Ethnocentrism: a belief in or assumption of the superiority
of the social or cultural group that a person belongs to. It is this
perspective that drives humans in the direction we move in as a society. This
is predominant in every culture, religious group, and people group. The problem
with being ethnocentric is that we lose the global perspective of the world. We
take, for instance, an eastern book and create a western fusion religion. Or we
capitalize on our patriotic glory days but eliminate the knowledge of an
opposing cultures’ view. Think about European settlers to the Americas. The
settlers moved in and pushed the Native Americans into small areas that could
barely support them. We should be embarrassed by the land allotted the natives
of America, because if one were to visit those dedicated places, the land is
the worst of the worst America has to offer. The descendants of both groups
look at this event quite differently. Dominance of one race over another is
world history in a fallen world.
The result of
ethnocentrism is a lack of education, especially in world history. An example
of the damage of ethnocentric views in history is that western nations do not
recognize China as a superpower. Yet China has always been a superpower.
European/American ethnocentric views regard China as an emerging leader, however the opposite is true. As I was reading an
article from the Washington Times recently, it reminded me of China’s rich history
as an advanced nation. If we forget China’s early history as compared to remembering
European history, we can see the realization of the damage ethnocentrism can
have. Every nation is striving for position in world leadership, and patriotism
fuels ethnocentrism. The Chinese thought of the European explorers as
unhygienic, unsanitary people. The reality is that the Hebrews were to educate
the world on sanitation and hygiene (see Leviticus), but the Europeans’ lacked
education in some of these areas. While China was far advanced technologically,
the British were able to cripple China with its export of opium during the
years of the European exploration and imperialism. That did not make China go
away, but maybe set her back a bit. While Europeans went about conquering
nations, the only way to conquer China was to make her people apathetic, lazy,
addicted, and dependent on Britain for drugs. Today, Columbia exports a lot of
cocaine to the United States, and Mexico exports lots of marijuana. Are Americans
fighting a war on drugs, or are we fighting a war against the crippling of Americas
standing in world leadership in an attempt to enslave America to another
country?
The ancient Hindu
temple of Angkor Wat is a great example of the advanced engineering knowledge
of eastern countries as compared to western countries. When explorers came to
Cambodia they “discovered” Angkor Wat, a floating city built originally for the
deity Vishnu. Europeans had not mastered the engineering that the eastern
peoples had. China had many inventions that Europe lacked when explorers arrived
on China’s shores. Now, let’s take that understanding of China as a superpower,
and compare it to the European/American world views, and we can see that
ethnocentrism is self serving and sways history. The Chinese see the world very
differently than Americans and Europeans. Patriotism which can become idolatry,
fuels the distance between people groups.
What is God’s view? Is God ethnocentric, leaning toward European,
or American, or Chinese world views? Not at all! God is not even Hebraic
ethnocentric. God sees the end and the beginning at the same time. Our goal
then is to see His word through Biblical understanding, void of
ethnocentricity. Eliminate the prideful ideas of one’s own church, culture,
nation, and simply read and study the Bible. Religious cultures change and skew
ideas of the Bible, sometimes swaying people into cult like groups, and at best
misguiding well meaning and well intentioned people onto rabbit trails. We see
an example of this on the topic of “Watchmen”. Two Hebrew words used for watchmen, watchman, and also to watch
or guard, give us historical perspective, but is it the same for believers
after Pentecost? We find a section in
Isaiah using both these words. Let’s explore.
Isa
21:2-12 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth
treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all
the sighing thereof have I made to cease.3 Therefore
are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a
woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at
the seeing of it.4 My heart
panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into
fear unto me.5 Prepare
the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint
the shield.6 For thus
hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman[6822], let him declare what he
seeth.7 And he
saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of
camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:8 And he
cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime,
and I am set in my ward whole nights:9 And,
behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he
answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of
her gods he hath broken unto the ground.10 O my
threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared
unto you.11 The
burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman [8104], what of the
night? Watchman [8104], what of the night?12 The
watchman[8104] said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will
inquire, inquire ye: return, come.KJV
OT:6822 tsaphah (tsaw-faw'); a primitive root;
properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by implication, to
observe, await: KJV - behold, espy, look up
(well), wait for, (keep the) watch (-man). (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's
Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright ©
1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)_
OT:8104 shamar (shaw-mar'); a primitive root;
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect,
attend to, etc.:KJV - beward, be circumspect,
take heed (toself), keep (-erself,), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve,
regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Strong’s number 6822 means to
look or peer. That is all the action this watchman does. Strong’s number 8104
has the watchman guarding and hedging or protecting as opposed to just looking. There is a big difference between just
looking and seeing an enemy coming and protecting someone or something from an
enemy. In Isaiah, regarding the future when the Lord comes, the watchmen are
not guarding but announcing with joy the good tidings of salvation.
Isa
52:7-9 How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!8 Thy
watchmen [6822] shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they
sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord
shall bring again Zion.9 Break forth into joy, sing
together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord
hath comforted his people, he
hath redeemed Jerusalem.KJV
Next, Ezekiel was
asked to be a watchman, and told to have Israel establish a watchman. While
this watchman was to watch, he was
held responsible for not warning the people.
Ezek
33:2-9 Son of man, speak to the children
of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the
people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman
[6822]:3 If when
he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the
people;4 Then
whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the
sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.5 He heard the sound of the trumpet,
and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning
shall deliver his soul.6 But if
the watchman [6822] see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the
people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them,
he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the
watchman's[6822] hand.7 So thou,
O son of man, I have set thee a watchman[6822] unto the house of Israel;
therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.8 When I say unto the wicked, O
wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked
from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I
require at thine hand.9 Nevertheless,
if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his
way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.KJV
If the
people didn’t listen to the watchman, their blood was on their own hands.
Jer
6:16-19 Thus
saith the Lord , Stand ye in the
ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk
therein.17 Also I
set watchmen [6822] over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But
they said, We will not hearken.18 Therefore
hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will
bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they
have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.KJV
Defiantly,
when the Lord set watchmen over the people, they chose not to listen to them.
The other type of watchman was to guard as a military occupation. Adam was to
be that kind of a watchman.
Gen 2:15 And the Lord God took the
man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it [8104]. KJV
As we have explored before, Adam was to guard
the Garden of Eden, and when he failed to do so, the Cherubim were sent.
Gen 3:24 So
he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden
Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep [8104] the way
of the tree of life. KJV
This
tells us that God does indeed have things or people that need to be guarded.
The guard that Adam was to have provided was from spiritual beings. There were
no armies of men attempting to enter Eden. The guarding the Cherubim did was
from fallen man so that Adam and his progeny did not eat of the tree of life in
their fallen state. The Lord keeps (guards) the saints and their souls and we
are to keep (guard) his way.
Ps 37:28 For the Lord loveth judgment,
and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved [8104]for ever: but the seed
of the wicked shall be cut off. KJV
Ps 37:34 Wait on the Lord , and keep [8104] his way, and he
shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt
see it.KJV
Ps 97:10 Ye that love the Lord , hate evil: he preserveth [8104]
the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. KJV
The
watchmen/guard is to be prepared to declare Zion on the day of vengeance
against Babylon.
Jer
51:10-12 The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come,
and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord
our God.11 Make bright the arrows; gather
the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the
Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the
vengeance of the Lord , the
vengeance of his temple.12 Set up
the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the
watchmen [8104], prepare the ambushes: for the Lord
hath both devised and done that
which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. KJV
If we
remember from last week, God put it in the heart of the beast to fulfill His
purpose; here we see watchmen are to help on the day Babylon is destroyed by
men as locusts (verse 14).
Isa
26:1-4 In that
day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city;
salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.2 Open ye
the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth [8104] the truth may enter
in.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is
everlasting strength: KJV
The
righteous nation keeps and guards the truth, and can then enter in; God will
keep them in perfect peace for trusting in Him.
The Lord
declares Zion’s salvation, and the watchmen speak of the Lord always.
Isa
62:6-7 I have
set watchmen [8104] upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their
peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord , keep not silence,7 And give
him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the
earth.KJV
From the Old Testament
perspective, watchmen are either observers who sound an alarm, or guards who
protect. They also announce the times or seasons of God. They are not to keep
quiet about danger. Also, like Adam, they are commissioned for a purpose. There
were physical watchmen who were to guard the city from danger, not just spiritual
attacks but physical attacks. The New Testament is different. Because the Body
of Christ is all over the world, there is not one place, or city, to watch. Today,
the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, whereas before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit
only came upon certain prophets. The job of a watchman is not dedicated to any
one group, it is for everyone. Everyone is to watch, but for what? In the New Testament there are several words
for watch but none for watchman or watchmen.
Matt
24:42-43 Watch [1127] therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.43 But
know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch [5438] the thief would come, he would have watched, and would
not have suffered his house to be broken up.KJV
NT:1127 gregoreuo (gray-gor-yoo'-o); from NT:1453; to keep
awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively):
KJV - be vigilant, wake, (be) watch (-ful). (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
KJV - be vigilant, wake, (be) watch (-ful). (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:5438 phulake (foo-lak-ay'); from NT:5442; a
guarding or (concretely, guard), the act, the person; figuratively, the place,
the condition, or (specifically) the time (as a division of day or night),
literally or figuratively: KJV - cage, hold, (im-) prison
(-ment), ward, watch. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus
says we are to be awake, actively looking for the Lord. A watch is a time of
guarding which is split into four “watches” six hours at a time. Therefore we
are to watch for Jesus just like a
guard would watch to keep criminals out.
Matt
25:13 Watch [1127] therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.KJV
Again,
being vigilant to seek the Lord on the hour he comes. There are those who are
very vigilant to watch for times, signs, and seasons of the Lord’s return. Some
look for the day the Lord gathers the church, some look for the Day of the
Lord. These are two different events that have different criteria for their
occurrence. The culture of one’s religion will dictate which event one looks
for. This is a case where denominations and religions are ethnocentric and
teach only the tenants of their beliefs. And truly if one pays your salary, you
speak the concepts of that group. This, unfortunately, limits what the global
Body of Christ is taught, segmenting scripture to ethnocentricities. Personally,
I simply care about what the Bible teaches. I believe I offend everyone
equally, and that frees us to learn instead of defend ideas that may be
partially thought through.
In a
global perspective, we find that usually everyone is right in part, and
everyone is wrong in part. An example would be the Euro/American ethnocentric
belief that the end times are centered around the revived Roman Empire. While
that is partially true, it is also centered on Islam. Both are correct, one
group of people argues against the other, but the answer lies in the fourth
dimension, time. While these two
groups of thought publicly defend their stand, erasing the religious
ethnocentric ball and chain allows others to look at scripture with fresh eyes.
Both play a part in end time events. Now we can take learning to a higher
level.
Mark
13:33-37Take ye heed, watch [69] and pray:
for ye know not when the time is.34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who
left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work,
and commanded the porter to watch [1127].35 Watch [1127] ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the
house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.37 And
what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch [1127]. KJV
NT:69 agrupneo (ag-roop-neh'-o); ultimately
from NT:1 (as negative particle) and NT:5258; to be
sleepless, i.e. keep awake: KJV - watch. (Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc
Jesus
tells us not to sleep or be sleepless, and to pray. Here in Mark 13 we see the
four watches that the porter is to be vigilant. Everyone is to watch, everyone
is to pay attention to the coming of the Master. Everyone is to search with
binoculars for His arrival. Paul encourages us further.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch
[1127] in the same with thanksgiving; KJV
Stay
awake, pray and give thanks. This does not mean literally get no sleep, but
don’t forget or get distracted that Jesus is coming. Keep it in the forefront
of your daily life.
1 Thess
5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch [1127] and be
sober [3525]. KJV
Again
Paul says don’t get tired of watching, be clear headed.
2 Tim 4:5 But watch [3525] thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry. KJV
NT:3525 nepho (nay'-fo); of uncertain affinity:
to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet: KJV - be
sober, watch.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
In
Timothy the same idea expressed in Thessalonians is used, be sober, watchful,
not tired of watching. The writer of Hebrews tells us of people who are to
watch over us. This is in regard to our spiritual leaders.
Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over
you, and submit yourselves: for they watch [69] for your souls, as they that
must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that
is unprofitable for you.KJV
The direction
from God here is that we are to obey those who are watching out for us. Really,
that is a broken system in many churches as we have so many fallen leaders as
well as fallen church members. We all should be keeping the wolves out. No one
wants to bring a hard word of warning to someone, but it is how we guard and
protect each other. Many times the one who needs to hear from a spiritual guard
rejects the word they bring, just like the Israelites did. Sin feels better
than change.
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching [69] thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;KJV
Put on
your armor and watch, no sleeping, and pray for all saints. Notice that this is
not only just for a select group of people, it is for everyone. While we are to
watch out for each other, knowing that we may not always be listened to. That
is not something to be offended over, sound your alarm and move on. Each
individual will be responsible for what they did or didn’t heed. Paul again
tells us to be sober and more sober.
1 Peter
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye [be of sound mind] therefore
sober, and watch [3525] unto prayer.KJV
We are to
be sane, in our right mind, and sober. Why, because Jesus is coming. Jesus and
Paul both tell us to be watchful, predominantly to watch for His return. We are
to keep watch and pray over our brothers and sisters as well, but really more
so, watch for Jesus coming. What happens if we don’t watch for Him?
Rev 3:2-3
Be watchful [1127], and strengthen the
things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works
perfect before God .3 Remember
therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch [1127], I
will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come
upon thee. KJV
Here is
the conclusion of the matter. If we don’t watch, Jesus says he’ll end up coming
when we aren’t watching. Think this through. If we are to repent, and instead (even
though we know about the Lords’ coming) we do other things that take up our
mental time, we may find ourselves “forgetting” about his coming in our actions.
If we forget he is coming, we will not live circumspectly, or holy. We will
adopt a worldly lifestyle that may conflict with what the Bible tells us. If we
count on Jesus not coming back while we are robbing a bank so to speak, he may
surprise us. In like manner if we think Jesus will come next year, we may not
fight the enemy as hard as we should now. We may think the attacks against
Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity don’t matter because he will be calling for
us in a year. In other words we lose our desire to fight in the here and now. We
lose focus.
Watching
has everything to do with repentance. While there are no watchmen in our time, no one group dedicated to that task, unless
we are speaking specifically of security or prison guards, we are all to watch.
We are not to watch so as to lord over others. We are not to watch to control
others and their behavior. We are not to watch to exalt ourselves as leaders. We
are not to watch to have an inside piece of information. We are to watch to
keep ourselves repentant. I know some people teach that we only need to repent
when we get saved, unto salvation. But here it is obvious from Jesus’ statement
that we are to remember what we have heard, that is not directed to new
believers, but to all believers. We are to stand fast on what we have learned
and repent. Everyone is called to watch. Watch out then for one another. Watch
for Jesus’ return while remaining repentant.
