The Watchman - PART 2

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

2. The Failure of the People (Ezekiel 3:19).
Ezekiel 3:19, “Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” If Ezekiel faithfully warned the wicked and the righteous of evil, then he would be reckoned accordingly before God. Your service can be the difference between someone getting saved or going to hell. We have a strong responsibility to be faithful in our service for God.

As he had opportunity to share the message, his prayer was to be able to reveal the mystery of Christ clearly. If the Gospel is not clear to the church then it will not be clear to the community. It is the responsibility of God’s men today to warn people of God’s just judgment against sin and call them to repentance. God’s men who fail to fully carry out this sacred duty are accountable. God emphasized that Ezekiel was to faithfully continue to warn the people to turn from sin and to accept God’s salvation. The duty of a watchman is to preach both the love and justice of God. God never takes pleasure in the death of the wicked. Jesus Christ is the supreme proof of this fact. God loves the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for the sins of every human being (John 3:16). When people reject Christ, the Lord grieves, because He has made a way for people to escape sin and death, the way of repentance.

As a watchman, God gave Ezekiel some warnings regarding his ministry. According to Ezekiel 33:6, God will hold a watchman accountable. A watchman (one positioned in a tower or on the city wall to look out for invaders or approaching disaster) who saw destruction coming and did not sound an alarm to warn the people would be held responsible for their deaths. In God’s kingdom, a pastor who does not warn those who are uncommitted or rebellious against God about the danger of judgment will be held accountable for the people’s spiritual destruction. All Christians have the responsibility to share their faith with people who are spiritually lost or without a personal relationship with God, and to help fulfill the mission Jesus gave to the church (Matthew 28:19). We will give an account to God if we refuse to obey Jesus’ Great Commission (Acts 20:26).

Ezekiel was to be a watchman, warning that all who continued to resist God would be punished with death (Ezekiel 3:18). If Ezekiel failed to warn the wicked, he would be held accountable for their deaths. Faithful men of God today embrace Ezekiel’s example by warning those in their congregations who are behaving in ungodly ways that they will be excluded from God’s kingdom if they do not repent (I Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:18-21; Ephesians 5:5). God’s people are to be taught that they must admit their sins, turn from their own selfish ways, and begin to follow God’s purposes. Those who fail to warn the unfaithful will themselves be accountable to God for people’s spiritual destruction. We must always remember that God has given us the responsibility to take His message of forgiveness and new life through Christ to the entire world (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). This message includes the warning of eternal death for all who refuse to accept Christ’s forgiveness. God has made all of Christ’s followers his watchmen (Matthew 18:15). According to Ezekiel 33:7, God had made Ezekiel His watchman. God emphasized again that Ezekiel was to faithfully continue to warn the people to turn from sin and to accept God’s salvation. Today the church and its Pastor must help spread the message of spiritual salvation through Jesus Christ to all nations (Ezekiel 3:18).

In Ezekiel 22:30, the LORD cried out for a man to stand in the gap. Just as Christ is the “mediator between man and God” (I Timothy 2:5), so redeemed man is the “gap” between the lost and Christ. With Christ in Heaven and the Holy Spirit in the Christian, the Christian is the only person on earth to represent God before others. This is our responsibility, our calling as “ambassadors of Christ” (II Corinthians 5:20). Too often few respond to their calling. Like Ezekiel, we must be the man in the “gap”. As a watchman, we will:

• Walk like Enoch (Genesis 5:22).
• Work like Noah (Genesis 6:13-22).
• Obey Like Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4).
• Trust like Isaac (Genesis 22:6-14).
• Flee temptation like Joseph (Genesis 39:12).
• Stand like Elijah (I Kings 18:17-22).
• Be convincing like Elisha (II Kings 6:15-17).
• Serve like Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8).
• Be bold like Peter and John (Acts 4:13).
• Be yielded like Stephen (Acts 7:55-60).
• Testify like Paul (Acts 26:1-29).
• Suffer like Moses (Hebrews 11:23-25).

As he has been appointed, so have we. We are God’s watchmen as well (Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:20). No one will be held more responsible for the cities we live in than us (Esther 4:14; Acts 17:26). I believe we all are accountable for giving the Gospel to the lost. We have a responsibility to try to tell people how to be saved either by witnessing to them, or giving them a gospel tract. Do you have friends or loved ones that need the Lord? If so, make an effort to tell them about Jesus Christ and how to be saved. If you don't know Christ, you can turn to Him right now. According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man's predicament and said, "It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this." Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, "Let that man's plight be a lesson to the rest of the world." Then Mohammed came by and said to the sinking man, "Alas, it is the will of God." Finally, Jesus appeared and said, "Take my hand, brother, and I will save you." If you know not the Lord, He will save you if you will ask Him.

Point to Ponder:
A warning can be a matter of eternity.
We live in a world where at least 2 billion people currently lack access to the Gospel.
We should be ready and eager to share the good news of Christ (Peter 3:15).
If the Gospel is not in our hearts or on our mind, then it will not come out of our mouths.

Questions to Consider:
What are we doing with the message we have been given?
How can you be the watchmen you need to be for your city, your state, and your nation?
Who in your city still hasn’t heard that Christ has not only come once, but is also coming again (Psalm 96:13)?
How would your community, city, and country be different if your church asked God every day for opportunities to share the Gospel?

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!

If this post in any way, has blessed you,
please share this website and its articles with others:
www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com