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A WATCHMAN
Son
of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of
Israel.
Ezek 33:7
In Ezek 33, Ezekiel is compared to a
watchman. If he
warns the people faithfully,
but they do not hear, then they will be responsible for their own
destruction. If he fails to warn the people, and they perish, God
will require their blood at the watchman's hand. Every one who heard
the words must see that Ezekiel was obliged to call the attention of
the people to the judgment awaiting them, and to warn them of the
threatening danger.
It was the duty of the appointed watchman
of a land to announce to the people the approach of the enemy, and
if he failed to do this he was deserving of death; so Ezekiel also,
as the watchman of Israel appointed by God, warned the people of the
approaching judgment, in order to fulfil his duty.
God held Ezekiel responsible for
the house of Israel.
The questions arise for every Christian: Who will God hold us
responsible for? To whom shall we witness? Who shall we warn? Our
relatives, fellow workers, neighbours, friends? It is a solemn
responsibility to be a “watchman”.
How many people today have lost all hope and are in depression and
despair. The Lord's answer to them is: Repent! There is hope for the
worst sinner, but the only hope is in turning from sin, and not in
condoning it.
Ezekiel was faithful in giving the
warning. The people liked to listen
to him, but they had no intention of
obeying his
words! (Ezek
33:31). When his prophecies were fulfilled,
they would
know that a prophet had been in
their midst.
Part of the Gospel presentation should be
that we not only preach the death, burial, and resurrection of
Christ, but “blow a warning trumpet” as well. Ezekiel goes on to
say,
The Lord God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek
33:11). God does not want to act in judgement. Isaiah said
that judgment was His strange work. God wants to save people,
and He is urging all to turn to Him and accept life.
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