Remember the bible story of
Gideon and his Army defeating the Midianites? Growing up it was one of my favorite bible stories. Gideon, a regular guy making wine is visited by the Angel of the Lord who tells him, "The Lord is with you mighty warrior." After doubt and a few tests for God, Gideon gets together 82,000 men to defeat the oppressing Midianites. God tells Gideon, "you have too many men" and thins the herd; sending Gideon into battle with just 300 men. These 300 men were prepared to take on an army whose infantry was so numerous the bible describes them as being, "as thick as locusts". In the middle of the night, the 300 men of Gideon, armed only with trumpets, torches, and clay pots strategically placed themselves around the Midian camp. In a unified effort, the 300 men smashed their pots, shouted, and sent the Midinate army into a frenzy; to the point where the Midianites in their confusion began to slaughter each other. As a child, I was fascinated by the battle tactic. As an adult, the story makes me question if we are doing as Jesus instructed and
keeping watch.
The theme of keeping watch is repeated in the New Testament. In addition to keeping watch for the return of Christ, we are instructed to keep watch for false profits, deceit, thieves invading the master's house, greed, division, destruction, and many other things. Jesus' message of keeping watch is paraphrased in Luke
12:35-48:
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
The question for today is, "Are we still keeping watch? While I love blogging with rhetorical questions, this one is a big, fat...
We as "the church" are not keeping a watch any better than the Midianites. Everything the Lord warned us against is deep rooted in our church body. False prophets and apostles abound in our assemblies, and we as a body are too quick to offer them worship and blind loyalty reserved for Christ himself. These deceivers, who Christ warned us against, have twisted the words of the scriptures to fit their unholy purposes. They line their pockets with profits, please their privates with sexual immorality, and their pews with bullies sternly warning those who don't conform to "Keep their mouths off the men of God." We've invited division, destruction, malice, false teaching and given them seats of importance.
At this stage, the only thing we keep watch over are our own selfish interests. All too often, churches are a collection of self aggrandizing people attempting to give the impression that they are working together for God's glory. In reality, they work together to attempt to build large monuments, but look for the opportunity to crown themselves "King of the Hill." These New Testament Towers of Babel (next blog topic) are not built on the principles of Christ, but the principles of greed, lust and varying self interests.
We are no longer keeping watch over the master's house, and the Enemy has taken notice. He has strategically placed his forces in various garrisons. He has begun to blow his horns, shatter his pots and shout his war cries and we are confused. We no longer stick to God's word to find our way. We consult leader's who never understood God's ways in the first place. He consult traditions that God has abandoned. We seek refuge in New Testament towers of Babel. We don't even know right from wrong anymore.
It's time to strengthen ourselves in the word and keep watch over the master's house; the heart of the believer.
