God’s Watchman

Ezekiel is probably best known as God’s Watchman. So, how did that come about? Let’s look and see.

After Ezekiel had his vision of God’s glory, scripture states the Holy Spirit entered into him (Ek 2:2). God then gives Ezekiel a charge and a mission. Ezekiel is to present God’s words to Israel. Even through the people would be stubborn and not listen to him, Ezekiel was being held responsible for delivering God’s message, but not responsible for their acceptance of the message. Nothing was to deter Ezekiel from his mission and message (Ek 2:7). Even if the people did not listen, they would know a prophet had been among them (Ek 2:5).

Isn’t this a good message for us as well? Often, we get discouraged because those we talk to about God and his goodness and his desire to have a relationship with them do not listen to us or take action on what we tell them. Yet, just as God told Ezekiel, we are to obey in giving the message, but not concern ourselves about who responds to it. After all, that is between them and God. We should not try to take God’s responsibility onto ourselves. We are just to obey.

Ezekiel was then charged to eat a scroll which contained words of lament, mourning, and woe (Ek 2:9). He found it sweet as he ate it. One could argue if this was symbolic or literal, but the point is, God was equipping Ezekiel with his message to give to the people. God told Ezekiel he would make Ezekiel just as stubborn in delivering his message as the people would be in disobeying God’s words to them. This message made Ezekiel extremely distressed (Ek 2:12-15). After all, it was a message of doom—not something someone—anyone—would want to deliver to people they know and love.

God told Ezekiel he was to be a Watchman for Israel (Ek 3:16). Just like a watchman watching for a city’s safety, he was to warn. A watchman who did not warn would be considered negligent in their duty to their king and their city. In other words, not doing their job would be treasonous. This is what God told Ezekiel: if he did not warn the people, he would be held accountable, but if he warned and they would not listen, he would be considered innocent because he had warned. But, if they did listen, then he would be saving both himself and his countrymen (Ek 3:16-21). And that’s a good message for us today. We can only warn. We cannot make people listen and act.

Although Ezekiel had a very hard message to deliver, it was truth and the people needed to hear it. While they were God’s chosen people, they neglected their responsibility of that promise. They had strayed so far from God and his principles; they didn’t even know they were adrift. God had to get their attention. If they didn’t listen, the consequence would be severe. It was a dire necessity that Ezekiel deliver it. We, too, have a message to give to the world. It is a message of hope, but consequences of not heeding such a message can be dire and eternal. Let us, like Ezekiel, be vigilant in our delivery of the message.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens