The Watchers

I am back on the shore from The Landing. I look around for Jesus, “Why do you keep bringing me here?” Instead of answering, He looks at me and puts a finger to his lips, “Sshh,” He said. The welcome committee was not around; they had walked on to the village. Some of the people from the ship, who came onto shore with us, had followed the welcome party into the village; ignoring the warning not to follow them.

I looked around. I was back on the beach, and the ship was anchored just inside the cove. The cove was still and calm; the waters had stopped vibrating to the sound of the drums and it was now peaceful. The cove sat inside a semicircle of trees that rose from the ground. Small mountains protected the cove from the harsh winds and eyes of the sea. The sand beneath my feet was white and soft. The sandy shoreline gave way to a rich soil that prospered tall grasses of different shades, and the trees were strong, tall, and healthy. It was a beautiful cove.

In the center of the semicircle cove was a clear and defined path. The path had been compacted by sand and foot traffic over many years. The path was purposeful and gave direction. The path began to gently slope up from the shoreline guiding you further into the forest, but because the path was defined and the grass around it manicured, it caused a feeling of security and safety. Perhaps in what could be a hostile landing zone we had instead found paradise, friends, in otherwise hostile territory. Surely this was God! Does He not say that He is like a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path? In the natural realm, it seemed ideal, but my spirit was screaming, “don’t follow the path! It’s all a deception.”

Jesus walked up next to me and gestured to the path, “do you want to see?”

“I do,” I said, but you have already warned us not to follow the welcome party and to not follow the path. “So why would you let me go see?” I asked.

“Because I am with you, and I have given you the authority to do so,” He said as He took me by the hand, and we began to walk the path. It did not take long for the path and the surroundings to look different. The trees were larger, with darker bark, and the woods were growing dim. I noticed that the more we advanced, and the sunlight became hidden, that it was compensated for by lanterns hung from guideposts. We could still see the path clearly, but it was not as welcoming. The light from the lanterns wasn’t as bright as the sun. My natural mind said that the iron light posts guiding our path were put there for our protection and to help us see the way, but my spirit was still screaming, “No! No! Turn around now!”

I heard a rustling in the grass, and I turned to look. Behind the tall trees flanking the path were tall figures, some six feet tall, while others were up to nine feet tall, standing in the shadows of the tree-lined path. They were wearing a dirty white robe. It was more like a grayish blue, but it gave the illusion of being white to the naked eye. I looked up into their eyes, and they were so pale, milky white with a tinge of blue, with a pin-black pupil. Their golden blonde hair was oily and slicked back and resting on their shoulders. Some had hair that was a little longer, but my eyes did not rest on their hair for long. One of the Watchers smiled slightly as he looked at me. I saw his teeth, filed into pointed tips, and they were gray.

As he stared at me and I stared at him, I reached out and grabbed Jesus' hand, “Look!” I whispered. “What do we do?! We are being watched!” Jesus looked at the Watcher and then looked at me, “I can see that,” He said, smiling gently at me. “They’re going to see you Jennie, and anyone else that I call to this assignment. Forerunners are going to be seen, scouts are going to be seen, assassins will be found but will not be harmed. You are marked.”

I looked down at my hands, and they began to glow when I noticed my chest was glowing as well. “Your spirit is active, and your hands are prepared,” Jesus said. We continued to walk, leaving the Watchers to stay at their post. The closer we got to the village the more Watchers we saw! They were everywhere. Some were coming and going about their business in and out of the village. Others were just posted as sentries to watch.

The village was old. There were some wooden buildings, some brick, and others stone. There was a central government building in the center of town, and the town worked as one, like a hive to serve the central building. People, humans, were walking around the village like the inhabitants (the Watchers) of this place were normal! As we walked into town we passed a cafe, and a few people were sitting down drinking coffee with the Watchers. They would smile as another local villager (demonic entity), would come up and offer them clothing, shoes, and a trade.

Jesus paused, “Watch,” he said.

One local shop owner came up to a woman having coffee with a Watcher and offered her a new look. She accepted with delight. He then offered her a wooden box once she was dressed in the outfit given. She opened the box, and I saw her light being sucked into the box! I watched in horror! When I looked at Jesus he just looked sad.

“Watch,” He said.

Once her light was removed a faint glow left the box and went into her chest. She smiled and told the shopkeeper thank you. She was unaware of the exchange that had just happened. Her light was now dim and no longer sourced from the true light. She looked back at the Watcher who was now smiling, his filed teeth gleaming, as he smiled in delight.

I whirled around to Jesus, “What just happened?”

“People are following the path. It is designed to draw people and to deceive them. The village is an illusion."

I looked back at the village, and I saw its foundation was built on bones. “Bones?! What does that mean? This is a dark vision, and I’m not loving it!!!!!” I said as I looked into Jesus' eyes.

“You are not supposed to like it. You are supposed to learn from it,” He said. “The bones are not all new, but bones from history. They are the bones of people who choose the wrong kingdom and decide to stay in the village. Eventually, all perish, and their bones are used to expand the village.”

“Why are you showing me all of this?!?!”

“Because the Watchers have been told to be bold and to bring people to the village. Not all the people on the voyage into this new age made the crossing. Not all survived the storms in the Harbor, and not all will survive the Landing, but you must!” Jesus grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me, “Do you hear me?! You must survive this forest; you must not follow the false light; you must not shrink from the darkness; and you must not hide from the village. Hell is not supposed to be okay with you!! Do you hear me? This is not the age for comfortability and coddled emotions. On the contrary! This is the age of war and confrontation. I’ve taken you to the village so that you can see the truth and warn people from walking the path. They must walk the tall grass, the unknown, the uncharted path. You must climb the mountain outside of the village so that you can have my perspective. If you stay in this forest you will die!” He stared into my eyes, and I saw His concern. He was very serious.

“Tell me what to do,” I whispered as I saw several Watchers walk up behind Jesus.

He turned to look at them, “If I mark them,” Jesus said, “you can not touch them. They are on assignments like you. You will be subject to their authority because they carry my authority and walk around on my behalf. I will not interfere with your assignment until I deem it over. Do you understand Me? Jesus looked at each of the five Watchers.

They stared at Him and then at me, “Yes, we understand.”

“You will not touch those marked, and on My assignment, yes?”

The watchers stared at me, “But we want to!” They hissed in anger.

“You will not touch those I mark or I will end your rebellion swiftly. Do you understand?”

Their eyes left me and looked at Jesus. I have never seen such anger and defiance! “We understand. We will watch, but we will not touch.” The watchers said. “If they do not accept the assignment, can we harass them?” They looked back at me with something like hope in their eyes.

Jesus said, “If they are under my covering you cannot touch, but I cannot force anyone to obey me and come under my shelter. You know the law, and you know you can.” Jesus said, infuriated. He was frustrated. The Watchers bowed to Jesus and then bowed their heads slightly in my direction, “We will be watching,” they said and moved back into the trees.

I looked at Jesus and saw tears in his eyes. “I am calling my people, but not all hear, not all see. I win the war, but it does not mean the battle isn’t hard.” His tears fell. Before me was God, who chose to come to earth and walk a crazy life and die horrific death just so He could show us the Kingdom of God and save us from the Law of sin, which is death. He was willing to endure torture, the death of a thief and be murdered in the desire that we might choose Him. I looked back at the village. I saw the people having coffee and dressing in the clothes the shopkeepers gave them. He died for them; He died for me.

“No more, bones!” I looked back at Jesus and saw the righteous anger back. He wiped his tears, “No more, bones!” He looked at me, “Will you help me warn them?”

“Yes,” I said.

“This decade matters; the Giants are preparing for war. The Watchers are scouting the land and the people to report back to the Giants. There are harassers in the grass and shooters in the trees; you may get scratched, but you cannot die. You are marked. They’re in rebellion so they’ve been warned of consequences, but they may try and attack.” He looked at me seriously, “Are you willing to walk with me? Are you willing to accept the assignment?” “Yes,” I said. I looked back at the village. “I’m not staying here! So where else can I go? Where you go, I will go.” I said.

Jesus looked up towards the mountain peak and took my hand, “Then let’s go.”