The Watchman

Ezekiel 3:16-27 

16 Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

22 Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you."

23 So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 24 Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, O son of man, surely they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. 26 I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and not be one to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel was made a watchman over God’s people.  When God gave him words to speak to them, he was to speak them immediately and not hold back for any reason.  When the LORD therefore gave word to the wicked that they would certainly die for their sin, he was to warn them straight away that they would have time to repent.  If he did not warn them right away, he would be held accountable as well for not giving them the chance to avoid judgment to death.  If he gave them immediate warning when God gave the word, then if they refused to repent it was on them and not for him to answer for.  Likewise when God told him to warn the righteous ones who sin, he was to warn them immediately as well or be held accountable along with them for not warning them.  The righteous one will suffer more because his sin would be the only thing remembered, not his previous righteous deeds.  If the righteous heard the warning given right away not to sin and kept himself from sinning, he would live and Ezekiel would also deliver his own life.  He was his brothers’ keeper.  After receiving this charge, he was called to go talk with the LORD.  He beheld God’s glory as before and fell prostrate in worship with fear and trembling in submission to the Sovereign Almighty God.  God put His Spirit in him again and told him to hide in his house until they came for him in their rejection of the words spoken through the prophet.  They would tie him up to keep him silent because of their rebellious nature, but God would give him the ability to speak and tell them more.  He would speak the word faithfully as God gave him (Luke 12:11-12).  He was to begin with, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'  If they listened, they heard; if they refused to hear, they were refused and likewise rejected.  God knew that they were a rebellious house and that many would reject His word, but the faithful messenger was to speak for those with ears to hear and eyes to see, the righteous chosen of God who were warned to turn from their sin and hear Him for reconciliation in His grace and mercy.  There are pictures of the gospel here for us to heed, especially to tell others and give the bad news to warn them of the certain judgment to come and the good news of His work in Jesus Christ to set them free from sin and death (Romans 5:12, 15, 18-19).  May we be like faithful Ezekiel the watchman and not wait to speak truth to warn others and offer the balm of the gospel’s healing grace.  We are to give warning to all sinners that the chosen righteous may turn and live.