Ezekiel 33:6-7

Ezekiel 33:6-7 (ESV): “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.”

Spiritual watchmen have an important responsibility. They are called to warn the world of the coming judgment. However, modern-day watchmen are not to focus solely on doctrinal errors and apostasy but, even more importantly, to proclaim the Gospel. The primary must always outweigh the secondary.

Ezekiel was appointed by God as a watchman. His duty was to alert the nation of Israel of the coming judgment. If he failed to deliver the warning, the people’s blood would be on his hands. But if he faithfully warned them, he was free from their guilt. In other words, Ezekiel was not responsible for their response—only for being faithful with the message.

Did you know that you, too, are called to be a watchman? Some take this to mean their sole duty is to expose false teachers and heretical doctrines. But when that becomes their focus, they often slip into a hypercritical spirit. We must maintain balance. Our primary message as watchmen is the Gospel. If I spend more time calling out people within the church than warning the lost of the coming judgment, I am out of balance. Both have their place, but the Gospel must remain our central message as watchmen.

Father, thank You for entrusting us with the message of the Gospel. Help us to share it with as many people as we can. May none of us have the blood of the lost, so to speak, on our hands. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.