The Watchman
Brother Jeremy 3/19/26
Ezekiel 33:1-20
Ezekiel Is Israel’s Watchman
33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
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.
Why Will You Die, Israel?
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
12 “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness[a] when he sins. 13 Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. 14 Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.
17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. 19 And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”
So at any fortification there were always people chosen to be watchmen or sentries to warn the people of any danger. God has called us to be watchmen for all people, especially each other. We must warn each other when we see one not walking according to scripture, see trouble coming his way, or say whatever the Spirit tells us to.
The Bible tells us that if we know to do something and don’t, it’s a sin. James 5:19-20 says, “if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” It’s challenging to walk up to a person you don’t know and try to tell them they are doing something wrong. Even more so to people you know … because you don’t want to strain the relationship y’all have. They may feel disrespected or even resentment for you. They may think things like “he thinks he know better than me” or “it’s my life.” It is their life, but remember what God said, if you don’t warn him “his blood I will require at your hand.”
So we must act according to Galations 6:1 which says, “if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” So we must do it in a gentle and safe way.
So what do we do if the person isn’t receptive to the warning? The Bible gives us specific instructions regarding this. Matthew 18:15-17 says, “
If Your Brother Sins Against You
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
First alone, then with a couple brothers, finally the church should know and all brothers should try to save him. If he refuses to listen to the church, then what? In 2 Thessalonians 3:6, we are “commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.”
Now why should we fall back from brothers who refuse to repent of his dark ways and come back to the light? First, the Bible says bad company corrupts good morals and a little leaven leavens the whole lump, but more on topic 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 about what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? Verse 17 says, “come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:11 says not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral, covetous, an idolator, reviler, a drunkard, or an extortioner, not even to eat with such a person.
When you cut somebody off from among you, respectfully, it makes them start to think. The Holy Spirit will start working on them, giving them conviction and guilt for their actions. Being an outcast along with the guilt will bring sorrow. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” It is a process that is ordained by God. Don’t regret it or be afraid. Cutting off a brother for a time will ultimately save his life. Keep an eye on him lest he be swallowed up by too much sorrow; and after a time he will come back. If he doesn’t come back, his blood is on his own hands; yours will be clean.
All of this is part of being a watchman of God. We must be strong, courageous, courteous, alert, and ready to step up and step in to warn our brothers and the world as a whole to walk worthy of God’s grace. He could come at any time as quick as lightning striking from the east to the west. Be ready. Be watching!