The Drawings That Watch
"So I went in and saw, and there — every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls." — Ezekiel 8:10
What Ezekiel Saw
God took Ezekiel in a vision to see the defilement of the temple in Jerusalem — the temple Solomon had built for the worship of the Lord.
"And He said to me, 'Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.' So I went in and saw, and there — every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls." (Ezekiel 8:9–10)
Most readers picture graffiti. Ancient vandalism. Distasteful decoration.
But the significance of that verse becomes clear only when you understand what such drawings are for.
The purpose of an occult drawing is to place spirits at the site of the drawing.
Spirits had been brought into the temple of God and stationed on its very walls, through those images.
Watchers
There is a category of such drawings that is worth understanding specifically. In occult terminology they are called watchers — the creeping things Ezekiel described.
They are familiar spirits placed at particular locations to maintain surveillance over the surrounding area. They can be attached to objects, to animals, or to drawings. Animals are rarely used, because animals move.
A person places a drawing of a watcher at a strategic spot and returns later to communicate with what is attached to it, learning what took place in that area during his absence.
The drawings vary in form. They share one consistent feature: they always contain eyes, or at least one eye.
Watchers frequently appear in gang-related graffiti as well, marking territory and reporting when rivals have crossed into it. Their presence tells you that you are in an area of occult activity, whether or not the people involved would use that vocabulary.
Why This Matters to You
Because we dismiss it.
We walk past markings on walls, garage doors, underpasses, and fences a hundred times and file all of it under vandalism. Most of it is. Some of it is not.
Learning to notice — simply to notice — is a real form of vigilance. "Be sober, be vigilant" (1 Peter 5:8) is not a call to alarm. It is a call to pay attention to your surroundings.
The next lessons will show what this looks like in practice, and what to do about it.
Point to Ponder
The purpose of an occult drawing is to station something at that location. It is not decoration; it is placement.
Verse to Remember
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion." — 1 Peter 5:8
Question to Consider
How much of my surroundings do I actually see?
Today's Practice
Read Ezekiel 8 in full today. It is a disturbing chapter and worth reading carefully, because it shows what had been brought into the house of God while worship continued as normal.
Then, this week, actually look at your surroundings.
Look at the walls in your neighborhood. Look at the markings on fences, doors, poles, and underpasses on your daily route. Notice what has eyes in it.
Do not go hunting. Do not become anxious. Simply begin to see what you have been walking past.
And notice one more thing: whether anything of this kind is on or near your own property, your workplace, or your church.
Prayer
Father, I walk through my days half asleep. I see what I expect to see and nothing more.
Open my eyes. Not to make me fearful — to make me alert. Let me notice what is around me, on my street, near my home, and around Your house.
Give me discernment to tell the difference between ordinary vandalism and something placed with intent. Do not let me become suspicious of everything, and do not let me be blind to what is actually there.
And Lord, wherever anything has been placed near my home or my family, expose it and give me the authority to deal with it in the name of Jesus Christ.
Make me sober and vigilant, as Your Word says. In Jesus' name. Amen.
It is not decoration. It is placement.