The Book Of Ezekiel.

The Book of Ezekiel.

The Responsibility of The Watchman.

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's responsibility as a spiritual 'watchman" was great indeed. In the natural sense, a watchman of old, was part of a team, as a shift worker, that took up watch over the camp. At the sight of approaching danger he would sound the alarm, he would shout a loud warning. Failure to do so would put all of the people in danger, and he would bear the full responsibility.

In Chebar, Israel had been already subjected to the destruction of the enemy. Their watchmen failed them in their own land as the enemy came in and carried them away captive. Now as they were in the prison camp in a strange land the danger they faced was even greater. Spiritually, God's redeemed people were in great danger of loosing their identity. They had learned the ungodly ways of the stranger in their own land. Their watchmen had slept, and then colluded with the advancing enemy. They had corrupted the place of worship, the Temple, by introducing an innovative form of worship. They had ignored and rebelled against the Word of God. They abandoned God's Mercy seat within the veil. The ark of the Covenant was no longer important to them.

Now in the Chebar internment camp the people of God were in greater danger than ever before. They had been cast out of their place of worship, they lost their homes to the stranger who overwhelmed their land. They were cast out of the Holy City and out of the Promised Land.

Now, Ezekiel comes with God's Word to God's covenant people, a Word of challenge, and correction, and Word of rebuke and of chastening. The prophet was appointed as God's spiritual watchman in the camp.

He, like the faithful preacher today, was to warn the unsaved sinner as to the coming judgment of God.

He was to warn the righteous that the sin of backsliding would cause them loss of reward. Should he neglect his watchman's duty, then he would face serious spiritual consequences, he too would loose his reward. This truth is borne out in (Ezekiel 3:18-21)

Today, God's people are in a similar position as true Israel of old was in leading up to Chebar. They have forgotten the price our fore fathers paid for our civil and religious liberty. There is a general acceptance and accommodation of the culture and customs of the strangers in our land. Today the principles and values of Biblical Christianity are being compromised and excused. There is a growing forsaking of God's Mercy Seat where prayer is offered.

Then, when God sends His Word into the camp of the saints of God, there is a resistance and a stubbornness amongst those that should know better. Truly, today, God's people are living in a terrible spiritual ghetto. We are in urgent need of correction and challenge to awaken and to turn swiftly back to Almighty God. May we pray that God will raise up an Ezekiel as a faithful watchman to stir and to move our hearts with the Word of God.

Blessings in Christ. Rev Mervyn Cotton.