The Watchman - PART 1

The Watchman (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7)

Ezekiel 3:17, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”
​Ezekiel 33:7, “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.”

The Titanic is one of the worst maritime disasters in history. The British luxury liner Titanic (46,000 gross tons) of the White Star Line, on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City, struck an iceberg about 95 miles south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland just before midnight on April 14, 1912. Of the more than 2,220 persons aboard, about 1,513 died. The ship had been proclaimed unsinkable because of its 16 watertight compartments. Nevertheless, the iceberg sufficiently damaged the Titanic to make it sink in less than three hours. Investigations found that the ship had been steaming too fast in dangerous waters, that lifeboat space had been provided for only about half of the passengers and crew. Warnings came, however, the response was “You’re jamming up our signals.” The Californian, the closest ship to the scene, had not come to the rescue because its radio operator was off duty and asleep. A warning can be a matter of life and death.

On September 11, 2001, the people working in the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York had no warning that planes were going to slam into their buildings on the morning of September 11, 2001. As a result, 2,606 people would lose their lives in the collapse of the buildings. More would die in the planes and at the Pentagon. A warning can be a matter of life and death.

The sailors who slept on the USS Arizona and other Navy vessels at Pearl Harbor were given no warning on the morning of December 7, 1941, that Japanese planes were on their way to attack. As a result, more than 20 naval vessels were sunk or badly damaged, almost 200 American aircraft were destroyed, and 2,335 U.S. servicemen were killed and 1,143 were wounded. A warning can be a matter of life and death.

The Intelligence Agency of a nation is of critical importance in protecting its people. Whether a satellite or a plane in the sky, a mechanical or human spy, or a soldier or guard on the border, a nation’s ability to gain intelligence determines its capability to protect itself. In ancient history, a nation protected itself by establishing fortified cities and outposts along its borders, as well as by posting military patrols at key locations throughout the land. But most important of all were the watchmen who were strategically posted along the walls of a city. It was the watchman’s duty to scan the horizon for any approaching enemy and to be alert to any danger within the city, such as fire or civil disturbance. As God’s man, I must take the Word of God forth to the world proclaiming the glorious message of salvation to every human being of every generation.

Ezekiel explains in Ezekiel 3:17 that the watchman had a responsibility to warn the people of God’s judgment. He was the difference between the life and death of the people (Ezekiel 33:7-9). As a watchman, Ezekiel was informed that he was not responsible for the reactions of the people, however he was responsible to warn them. God stressed the personal responsibility of both the prophet and the people who heard his message of repentance that was to follow.


1. The Failure of the Prophet (Ezekiel 3:18, 20).
Ezekiel 3:18, “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ezekiel 3:20, “Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” If Ezekiel failed to warn either the wicked or the righteous, he would be held accountable and punished for his failure. If the watchman was irresponsible and failed to warn the people of an approaching danger, two things would happen. First, the people would die because of the watchman’s unfaithful and irresponsible behavior. Second, God would hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death. under the judgment of God. But if the watchman failed to give the warning and people died, the watchman would be held accountable for their deaths.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for those You sent my way to share the Gospel with me. Help me that I may share the Gospel with those You allow me to connect with. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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