Ezekiel 33 “Heed the Watchman’s Warnings”

READ: Ezekiel 33  

Verses chosen for meditation: Ezekiel 33:7-9 

⁷ “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. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.

REFLECT

This chapter marks a turning point in the book of Ezekiel, from focus on judgement to Israel’s future hope. The opening verses of the chapter parallels Ezekiel 3:16-21, where Ezekiel was first appointed as watchman of Israel. Why the repeat here was not only to remind of Ezekiel’s role in delivering warnings to Israel, but to put responsibility on Israel to heed his warnings, even more so from this point on when Ezekiel’s prophecies have proven to be true (Ezekiel 33:21), showing his credibility as God’s true prophet.

The analogy of a watchman is as such. Cities were constructed with high towers where watchmen situate, staying vigilant to look out for enemy forces. Upon seeing an approaching enemy, the watchman would sound off the alarm, warning everyone within the walls. Those who ignore the warning were basically asking for death. However, if the watchman fails in his duty to warn, he would be held responsible for the deaths of those caught unaware.

Ezekiel performed his watchman duty faithfully in chapters 4 through 32. Though his main audience were the exiles in Babylon, his oracles were communicated to those remaining in Judah. But Judah did not heed the warnings, hence the destruction of Jerusalem. Now, it was up to the individual whether to heed these warnings, to choose life over death.

RELATE

Warning people about the consequences of judgement due to sin and lack of repentance is never popular. Yet as believers, we have a duty to be spiritual watchmen. That said, there may be those who distort the ways of such a duty, by focusing on pointing out errors rather than speaking God’s truth. Ezekiel did his duty by following God’s direction to warn. It is essential that we are steeped in prayer when warning others, seeking direction from God on how to go about it.

This must come from a place of love, not self-righteousness and judgementalism. We care for the spiritual walk of others to the point it drives us to continually guide them to live better (by warning them if necessary). This burden that we have for others should prompt us to go to God in prayer often, to tackle this spiritual battle and discern how to do this. If done from a place of judgementalism, it would look more like seeking out errors in others, pointing them out without much concern about growing and journeying with them. Such actions likely do not flow from prayer.

The passage also encourages us, so that we do not become weary and heavy laden, leading to burnout. Our duty is to warn as persuasively as we can, but it is beyond our control how people react to the warnings. Rejection is expected with the strong pulls of the world. Despite Ezekiel’s best efforts, the whole of Judah rejected his messages as they were a rebellious house, though Ezekiel did it exactly how God wanted it to be done.

In the same way, we should not feel guilty or incompetent when we are not able to guide those we walk with to live better. We can always review the effectiveness of our methods to do our best for God, but many times, people’s rejections have nothing to do with the quality of delivery. It is also not personal, because the rejection is not towards you, but towards God and His ways. We fail only when we fail to warn. We don’t fail when others don’t respond well.

Finally, we should also heed the warnings of other watchmen that God calls into our lives. It’s inevitable that we fall in sin many times and pride will be what’s keeping us from recognising that. Ezekiel 33:32 speaks of how people are finally listening to Ezekiel, liking his messages, but then do not act on it. Their lives are no different after hearing the messages that they like. How accurate I find this of myself. I can listen to sermons, devotions, small group discussions. I can like all the content and agree largely with them, but the lack of transformation and in living them out shows how I’m not truly heeding the warnings of these messages.

Let’s do the responsible thing of warning one another of danger (this is also what accountability means) because lives are at stake, but don’t be burdened by what we can’t control. When we hear warnings, heed them and take them seriously, reacting well to choose life, escaping death.

REST

Dear Lord. Give us the love to have concern for the walk of others, and the courage to proclaim the necessary when they do not live rightly. Likewise, put down my pride so that I may heed the warnings of others too, always reflecting on my ways so that I may live rightly. Amen.

Chris Chong