The Church as a Walled City Surrounded by Enemies

Psalm 122:7 pronounces, "Peace be within thy walls." The Church is a war-town—a fortified city stationed deliberately among enemies. She cannot afford the luxury of trust toward those beyond her ramparts. Like ancient Jerusalem, with her formidable walls and watchtowers, the Church must maintain constant vigilance shōmēr (watchfulness). David Dickson observed that Jerusalem's physical fortifications were a typos (type)—a shadow-picture—of the Church's spiritual defenses.…