Sounding the Alarm: The Watchman's Charge

The Watchman's Unpopular Duty

Everybody hates a barking dog until a burglar shows up. In times of peace, watchmen are often seen as a nuisance. Their alertness disrupts the comfortable silence. Their warnings are unwelcome when no immediate threat is apparent. Rejecting the watchman's warning is like ignoring a check engine light – a clear indicator that something is wrong. Who would gamble with their family's safety by silencing the alarm or unplugging the smoke detector? All of creation has built-in warning systems, and humans like to ignore them, especially when life feels stable and self-sufficiency disguises risk. When things seem fine on the surface, it's easy to drift from fundamentals and mistake comfort for safety.

The Divine Mandate: Blow the Trumpet (Joel 2:1)

The Watchman's duty extends far beyond seeing danger. They must also sound the alarm and protect the flock. This isn't optional; it's a command, a call to action: "Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm in My holy mountain!" (Joel 2:1). This is the Watchman's charge – to make the unseen threat known. When the alarm isn't blown, when the warning systems are silenced, lives are at stake. The weight of this duty is profound, reminding us of our accountability if we fail to speak when God commands us to do so. The Prophet Ezekiel warned that every watchman carries a responsibility—if he sees the sword coming and fails to sound the alarm, the blood of the unwarned rests on his hands (Ezekiel 33:6).

The True Cost of Negligence

In every age, physical and spiritual threats follow similar patterns. The walls of Jerusalem only held as long as faithful watchmen stood guard. Decades ago, Pastor David Wilkerson preached "A Call to Anguish," begging men to build walls around their families, to weep over compromise, and to refuse to let the enemy slip in quietly. "You're never going to be able to battle the forces of hell until you've been anguished over what has happened to your church, your home, and your loved ones," he warned.

After 9/11, in a nation desperate for comfort and clarity, Wilkerson called it out again: "The towers have fallen, but we will rebuild." He warned of spiritual amnesia—how, after tragedy, we rush back to business as usual, buying and selling and carrying on instead of truly rebuilding the spiritual walls. "There has never been a nation blessed like America, and yet, after every calamity—after every time He has shaken us—America goes back to its pleasures, back to its business, never really turning to God." History holds stark warnings. Remember the church in Sardis? Situated on their high, seemingly unbreakable hill, renowned for wealth and reputation, they banked on everything but the spiritual reality. Jesus' message was clear: "You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." (Rev 3:1). Their perceived security blinded them to the internal rot. Yet, even then, the Commander's order was issued: "Wake up! Strengthen what remains..." (Rev 3:2).

The stakes couldn't be higher. Ask any combat veteran about the cost of complacency. We know what happens when the shiny object on the horizon is ignored by a distracted gunner, when "normal" for Afghanistan means scooters buzzing checkpoint wire, and our rules of engagement demand restraint, even when danger comes too close. Every after-action review tells the story: the warnings were there. Routine blinded us to danger. Where we fail to discipline ourselves, where we let comfort and assumption override vigilance, the cost is always paid in blood. Complacency at a checkpoint or in the pulpit can open the gates to disaster.

Spiritually, it's all the same. Every family without walls, every church where no one stands in the gap, every leader who trades anguish for convenience—eventually, the enemy gets in. What are we buying and selling while dangers gather at the gate? When was the last time you felt the burden Wilkerson described, Godly anguish that drove you to build and defend the perimeter of your home and heart? Have you become numb to the threat, reading spiritual ARRs like they're stories from another world? The battle is not just "out there"—it's at your door. The only question is: Will the trumpet be blown on your watch?

The Watchman's Task: More Than Just Seeing

The spiritual Watchman stands in a critical post within the Body of Christ. Their duty is active, not passive. They are tasked with accurately reading the spiritual landscape and identifying threats, both obvious and subtle. Like a soldier on patrol, they are constantly observing their surroundings and gathering intelligence on the adversary's movements and tactics.

A good spiritual Watchman isn't just observant; they are responsible for reporting their findings and warning the camp. This means communicating what they see – whether it's a doctrinal deviation, a pattern of unhealthy behavior, or an outright attack on truth. They are discerning, grounded in Scripture, prayerful, and possess the courage to articulate their observations clearly and effectively. They serve on various modern "watch posts" – in church leadership, within families guarding their homes, among believers engaging in culture, and most fundamentally, by guarding their hearts and minds against compromise.

Why Standing Watch is Difficult (Matthew 7:14)

Answering the call to sound the alarm is not an easy path. As Jesus said, "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:14). Standing for truth, especially when it contradicts comfortable narratives or exposes hidden agendas, often leads to pressure from within and without. There's the internal struggle – fear of rejection, the discomfort of confrontation, the desire to avoid conflict and fit in.

Externally, sounding the alarm can lead to isolation, being called names like "negative" or "alarmist," and encountering significant resistance from others who prefer not to be disturbed. It can feel like being David with only five smooth stones against a giant, seemingly outmatched and ill-equipped to take on powerful, established threats. It is tempting to stay silent and take the path of least resistance.

Armed with Valor and Grace (Joshua 1:9, Matthew 10:16)

But remembrance is key: it was the Lord who delivered us. Our mission requires boldness and courage, not because of our strength, but because of His presence and promise: "Be bold and courageous... for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9). We are called to stand and speak, trusting in His power.

However, this boldness must be tempered. A watchman's warning must be heard to be effective. Our spiritual engagement requires both Valor and Grace. Temper your zeal with grace, for our ultimate goal is restoration, not destruction. Wisdom is crucial in how we speak, like being "wise as serpents and gentle as doves." (Matthew 10:16). It's not just about being loud; it's strategic communication, sometimes patiently planting seeds, sometimes sounding a clear alarm, always aimed at waking up the flock and pointing them toward safety and truth.

The Weight of Silence and the Call

When a spiritual watchman chooses silence or negligence, the consequences are severe. Spiritual lives are lost or stunted, dangerous compromise spreads unchecked, and the flock becomes spiritually weakened and vulnerable. The cost of that silence is always too high.

The call of Joel 2:1 to blow the trumpet is for you. God has placed you where you are for a purpose. Sounding the alarm fulfills your vital role.

Our Call to Action: Stand Your Post

The time for complacency is over. God has equipped you and called you to be a Watchman for such a time as this.

Stand your post. Discern the threats. And when called upon, sound the alarm with both valor and grace. Your vigilance and voice are critical for the health and safety of the flock.