Called To Be A Watchman
Watchman - a sentry posted on a wall or in a tower to warn of approaching danger. In Ezekiel 33:7–16a, God recommissioned the prophet Ezekiel as a watchman for the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Jerusalem had fallen and the temple had been destroyed by the Babylonian army. The exiles despaired and questioned if they still had life. Ezekiel was charged with sounding the alarm to the exiles about their wickedness, so they would turn back to God. And in His grace, God would forgive the repentant of their sin so they would have future hope and life. May God show his grace and favor to you this week, and may you stand as a watchman to help turn others back to Him. Amen
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die, ’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved. (Ezekiel 33:7-9)
God gave Ezekiel the responsibility as a prophet to the exiles, to be a watchman for them. A watchman’s responsibility was to look out over the horizon for potential danger and warn the people when they saw it. God explained to Ezekiel that if he failed in his duty to warn the people to repent of their sin when God told him to, then he would suffer the consequences of their continued wickedness. But if he did warn the wicked, then they would suffer their own consequences for their failure to repent.
“Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live? ”’ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11)
In light of the destruction of Jerusalem, the exiles despaired of life, asking the question, “How can we live?”. God then gave Ezekiel a message to speak to the exiles. The message was that they needed to turn from their wickedness because it was the reason for their captivity and oppression. Even though Jerusalem had fallen and the temple was destroyed, all was not lost for them. To the contrary, God desired for them to turn from their wickedness and live.
“Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’ If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done. And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just and right— if they give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. (Ezekiel 33:12-16a)
Finally, God told Ezekiel that a formerly righteous person who is disobedient to Him would die. But a wicked person would be saved if he repented. None of the wicked person’s prior sins would be held against them. And none of a formerly righteous person’s deeds would save them if they turned away from God and did evil. In this way, God would hold each person responsible for their own actions of wickedness or repentance.
In light of the destruction of Jerusalem, the exiles despair of life. “How can we live?”
Conclusion
This scripture in Ezekiel reveals God’s plan of grace and salvation. He always desires our repentance to turn from evil and return to Him. No matter what we have done in our past, we have hope if we turn back to God. In His grace, He offers us salvation and allows us to choose life over death. As followers of Christ, we are called to tell others that God wants them to live and not die. And we have a responsibility to warn them of the danger of living in rebellion to God. Like Ezekiel, we too are called by God to be watchmen!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
