The Watchmen Must Blow the Warning Horn - Ezekiel 31-36

 Ezekiel 33:7-8 (ESV)

“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ezekiel is to be a watchmen for God’s purpose.   The prophets had a hard job in these days of Israel and/or Judah’s history.   The nation split and became to nations but their heart was one, running from God.   They were disobedient and God sent prophets to speak to them.   In the above passage we read that Ezekiel is to be the watchmen on the tower who hails to the community that the sword is coming.  In his case there is no tower, the sword is the Sword of the Lord, and the community are the peoples of God, living in open rebellion to God.   God is telling him that if he warns the people and they do not heed the message, that is on them.  But, if he fails to deliver God’s message and dose not warn them, it is on him.   In essence, he was accountable to deliver the message, but not to for response.  Ezekiel could not worry about the people’s response to him.  He was only to worry about getting the message correct.   He could not worry about if he were to offend them.  His duty was to warn them.  

Imagine if we ran our churches today with that mindset.   We are so worried that the people sitting in the pews will dislike the message we fail to deliver the truth God gives us.   The message continues to become more and more watered down away from sound doctrine.   Instead we give shallow homilies to replace deeper exegesis.   Perhaps this is why the author of Hebrews wrote:

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

That writer tells the early church that leaders  “will have to give an account” for how they lead the church.  This is what Ezekiel is being told.   So, too, church leadership.   When placed in a position of authority the responsibility is to give God’s message and not be concerned about how you are treated or understood.   Part of the shamming of this society is to silence the watchmen.   But, if the watchmen is silent it is him who will be held accountable with the blood of those they failed to warn.