But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
Ezekiel 33:9
Ezekiel, as God’s appointed prophet, was watchman for the house of Israel. He was called to warn the people of the coming destruction. He had advance warning by God of the army coming to shatter the walls of Jerusalem and destroy the city. He was to faithfully deliver this message to the people despite their unwillingness to listen or repent. Once they had been warned, their choice was on them. The watchman was to faithfully warn. The people had to respond to save themselves and the city.
Of course, the hard part of the role of watchman is seeing disregard from the people for the words of warning. But the watchman could not lead the battle or fight it alone. He could only alert the people and prepare them. If they chose to ignore him, their defeat was not the fault of the watchman.
And so it is with my own wickedness. Scripture and the Holy Spirit, along with loving Christian brothers and sisters, warn me of my wrong. And if I don’t listen and refuse to repent, put off sin, and put on holiness, I will be defeated. And with watchmen’s warnings, I will be saved by heeding the words so that I am not defeated in battle. Obeying the warning call, I can fight the good fight, find victory over sin, and rejoice in the salvation Jesus brings me. But I need the words of the watchmen to warn me, to correct me, to alert me to battle, and to find hope in deliverance in Christ. That is why I need people to be preaching the gospel to me through relationship and accountability. Thank You, Lord, for alerting me. Thank You, Lord, for giving me the words of warning from the watchman.
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