“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.”
- Ezekiel 3:17-18 ESV
It was a dark time for Israel. The
nation had rejected God and His ways, and as punishment, God sent the
mighty Babylonian Empire against them. Ezekiel himself had been
captured during the first siege of Jerusalem (597 B.C.), and was now
living in the great pagan city of Babylon. While he was there, God
called him to become a “watchman” (i.e., prophet) to the people
of Israel.
The Watchman
The Watchman
The watchman of a city was supposed
to be on the lookout for enemies. It was his job to sound the alarm
at the first sight of danger. If he was incompetent or irresponsible
in his duties, invaders might take the city's defenders by surprise
and easily destroy the city.
In same way, Ezekiel was supposed to
warn his people about God's judgment against sin. It wasn't a
complicated job. But he would have to be bold in his faith because
his people were stubborn and rebellious.
More than five centuries after
Ezekiel, our Lord Jesus Christ also called Israel to acknowledge her
sins, repent, and follow God wholeheartedly. In response, they
crucified Him.
Like Ezekiel
Like Ezekiel
What message do today's Christians
have for our own churches, and the world at large? We often think in
terms of our Lord's Commission (Mat 28:19-20), but I suspect that we
often minimize or overlook the fact that to “make disciples”
means we also have to be “watchmen” like Ezekiel.
We have to continually (and
progressively!) repent of our own sins.
We have to address sins in our own families, our own accountability groups, our own churches. We have to be on the alert against the false teachings that tell us to focus on feelings instead of Christ's finished work, on activity instead of inward grace, on programs instead of the Holy Spirit's power, on truisms and experience instead of the faithful study and preaching of God's word.
We have to proclaim God's judgment to lost and dying sinners . We have to do it lovingly, yes. But we have to do it. We have to be bold enough to “warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life”.
We have to address sins in our own families, our own accountability groups, our own churches. We have to be on the alert against the false teachings that tell us to focus on feelings instead of Christ's finished work, on activity instead of inward grace, on programs instead of the Holy Spirit's power, on truisms and experience instead of the faithful study and preaching of God's word.
We have to proclaim God's judgment to lost and dying sinners . We have to do it lovingly, yes. But we have to do it. We have to be bold enough to “warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life”.
Like the Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul was a faithful watchman. He boldly preached, and faithfully lived out, the truth. His striking statement to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:26-27 is something we should all be able to say to those we can witness to.
The Apostle Paul was a faithful watchman. He boldly preached, and faithfully lived out, the truth. His striking statement to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:26-27 is something we should all be able to say to those we can witness to.
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
- Acts 20:26-27
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