120419 – Matthew 24. 36-44
I very much APPRECIATE a lot of the imagery that comes from the Hebrew Bible. It is usually quite RICH in DESCRIPTION and of an ANCIENT character.
Take for example – the famous WATCHTOWERS…yep, that’s where the Jehovah’s Witnesses got the name for their infamous publications…from.
They are called “THE” Watchtower…”
So here’s some of the “historical background:”
The “watchtower” was a very common theme in the Hebraic Bible.
You see in Biblical days, the Jews were known for their VINEYARDS with grapevines. It actually became a common metaphor for “the people of God.”
On “their farms” would be acres and acres of nothing but GRAPES. Grapes for as far as the eye could see.
Because of ACTUAL threats – the Jews would build tall towers, commonly called WATCH TOWERS…
These towers would have been made out of ROCK and would have stood between 10 and fifteen feet in height.
But these towers would have been of NO VALUE were it not for the WATCHMAN who SAT in the towers.
An actual WATCHMAN would sit there ALL night long, WATCHING for thieves and robbers who may come in and steal the crop. I wondered “just HOW” they might SEE them in the dark. In my mind they had those lights that surround a prison yard! Or those great big Hollywood lights!
It obviously was A BIG ENOUGH THREAT that MOST vineyards included the watch-towers.
What was the greatest ERROR or SIN of a night watchman?
To fall ASLEEP, of course! If the watchman FELL asleep…then the crops would all be AT RISK.
The NEXT PLACE you would find a watchman in the Hebrew Bible was on the TOP of a WATCHTOWER on the CITY WALLS. NOT IN “small cities” mind you, BUT in a place like the capital city of Jerusalem.
HIGH on the city wall was the watchtower and the watchman SAT in that tower all night long on GUARD. He would WATCH for the enemy forces to come to RAID the city; he would also WATCH for the king and his armies to be welcomed back into the city, again. And one more time I question, how could they possibly see in that night’s sky and darkness? Flash lights wouldn’t work.
And the greatest ERROR or SIN of the watchman was to fall ASLEEP to the evil lurking in the shadows or to MISS the OPPOSING KING and ARMIES who would march into the city to SEIZE it or OVERTAKE it.
Another place in the Hebrew Bible where we find stories about the WATCHMAN and their TOWERS are in the stories of the Hebrew prophets…
The Hebrew prophets were actually called, “WATCHMAN” especially in the book of EZEKIEL (a major prophet.)
The Hebrew prophet had to be KEENLY AWARE of the EVIL around them; they were also to be AWARE of the grand promises of the MESSIAH who was to one day COME.
And, of course, the WORST CRIME of the PROPHET was to FALL ASLEEP, becoming LETHARGIG to the surrounding EVIL, or becoming lethargic to the future possibility of the MESSIAH to COME. The “complacent prophets” were believed to be the “false prophets.”
So, it is INTERESTING when Jesus clearly calls out to us “to WATCH, to be ALERT, to NOT fall asleep,” to NOT drift into SPIRITUAL LETHARGY about the evil that is in our world, and even IN US.
Also, we are NOT to fall asleep to the “grand possibilities” of God’s wonderful MIRACLES that COULD unfold before our very eyes.
So the message is to STAY AWAKE.
TO NOT fall asleep.
WE ARE TO be ALERT at all times…just like the “Watchman of old,” in their “Watchtowers…”
This became an “apt metaphor” for the early Christian Church especially during the season of Advent…the season of preparation…the season of being watchful and alert…
Would the Christ return again? Will God himself come for us and escort us to our HEAVENLY HOME? Or, would he come to us again as the Babe of Bethlehem?
Regardless, this was “THE” season of preparation. This was definitely the season to WATCH and not fall ASLEEP!
Advent is a time filled with EXPECTATION…
When THE CHRIST comes again, will YOU be found READY, will you be ALERT, will you be WATCHFUL? And probably MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL…will you be found FAITHFUL?
Like the “watchman of old” in their “watch-towers,” we too, are to stay awake, keep watch…
Amen.