A Watchman

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: When 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, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. – Ezekiel 3v17-19

Ezekiel had to be reminded again and again about the reality of his seemingly futile ministry. Here God calls him a ‘watchman for the house of Israel.’ His job was to proclaim God’s word to the people as a warning that if they do not repent they will die in their sins.

Being a watchman was an important job. If a watchman did not do his job and an attack came the watchman could be killed. He would be considered guilty of the destruction of the people. If he was faithful in his warning, whether the people listened or not, he would not be held guilty.

There is a sense where Ezekiel sets a pattern for us. We too are called to be watchmen to this present age. God has made it clear that we have the responsibility to warn our fellow man of the results of their sin.

The basic lesson here is simple. All we can do is warn people of their fate apart from Christ. We cannot make them listen. We cannot make them respond.

As usual the question is clear. Are you faithfully doing the warning? Do our friends and family and neighbours and co-workers even know what to do about their spiritual state? God put is in our jobs and homes to be watchmen to the people in our lives.

Are we doing the warning?