The Watchman

Ezekiel 33:2-7  Son 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;  (4)  Then 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.  (5)  He 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.  (6)  But 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.  (7)  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.

                God set Ezekiel as a “watchman” over Israel while they were in captivity. (Historically the “watchman” stood above the gates of the city and watched [as a security camera] for the city’s safety.  (However, in these verses God had not sent Ezekiel to watch from the towers.)  Ezekiel’s duty, as the “watchman,” was to warn those in captivity.  Israel (The Northern Tribes) were in captivity because they had turned their backs on God, (created images to worship, and worshipped other pagan religions.)  God used Ezekiel to bring them back to Him.

                (God is a loving God but His love has boundaries.  When those boundaries are reached and exceeded, a time of judgment will be coming. ) 

                Israel was captive in Babylon, and they had just received word that Judah had exceeded God’s bounds, (because they had sinned like Israel, not learning) and were now in captivity.  (Judgment Day had come.  God’s love always has boundaries.)

Ezekiel 33:11  Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

God tells us His Judgment is not a pleasurable thing.  He wants us all to turn toward Him.  Consider what this “watchman” (Ezekiel) means to us today.  We can see at least two applications for the “watchman” in these verses.

                (The first and most obvious is for the Pastor of the Church.  His task is to warn his people, the flock.  He is to  continually warn (and show) the flock God’s warning (from the Word.)  (The one warned has only himself to blame if he dies in his sin.)  Conversely, if the Shepherd [Pastor] fails to warn, and someone dies in his sin, his blood is on the Shepherd’s hands.

                Secondly, this application applies to the “spiritual leader” of the home and family. 

1 Timothy 3:4-5  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;  (5)  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

(The spiritual leader is the “man” of the home.)  God has set the “man” as the “watchman” over his family.  It is his duty to keep his family under The Word of God.  (He must either take them where they can hear God’s warning, or do the warning himself.)  Their blood is on the spiritual leader’s hands if they have not been given the opportunity to hear.

                When God gave us His commandment:

Matthew 28:19-20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

“Teaching them to observe all things” includes this warning that God has given us. 

                There is also a dire warning in The Book of John:

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

                Through our believing in God’s Word, we attain salvation.  Our faith is based on our belief.  Without this belief, we will die with the “wrath of God” (abiding on us.)

                Our first task is to insure that our family has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.   Our duty is to set our family under a “warning” preacher, a King James Bible Preacher.  You must be assured that your family has been led to The Lord.

                If you are not under a Preacher [Shepherd] that warns, but are willing to hear only love, prosperity, and nothing about sin, [who failed to warn you?]  Whose hands will your blood be on?   Consider: you have failed your wife and your children if they die in their sin.  Their blood is on your hands. 

                If you are not willing to be a “man” and honour God and your family, how is it you call yourself a Christian?

                If there is no “man” in the house, (then dear lady, you are the “watchman” of the family) and all these responsibilities rest on your shoulders.  Pray for God’s wisdom and direction.   Find, and get your family under a King James Bible Preacher.  Tomorrow is not a guarantee for any of us. 

John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

                The question is, “If You Died Today, Would Heaven Be Your Home?”  Today is The Day, and if you don’t know Him, Seek Him Now.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Confess your belief that God raised (His Son, Jesus,) from the grave.  Then, tell others, and then know that God has saved you. 

                Do It Today.

 Bro John R. E Chastain

Baptist Evangelist

Wylie, Texas              

<www.johnchastain.com>