February 27, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” (Isaiah 52.8-10)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

When Jesus entered Jerusalem for His final Passover Week, He did so in the fulfillment of scripture. He came humbly riding on a donkey, the foal of an ass. This was an image of a conquering general who had completed the mission but did so in humility trusting in God for the victory. He would be followed by his officers and then the army who had followed him into, through and out of battle. If we overlay that image onto what happened on the first day of the week of Passover (which would have made it a Sunday… read “Son” day), it would be the disciples who were his “officers” and the throng of followers who were His “army.” Well, maybe it would have been the original twelve disciples who were His officers and the extended 120 (representative of ten per disciple or ten per the original twelve tribes of Israel) who were the “army.” Regardless, Jesus entered Jerusalem as the peoples’ long-expected Messiah. Now that we have that part of the picture in mind, let us turn to another important element which we do not hear much about, if any, in the gospel rendering of that moment. I am referring to “the watchmen.”

“The watchmen” were the guards of the towns and villages. You would find them on the walls as lookouts and at the city gates to monitor those who entered and departed. In a similar fashion, the shepherds in the fields were also “watchmen” who watched over their flocks. They were the doors of the sheep pens and the monitors of any who would seek to “enter in.” Jesus speaks of these duties when He called Himself “the Good Shepherd.” Again, as a reminder, “good” first and foremost means “does what God intended for the good of others and for His glory.” That would mean that Jesus was the “shepherd” of God’s flock who were the people called by His name. Jesus sets the standard for all those who are in leadership positions in families, communities, businesses, organizations and nations. The Apostle Paul expanded that image of accountability in his description of the hierarchy in the family relating to Christ and ultimately to God. Ezekiel was called a “watchman.” He was a “spiritual” watchman whose “good” task was to alert the people of Israel to the impending approach of either an enemy who would seek to cause them to fall into sin and forsake their faith in God or of the coming Messiah who would bring and restore all righteousness. He stood as the “watchman” at the door of peoples’ hearts, mind and souls. He was not stationed on a parapet, gateway or high wall. In fact, Ezekiel is found among the exiles of Israel who were taken from Jerusalem’s court and Temple and settled by the River Chebar in southern Babylon. As the “watchman” of the exiles, we are given privilege by his faithfulness to the task to see the well-known theophany of “the Wheel.” Most are familiar with the song “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel.” This was an indicator of his spiritual assignment as a prophet to the exiles.

Let’s return, as Ezekiel did several times by the means of the Spirit, to Jerusalem. This time, however, we will do it without Ezekiel. However, the Temple may not be so different as it was in the days of Ezekiel. The Holy Spirit led him to see the atrocities being committed in the Temple by the leadership there. The purpose here is not to elucidate them but to remind us that all was not “good” in the Temple. The profanation of the Temple, the religion of the people of God as well as the political ramifications with the collaboration with Rome is enough for us at the moment. Things were not as they were intended to be. There were no real watchmen at the gates or on the walls. The Sanhedrin and Priests may have assumed the position but not so much the office. They watched for threats to their own place and not that of the people. I doubt they truly watched out for the interests of God in the actual conducting of their position or office. We may also say that the Pharisees were “watchmen” among the people. They were looking for those who threatened their own position by violating the voluminous laws added to the Ten Commandments and especially those which they interpreted for their own welfare and promotion. We may even include the presence of Rome with its governors, procurators and centurions as a type of “watchmen” in Israel. They, of course, had no desire to be spiritual overseers or protectors. As long as tribute was paid and the peace was kept, the religion of the people could proceed as normal. The picture I am hoping you see in all of this is that there were no true watchmen in Jerusalem looking for the Messiah. They desired to watch for “pretenders,” but not for the Intended. In other words, “they missed Jesus!” Is this any different that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem? It took the Magi inquiry “Where is He who is born King of the Jews? We have seen His star and have come to worship Him.” The rulers and priests missed it. They did not proclaim His coming as “He is here!” Who did? Angels and shepherds; heaven and earth.

Now on the day of Jesus entering into Jerusalem from the east out of Bethany and the Mount of Olives, there was no alert nor alarm given from the city itself. The recognition of Jesus as “Hosanna, son of David” rose up from the disciples, followers and the crowds of people who were there for Passover from all over the then-known world. Word did get back to the High Priest, his representative priests and seventy elders and to the Roman authority. They came out to meet Jesus and silence Him. His words in response are poignant and germane to our consideration today. He said, “Even if I were to silence them, the rocks themselves would cry out in recognition.” We might here the back meaning of what Jesus said at this point. It would sound something like this, “How is it that you do not know what is so obvious even to the earth itself?” Who was the true watchman here? Is it not Jesus? Are not the disciples the watchmen, too? Are they not sounding the alarm of danger and salvation? Are further, are we not called to be watchmen as well fulfilling the same office and function for our families, friends, neighbors, communities and nation? Are we so busy trying to silence the truth that we enable the lie and still call ourselves believers and followers? Know this, mighty ones of God, the day is coming when we all shall see the truth and know our part in the lie. Not only will we see it but we will be held accountable by it and for it.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ. AMEN.