The Watchman
Ezekiel 33:7 says, “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”
The prophet Ezekiel was commissioned by God to be “a watchman unto the house of Israel.” He was to warn them of God’s judgment, in an effort to turn them from wickedness unto righteousness (v. 12). A watchman’s duty was to “blow the trumpet, and warn the people” (v. 3), of impending danger from the enemy’s attack. In fat, “he that sounded the trumpet” (Neh 4:18), was next to Nehemiah while they were building the walls of Jerusalem.
If the watchman “blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come” (v. 6), then he is responsible for the death of any person who dies by the sword! And if he does not “warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will” (v. 8), be required at his hand. However, if the watchman warns “the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity” (v. 9). Ezekiel asks that if they “pine away” (v. 10), in their sins then how should they live? In other words, there will be no more hope if they don’t believe in what God says (Isa 46:10).
God “have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (v. 11). He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). Ezekiel warned Israel of God’s judgment because of their wickedness. But they wanted to continue in their wicked ways. Sadly, many today neither believe nor agree that a loving and merciful God (1 Jn 4:8), would condemn people to hell (Rev 20:14). Rather than disagreeing with the absolute truth of God’s word (Ps 119:160), they should just believe His “every word” (Prov 30:5), and trust Jesus as their only Lord and Savior by faith (Rom 10:4)! God bless you!
-Pastor Melito Barrera
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