later!

To be a better watchman, we have to receive God’s eyes, to show us the great and mighty things that we know nothing about. To help us see the marvelous works He made for us while we were still in our mothers’ wombs!

God’s Word gives us keys to the gates (just like Jesus gave to Peter). This enables us to open up or close, to permit or not to… whatever might come at the gate. If it’s a one sent by God, we gladly open. If the enemy tries to sneak in, we fasten.

These gates are firstly ours, to kick out disease, and to stay whichever force of darkness that might tarry by. Why? We are cities on hills! We have to exercise on watching our individual walls first and when found faithful, God can add us more cities (individuals) to watch over!

Later, our authority expands to territories (kingdoms like Elijah) and cities of our families. You being one with God and His word can decide that all your family will live a healthy life, and the grace shall be extended.

I prayed over my family and there’s none that died of covid, though some contracted it! I am a watchman and gatekeeper! Though the disease sneaked in somehow, by God’s grace, it was found and exterminated out ‘the cities!’

Furthermore, we also watch at the gates of our dreams, our prophecies, the promises God made to us, ensuring that we don’t lose hope if the dreams & prophecies delay to manifest,

May grace & peace abound the more to you as you keep watching. Your ability to stay the evil out is why you’re a blessing to nations!

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Isaiah 21:5-6 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

Jeremiah 31:6 For there shall be a day, [that] the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.