EZEKIEL 3
2 Outlines
Ezekiel 3:15-21
PROPHET ON DUTY
Ezekiel was called by God to be a
"watchman". His job was to watch
and to speak the messages that God gave him.
HE WAS ACCESSIBLE. Vs. 15
He dwelt among the people. He "sat where they sat". He was there to be part of their lives, to
encourage, to warn, to shepherd. We can not help
people unless we dwell with them. Just as Jesus knows His sheep (John
HE WAS TO BE ACTIVE. Vss. 16-22
He was a "watchman", looking out for the well being of the people.
He was to warn the wicked and the righteous alike, as God
directed him.
HE WAS ACCOUNTABLE. Vss. 16-21
If Ezekiel warned those who needed warning, he was not
accountable. Vss. 18, 20
If he did not warn those who needed warning he was
accountable. Vss. 19, 21
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Ezekiel 3:17-21
THANK GOD FOR WATCHMEN!
When I was in the United
Sates Army, one job that I had occasionally was being on guard duty. I was a watchman for the army. The first guard duty I can remember was at
Our weapons were a club
each. What amused me were the
instructions we were given about the nearby branch bank. The instructions told us that if the alarm went
off at the bank we were to go over and take charge! I'm sure bank robbers would have been really
scared of two guys carrying clubs instead of guns! :)
Although guard duty
during basic training was probably only training, being a watchman or a guard is
usually a very important job. In the
Bible God gave prophets, apostles, evangelists and pastors the job of being His
"watchmen". Even to this day
God has appointed those who preach His Word as watchmen or guards. Because God loves us, he has given us these
watchmen, and we should be thankful for them!
The passage before us
today is a good description of the job of being one of God's watchmen.
RESPONSIBILITY AS A WATCHMAN - "Son of man, I have made thee a
watchman..."
I thinking about the various duties of watchmen and how they apply to
preachers of God's Word.
1. A watchman
protects.
Just as a watchman is
assigned to protect something or somebody, a preacher is assigned to protect
the saints from false teaching, discouragement and sin. He is also sent to the unsaved as a
protection against going to hell. Of course, a watchman can only warn. The
decision to obey is up to the person hearing the message.
2. A watchman patrols.
The watchman will move
about, being on the alert for trouble.
The Godly pastor will move through his congregation looking for those
things that need prayerful attention.
3. A watchman perceives.
A watchman is on the
alert. A good watchman can perceive
problems. A man of God can perceive
Spiritual difficulty.
4. A watchman proclaims.
He isn't silent when he
spots trouble. He takes action, warning
the violator and notifying those who can help stop the violation. The preacher proclaims words of warning to
those who have sinned against God. When
necessary, he warns others of the potential danger of listening to someone who
is sinning.
RECEPTION OF ORDERS -
"...therefore, hear the word of my mouth..."
A good watchman has
orders to follow. He is enforcing the
rules of another. Preachers must get
their message from God. They must get
their message by being in the Word of God.
Ezra 7:10, Jeremiah 15:16
REPORT TO THE PEOPLE -
"...and give them warning from me."
Just as the watchman
reports to those who are breaking the rules or who might break the rules, the
preacher is responsible to proclaim the rules to those who have or might
violate God's Word.
REWARDS FOR THE WATCHMEN
- Vss. 18-21
A good watchman is
rewarded with pay and compliments for doing his job.
A poor watchman is
rewarded with loss of pay because he'll lose his job. He might also be rewarded with punishment for
breaking laws himself.
The faithful preacher
will not be held accountable if he has faithfully warned the righteous and the
unrighteous. (Vss. 19, 21) He will also be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10
The unfaithful preacher
will be held accountable if he has not delivered God's message to the righteous
and the unrighteous. Vss. 18, 20