Watchman On The Wall

Watchman on the wall

EZEKIEL 33: 1-16

Are we being Gods watchman on the wall today? Are we warning the lost sinner that he or she is in great danger because of what is on the way?

God has given us His word in black & white that there is a heaven to gain & a hell to shone, are we as His watchman telling and warning people of what He has said, do we really care that people are dropping off into hell every minute of the day? Are we truly watchmen or are we just playing church?

We’ve been told that our nation has a system in place that can detect incoming missiles that are meant to harm us.

But what if after all the time and money which has been spent, and those responsible for watching out for our welfare saw signs that we were under attack, and yet for some reason decided not to alert the military, inform the president, or warn the American people? What if the radar screens were showing clear signs of an impending nuclear attack, the satellites were sending all the right information, the computers were functioning properly, lights were flashing and warning sirens were going off, but those responsible for passing along the warning decided they would rather remain silent than to cause national panic?

Or what if they had fallen asleep because they stayed up too late watching the T.V.

What if they were on the phone with a friend, or just didn’t care to take the situation seriously. What would happen to them and the people they were asked to protect?

Ezekiel is reminded of his call to be a watchman. his ministry is likened unto that of a watchman, or sentry, observing the danger of a coming enemy and then warning his people.

In like manner, he is a watchman to them in spiritual matters. He is to point out their sin and warn them to repent and turn to the Lord.

If, as a prophet of God, he should fail to warn his people, he would be held accountable of spiritual manslaughter.

That is the modern day parallel to the parable **that God spoke about to Ezekiel.

The parable was based on the strategic defense initiative of that day.

The defense system consisted of a large wall, sometimes a double wall, and several feet thick. The wall was made with very large stones, and tall towers were built at the corners. Watchmen were stationed high in the towers to watch for the approach of hostile forces.

Other watchmen walked on top of the wall and were posted at the gates. If an enemy was approaching they were to blow the trumpet to alert the armed troops and call out a warning to the people. If they somehow failed in their responsibility the city would be overrun and the people would lose their lives. The watchman would pay for his failure with his life.

But what if the watchman sounded the warning and no one responded? What if the people that heard the warning didn’t heed the warning that the watchmen were giving and just ignored it and continued on with what ever they might be doing?

Then, the Lord said here in this parable, they would be responsible for their own death as well as the destruction of the city.

Our responsibility today is to warn and proclaim as persuasively as possible, but how the message is received is beyond our control

Listen as I read today’s text found in Ezekiel 33:1-20

1Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, “When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

4Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

7So 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.

8When I say unto the wicked, > O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; < if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.