The Drum Beats of War II
An Ezekiel 33 call to Watchmen
Watching, Wailing, and War
Watching, Wailing, and War
Susan Rowe, 07/02/2024
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When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet,
but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. Ezek 33:1-6 |
With elections in 60+ nations this year, an extraordinary process is underway across the nations. We are in a time of shift. I keep hearing the words “Techtonic” and “Systemic” applied to this shift. Why are these elections so important? The leaders being elected now are very likely the ones who will be dealing with the Antichrist in the future, or should I say not-so-distant future.
Additionally, I have had a repeated vision of armies of varying arrays aligning in heaven. And hearing the words, “Warn them,” Ezek 33:1-6, provoking my heart. I have repeatedly sensed the Lord say, “You must sound the alert.” Though many sense the intensity of the time with talk of the end-times and its various eschatologies and opinions, that is not the purpose of this message. This is an Ezekiel 33:1-6 message to those who will “see and hear.” It is sounding the alarm to the urgency of the current global situation. It reflects an alignment taking place in heaven that is preparing the nations for war and divine intervention. This is not a battle for the lone ranger or to sit passively in our comfort zones. Now, it is vital to awaken, align, find, and keep our place on the wall.
How do we respond? Our governmental leaders are tasked with determining right vs. wrong based on political, cultural, and social spectrums. We, as watchmen, have a unique call. It is to contend for biblical values and truth and God’s covenant in increasingly hostile environments. Of the four Hebrew words for Watchman, Tsaphar, Shamar, Nasar, and Mishmar, Shamar is mentioned 469 times in 440 verses in the Scriptures. God created us as human beings to be watchmen, to “Tend and keep (shamar)” the garden He has given us. Looking through the Scriptures reflects shamar's meaning to tend, keep, heed, watch. Its function? Largely, to watch over God’s covenant and His laws (ex. Lev 18:4-5, 26; 20:22). In passages expressing covenant or God's laws, shamar frequently shows up (ex. covenant Gen 26:5; 28:20; Ex 19:5; 20:6) (ex. laws Lev 18:4-5; 20:22). When God first made a covenant with Abraham, Shamar appears, "And God said to Abraham: As for you, you shall keep (shamar) My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep (shamar), between Me and you and your descendants after you, (Gen 17:9-10).
That being said, the world is spinning quickly out of control. The call to rally the watchmen to find and take their place on the prayer walls of their nations is real. Though a remnant, we are responding to the heavens aligning for war when we continue to press forward on the “covenantal front line” to contend and hold it in place. We will see historic shifts, some of which may manifest soon. The question is, how do we prepare, fight and respond to win?
Watching, Wailing, and War
Watching:
Many have been in phases of waiting on the Lord for years, even decades, for times that are presenting right now. The waiting season is over. Times have shifted. The time of waiting is shifting into a time for a broader and more profound dimension of engagement that will lead to divine strategy. In the past, we have emphasized the role of the “Shamar” watchman. It is by far the most frequent word used to describe watchmen. Now, God is highlighting another dimension of the watchman and what it means to “watch.” There is an added sense of looking beyond what we see in the natural to God’s purposes for what is to come. It is the call to the “Tsaphar” watchman (Strong’s #h6822). A call to one who will peer into the distance and look beyond what is rising on the horizon. The Ezekiel 33 watchman is described as the “Tsaphar” watchman, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman (Tsaphar) for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me,” (Ezek 33:7). Ezekiel describes this characteristic, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep (shamar) My judgments and do them,” (Ezek 11:20). The two words describe a watchman who sees the distance but interprets it through a biblical/covenantal lens.
The Ezekiel 33 Watchman is a “Tsaphar” and a “Shamar” watchman. One who peers into the horizon, sees what is coming and interprets through a covenantal alignment with the Lord. In days of increasing adversity, animosity, and judgments, the vital role of watchman will see and hear what the Spirit is saying, though the earth convulses with disasters, wars, and rumors of war. They will be heralding the “real news.” They will see through the prophetic message of Isaiah,
With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 56:9
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Isaiah 56:9
Judgments will surely come with increasing intensity. Isaiah 56:9 describes the purpose of these challenges and difficulties we will all face. It is an hour to sharpen our eyes and ears to what the Spirit is saying to the church, to shed political and cultural perspectives of news, and to see, hear, and understand it from an eternal, covenantal perspective...readying ourselves for the engagement.
Wailing:
As we sense and navigate this shift, God is calling forth the travail to birth out the divine intervention(s) forming in the spiritual realm. Given the times, travail will be necessary to release strategies for what lies ahead. In a time of judgment, Jeremiah cries, "Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful wailing women, that they may come," (Jer 9:17). In this context, Jeremiah was seeing a shift and calling for those who would "take up a wailing for us," and calls for the skillful wailing women, (Jer 9:18). The word skillful is Hakam (Strong's h2450), meaning wise. The travail ushering in the shift we are sensing is for both men and women. It cannot be birthed out of emotions but in response to the Holy Spirit. Paul exhorts, Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God, (Rom 8:26-27). Emotions will kick in as that is how God works His plan to bring the breakthrough. Don’t be surprised by tears of passion and concern. Flow with them and allow God to move in you. When you feel the travail, just let go, and let Him have you and grip you to “knead” His way and will through you. Submitting to the times of travail will open new vistas of revelation, understanding, vision, and strategy. You don’t have to force it. This cry is being loosed to call us into a greater sensitivity, passion, heightened awareness, and compassion for others and the things that concern Him.
Wailing:
As we sense and navigate this shift, God is calling forth the travail to birth out the divine intervention(s) forming in the spiritual realm. Given the times, travail will be necessary to release strategies for what lies ahead. In a time of judgment, Jeremiah cries, "Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful wailing women, that they may come," (Jer 9:17). In this context, Jeremiah was seeing a shift and calling for those who would "take up a wailing for us," and calls for the skillful wailing women, (Jer 9:18). The word skillful is Hakam (Strong's h2450), meaning wise. The travail ushering in the shift we are sensing is for both men and women. It cannot be birthed out of emotions but in response to the Holy Spirit. Paul exhorts, Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God, (Rom 8:26-27). Emotions will kick in as that is how God works His plan to bring the breakthrough. Don’t be surprised by tears of passion and concern. Flow with them and allow God to move in you. When you feel the travail, just let go, and let Him have you and grip you to “knead” His way and will through you. Submitting to the times of travail will open new vistas of revelation, understanding, vision, and strategy. You don’t have to force it. This cry is being loosed to call us into a greater sensitivity, passion, heightened awareness, and compassion for others and the things that concern Him.
No real baby is born without travail.
Travail plows through spiritual ground hardened through years of routine labor. It carries a consecration anointing that breaks off barriers (some we may not even know we carry) that keep us from His Presence. Travail will break up hardened ground so God's love and compassion can work in our hearts to prepare us for the time ahead. Wisdom is fruit from travail. It will nurture the fruit of travail into fruition. Through travail, new alignments and relational connections will spring forth to promote God's vision and purposes. It will break down barriers of division and resistance and open provision, revelation, and the pathway forward. It releases the rivers of the Holy Spirit to flow and wash over us. John records Jesus' words about the process, transformational power, and productivity of travail.
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Jesus said: A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:21-23
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Don't be surprised if this sense of "travail" erupts or provokes you spiritually. You don't have to "cook it up." Allow God to work through you. We are in a divine preparation, molding, and shaping to strengthen and ready us for the future. Let Him complete the thorough cleansing; you will emerge stronger, clearer, and more focused. All of this is necessary for the shift underway.
What's next? A positioning for war and prevailing.
War:
Across the face of the earth, eruptions of war and rumors of war are pushing on national boundary lines, testing the will and strength of governments. A war of global impact is burgeoning…with a sense it is about to bust! With the seasons of watching and moving into wailing, how then do we respond? Though the war is multi-faceted, common foundations will keep our feet on solid ground and secured in His will for this burgeoning battle at the gate. Two of these are as follows:
1). As Shamar-Tsaphar Watchmen, we must train our eyes to view the news not through opinion, political, or cultural lenses but through the lens of God’s laws and covenants with Israel and the destiny of nations. All covenants require a relationship. The covenants God has given to us are agreements to our relationship with Him, His plan, and purposes. From the “School of the Watchman” session on covenants, we learned the following about covenants:
Focusing and aligning with God's laws and covenants is a powerful stance in increasingly hostile environments. We are in a season of unveiling. The hidden is being exposed. Shifting from restraining to plundering and removing obstacles out of the way of God’s covenant and His love is much like what has just taken place in Gaza. The war in Gaza is a remarkable display of exposing the enemy underground, searching through homes, and finding and eliminating weapons meant to kill. It is not good enough to restrain, but it is necessary to go after hidden things, expose them, and get rid of them.
2). There is a shift from “restraining” the enemy to “removing” the obstacles to full-on restoration. God is calling forth those who will understand the spiritual realm and pay the price to engage in the natural realms of social influence. Elijah-type encounters and strategies for divine confrontation will be released through the travail. Elijah was not afraid to step forward to confront the idolatry of the day. Today, God is calling people out of their comfort zones into faith, to put their foot in the Jordan, so to speak, and to take a stand. As we do so, the testimony of Jesus will be released. Today, fearless people are standing up for righteousness. In America, Steve Bannon, host of the "War Room" and voice of conservatism, is now in prison as a resistant culture refuses to hear. Peter Navarro, a conservative professor from a prominent university, has served time for the values he upholds. These are only a couple of present-day stories in the USA, but history is replete with those known and unknown across the nations who have stood their test....and history changed. The testing is intensifying as the end-time narrative unfolds. Will we stand? Will we be faithful to the end?
Practical Steps:
The Win:
Judgments are coming. With it, a holy birthing process is erupting. Through travail, we encounter the holiness of God, breakthrough, and shift. In its wind is new strength for those who will step forward to turn the battle at the gate. What is forming on the horizon will require stepping out of comfort zones; the Shamar/tsphar watchmen are being called to their position to wail and weep between the porch and the altar, contending for righteousness. As they do so, Isaiah promises, "When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the WORLD will learn righteousness," (Isaiah 26:9).
"The Drum Beats of War" part III coming soon: "The Cycle of War"
What's next? A positioning for war and prevailing.
War:
Across the face of the earth, eruptions of war and rumors of war are pushing on national boundary lines, testing the will and strength of governments. A war of global impact is burgeoning…with a sense it is about to bust! With the seasons of watching and moving into wailing, how then do we respond? Though the war is multi-faceted, common foundations will keep our feet on solid ground and secured in His will for this burgeoning battle at the gate. Two of these are as follows:
1). As Shamar-Tsaphar Watchmen, we must train our eyes to view the news not through opinion, political, or cultural lenses but through the lens of God’s laws and covenants with Israel and the destiny of nations. All covenants require a relationship. The covenants God has given to us are agreements to our relationship with Him, His plan, and purposes. From the “School of the Watchman” session on covenants, we learned the following about covenants:
- Both parties have a common vision and purpose
- Always involves relationship
- Faith in the relationship is the power that maintains it
- Not bound by time, distance, generations, location
- Binding legally, spiritually, emotionally
- Often accompanied by oaths, signs, or ceremonies
- Signified a binding and enduring friendship.
Focusing and aligning with God's laws and covenants is a powerful stance in increasingly hostile environments. We are in a season of unveiling. The hidden is being exposed. Shifting from restraining to plundering and removing obstacles out of the way of God’s covenant and His love is much like what has just taken place in Gaza. The war in Gaza is a remarkable display of exposing the enemy underground, searching through homes, and finding and eliminating weapons meant to kill. It is not good enough to restrain, but it is necessary to go after hidden things, expose them, and get rid of them.
2). There is a shift from “restraining” the enemy to “removing” the obstacles to full-on restoration. God is calling forth those who will understand the spiritual realm and pay the price to engage in the natural realms of social influence. Elijah-type encounters and strategies for divine confrontation will be released through the travail. Elijah was not afraid to step forward to confront the idolatry of the day. Today, God is calling people out of their comfort zones into faith, to put their foot in the Jordan, so to speak, and to take a stand. As we do so, the testimony of Jesus will be released. Today, fearless people are standing up for righteousness. In America, Steve Bannon, host of the "War Room" and voice of conservatism, is now in prison as a resistant culture refuses to hear. Peter Navarro, a conservative professor from a prominent university, has served time for the values he upholds. These are only a couple of present-day stories in the USA, but history is replete with those known and unknown across the nations who have stood their test....and history changed. The testing is intensifying as the end-time narrative unfolds. Will we stand? Will we be faithful to the end?
Practical Steps:
- S: Stand your watch: You matter! Your prayers matter! This is an hour we must be linked together. What is culminating and burgeoning in the heavens will require a front that is positioned and connected. Don't let the enemy entice you away through his multitude of schemes. Your stance can pave the way for supernatural intervention.
- I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected, (Hab 2:1)
- D: Declare the decree: Your decrees make a difference. Any doubt? Look at what Psalm 2 says:
- I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'"
- E: Engage: The Lord is calling His people and those who will stand with Him out of their comfort zones. What steps of faith is He calling you to? Jesus is asking us to step out of the boat, take steps of faith, and watch how He will use you!
- You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give it to you! John 15:16 (TPT)
The Win:
Judgments are coming. With it, a holy birthing process is erupting. Through travail, we encounter the holiness of God, breakthrough, and shift. In its wind is new strength for those who will step forward to turn the battle at the gate. What is forming on the horizon will require stepping out of comfort zones; the Shamar/tsphar watchmen are being called to their position to wail and weep between the porch and the altar, contending for righteousness. As they do so, Isaiah promises, "When Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the WORLD will learn righteousness," (Isaiah 26:9).
"The Drum Beats of War" part III coming soon: "The Cycle of War"
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now...for the sons of God to appear. Rom 8:19
