A Watchman is not Someone Who Repairs Watches
What is a Watchman
It may be worth saying, a "watchman" is not someone who repairs timepieces, but it is someone who knows how to invest his time for God's Kingdom. In the book of Ezekiel, we see that God has called and anointed a prophet and tells him he is a watchman for the house of Israel. We read in Ezekiel 3:17 (ESV), “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” Ezekiel was to be a spokesman for God to the people he was called to serve, primarily those from the southern kingdom of Judea. However, God wished to restore all tribes of Israel, so Ezekiel's message was relevant for those who had been scattered, as well as those who would later receive a just punishment in exile from God. God also told Ezekiel that even though he spoke, God’s chosen would not listen. Regardless of stubborn rebellion, Ezekiel was called to do the job God had anointed him to do.
In Ezekiel’s time, a watchman would have been a well-understood role; however, today, we might be confused by things that appear to be the same, but are different. We might think of a night watchman who is responsbile for security. They watch over a building at night with intent to protect it from vandalism. Often their role is to protect from intrusion or safeguard information. We might also consider a border-control officer whose primary responsibility is keeping illegal aliens outside and not allow entry. We might think of our military or police whose job it is to protect us or maintain order. This is not the watchman's role that God has assigned to Ezekiel. When we think of Paul Revere who rode on horseback warning, “the British are coming,” or we think of a tsunami warning system that gives people timely information that saves their lives, we are getting closer to Ezekiel’s job description.
Ezekiel was called to warn and teach. In reference to a watchman’s position within the Bible, we see a couple of examples. A watchman may have been given the role to watch over crops at harvest time. In this position, the watchman would be securing their food supply, a life-persevering measure to prevent theft or damage. Another type of watchman would have stood in an elevated position to oversee a city or fortress to warn the inhabitants of potential threats of enemy attack. However, in Ezekiel’s case, he was not warning of enemy attack. The enemy had already arrived and had stolen the hearts of the house of Israel. Wickedness had overtaken the house, they pursued pagan practices and had deliberately turned their backs on God. They weren't ignorant of God, they were obstinate. Ezekiel's message that always revealed his words were coming from God, warned that their time of rebellion was coming to an end. If they did not turn from their wicked ways, they would fall by sword, famine, or disease. Ezekiel hoped their response would be repentance; he hoped to restore a broken relationship. His message was often steeped with rebuke. This was not a popular message. It was not received warmly, and Ezekiel was not making a lot of friends.
We see Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah had all received similar calls as Ezekiel. They too, were called watchmen. It is not hard to understand that when one speaks of corrective action, the message is rarely well received. No one wants to hear rebuke, no one wants their flaws pointed out. A hardened-heart is not easily convinced to change. Like an obstinate child, Israel could not recognize the “good for you” message found within the words spoken; all they could hear was “you shouldn’t, you can’t, and don’t.” Inside each message Ezekiel spoke was God’s steadfast love and hope, but it was easy to miss because the Israelites were listening with dull ears. God did not want anyone to perish; He demonstrated an unfathomable amount of patience.
In both the third and the thirty-third chapter of Ezekiel, we see an almost identical job description for the work Ezekiel was called to do. He was appointed to warn others, but also received a warning himself. If Ezekiel failed to deliver the message God sent, the people would die for their sins, but Ezekiel would also be held accountable for their blood. If Ezekiel warned the people, and they refused to listen, they would still perish for their wickedness; however, Ezekiel would bear no burden for their sinful behavior. He was not accountable for their blood. Will it be like this for us too, at the "Great White Throne" of judgment. Will we find ourselves bearing the burden for those we failed to warn? This compels me to ponder, "What am I doing with my voice to warn?" Do I speak God's Words, or do I waste my words on frivolous things?
A Job Description
In the book of Isaiah, we see a couple of references to watchmen. In chapter 52 we see the introduction sounding something like an alarm clock, “Wakeup, Wakeup!” What is the house of Israel putting their focus on? We are told to think of Salvation, something of higher value than anything in this life. God calls the feet of those who share His message of redemption, beautiful. The call for watchmen is to bring hope to the hopeless. In chapter 62 we read that the house of Israel will no longer be called “Forsaken,” nor their land called “Desolate.” Instead the people will be called “My Delight” and the land will be called “Married,” as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. In this chapter, the watchman's assignment is to pray night and day. For how long? The Bible tells us "until God establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise throughout the earth.” Why are we called to pray? Isn't the outcome certain? We pray because God tells us to. Just like He told Ezekiel to warn. Again I ponder, 'How am I using my voice in prayer?'
Using social media as an example, I see people requesting prayer all the time. What seems to be pressing on our culture is a desire to have God restore our health, fix broken relationships, and bring us peace and comfort. God can answer any of those prayers if it is within His will to do so. But are we praying for Salvation? Are we praying for God's Kingdom to be restored? Are we praying for God's Will to be done? Or, are we praying that God will bless our food? keep us safe? resolve our conflicts? Or, are we even praying at all?
As I was reading from Isaiah 62, I paused when I had read, "You who put the Lord in Remembrance, take no rest, and give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise on earth.” (v. 6b-7). These were the instructions for the watchmen that God appointed. God tells Israel that he has set them in place to pray over them. They are praying for restoration. Could we join them in prayer? God has made clear that this is His Will on earth.
The illustration found in Amos 6:4-6 could have just as easily been written about the 21st century as in the time of exile. Does God intend this to be our wakeup call? “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” Okay so we drink wine in crystal wine glass, not bowls, and we anoint ourselves with essential oils. How much different are we than they? Have we lost our focus?
What does 'the ruin of Joseph' refer to? Joseph's son's Ephraim and Manasseh were given inheritance rights through their grandfather Jacob. Ephraim was the younger and he was blessed over the older (just like Jacob over Esau). These two sons were given the best of lands in Israel. Manasseh was given a double portion, but Ephraim received the blessing. Some think the 'ruin of Joseph' refers to the desolation of the best land, and some think it refers to a modern-day prophesy regarding America (Ephraim) and Great Britain (Manasseh) which is the result of tracing the migration of these two tribes into remote parts of the world. I found it interesting that Ephraim means fruitful; whereas, Manasseh means forgetful. Although one may draw different conclusions, I believe we see that God's desire has always been to restore relationships and this is what grieves Him the most.
Remember that watchmen were anointed positions, but we too can follow Jesus example who came to redeem and warn before judgment comes. If we are walking side-by-side in faith, we should have a heart that wants to restore the relationship of those who have fallen, pray for those who are lost, and always love one another. Ezekiel 33:13 (ESV) says, "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.” Let this be a warning to believers. If someone of faith falls, lift him up, help him to be restored to a righteous state. Let's not thinking we are too righteous. Let us humbly trust in God alone who restores humankind to Himself through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who can separate us from our sin ad makes us white as snow.
It may be worth saying, a "watchman" is not someone who repairs timepieces, but it is someone who knows how to invest his time for God's Kingdom. In the book of Ezekiel, we see that God has called and anointed a prophet and tells him he is a watchman for the house of Israel. We read in Ezekiel 3:17 (ESV), “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” Ezekiel was to be a spokesman for God to the people he was called to serve, primarily those from the southern kingdom of Judea. However, God wished to restore all tribes of Israel, so Ezekiel's message was relevant for those who had been scattered, as well as those who would later receive a just punishment in exile from God. God also told Ezekiel that even though he spoke, God’s chosen would not listen. Regardless of stubborn rebellion, Ezekiel was called to do the job God had anointed him to do.
In Ezekiel’s time, a watchman would have been a well-understood role; however, today, we might be confused by things that appear to be the same, but are different. We might think of a night watchman who is responsbile for security. They watch over a building at night with intent to protect it from vandalism. Often their role is to protect from intrusion or safeguard information. We might also consider a border-control officer whose primary responsibility is keeping illegal aliens outside and not allow entry. We might think of our military or police whose job it is to protect us or maintain order. This is not the watchman's role that God has assigned to Ezekiel. When we think of Paul Revere who rode on horseback warning, “the British are coming,” or we think of a tsunami warning system that gives people timely information that saves their lives, we are getting closer to Ezekiel’s job description.
Ezekiel was called to warn and teach. In reference to a watchman’s position within the Bible, we see a couple of examples. A watchman may have been given the role to watch over crops at harvest time. In this position, the watchman would be securing their food supply, a life-persevering measure to prevent theft or damage. Another type of watchman would have stood in an elevated position to oversee a city or fortress to warn the inhabitants of potential threats of enemy attack. However, in Ezekiel’s case, he was not warning of enemy attack. The enemy had already arrived and had stolen the hearts of the house of Israel. Wickedness had overtaken the house, they pursued pagan practices and had deliberately turned their backs on God. They weren't ignorant of God, they were obstinate. Ezekiel's message that always revealed his words were coming from God, warned that their time of rebellion was coming to an end. If they did not turn from their wicked ways, they would fall by sword, famine, or disease. Ezekiel hoped their response would be repentance; he hoped to restore a broken relationship. His message was often steeped with rebuke. This was not a popular message. It was not received warmly, and Ezekiel was not making a lot of friends.
Prophets are Watchmen
We see Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah had all received similar calls as Ezekiel. They too, were called watchmen. It is not hard to understand that when one speaks of corrective action, the message is rarely well received. No one wants to hear rebuke, no one wants their flaws pointed out. A hardened-heart is not easily convinced to change. Like an obstinate child, Israel could not recognize the “good for you” message found within the words spoken; all they could hear was “you shouldn’t, you can’t, and don’t.” Inside each message Ezekiel spoke was God’s steadfast love and hope, but it was easy to miss because the Israelites were listening with dull ears. God did not want anyone to perish; He demonstrated an unfathomable amount of patience.
In both the third and the thirty-third chapter of Ezekiel, we see an almost identical job description for the work Ezekiel was called to do. He was appointed to warn others, but also received a warning himself. If Ezekiel failed to deliver the message God sent, the people would die for their sins, but Ezekiel would also be held accountable for their blood. If Ezekiel warned the people, and they refused to listen, they would still perish for their wickedness; however, Ezekiel would bear no burden for their sinful behavior. He was not accountable for their blood. Will it be like this for us too, at the "Great White Throne" of judgment. Will we find ourselves bearing the burden for those we failed to warn? This compels me to ponder, "What am I doing with my voice to warn?" Do I speak God's Words, or do I waste my words on frivolous things?
A Job Description
In the book of Isaiah, we see a couple of references to watchmen. In chapter 52 we see the introduction sounding something like an alarm clock, “Wakeup, Wakeup!” What is the house of Israel putting their focus on? We are told to think of Salvation, something of higher value than anything in this life. God calls the feet of those who share His message of redemption, beautiful. The call for watchmen is to bring hope to the hopeless. In chapter 62 we read that the house of Israel will no longer be called “Forsaken,” nor their land called “Desolate.” Instead the people will be called “My Delight” and the land will be called “Married,” as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. In this chapter, the watchman's assignment is to pray night and day. For how long? The Bible tells us "until God establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise throughout the earth.” Why are we called to pray? Isn't the outcome certain? We pray because God tells us to. Just like He told Ezekiel to warn. Again I ponder, 'How am I using my voice in prayer?'
Using social media as an example, I see people requesting prayer all the time. What seems to be pressing on our culture is a desire to have God restore our health, fix broken relationships, and bring us peace and comfort. God can answer any of those prayers if it is within His will to do so. But are we praying for Salvation? Are we praying for God's Kingdom to be restored? Are we praying for God's Will to be done? Or, are we praying that God will bless our food? keep us safe? resolve our conflicts? Or, are we even praying at all?
As I was reading from Isaiah 62, I paused when I had read, "You who put the Lord in Remembrance, take no rest, and give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise on earth.” (v. 6b-7). These were the instructions for the watchmen that God appointed. God tells Israel that he has set them in place to pray over them. They are praying for restoration. Could we join them in prayer? God has made clear that this is His Will on earth.
A Life of Ease
The prophet Amos also called a watchman. The sixth chapter of Amos begins with "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria." He is speaking to the whole Israelite nation, although they are divided at this time. He tells them not be lax in their understanding. He tells them to take a look around at other nations and see if they are better off than the nations they are choosing to follow which they have chosen over God. Then God warns them not to put away thoughts of what is to come. In Amos 6:3 we read, “O you who put away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence.” If we were honest, we too focus in on what we want in this life. We focus on personal pursuits rather than seeing things through the eyes of God. We are not focused on eternity, nor are we focusing on the pending doom for many.The illustration found in Amos 6:4-6 could have just as easily been written about the 21st century as in the time of exile. Does God intend this to be our wakeup call? “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” Okay so we drink wine in crystal wine glass, not bowls, and we anoint ourselves with essential oils. How much different are we than they? Have we lost our focus?
What does 'the ruin of Joseph' refer to? Joseph's son's Ephraim and Manasseh were given inheritance rights through their grandfather Jacob. Ephraim was the younger and he was blessed over the older (just like Jacob over Esau). These two sons were given the best of lands in Israel. Manasseh was given a double portion, but Ephraim received the blessing. Some think the 'ruin of Joseph' refers to the desolation of the best land, and some think it refers to a modern-day prophesy regarding America (Ephraim) and Great Britain (Manasseh) which is the result of tracing the migration of these two tribes into remote parts of the world. I found it interesting that Ephraim means fruitful; whereas, Manasseh means forgetful. Although one may draw different conclusions, I believe we see that God's desire has always been to restore relationships and this is what grieves Him the most.
Remember that watchmen were anointed positions, but we too can follow Jesus example who came to redeem and warn before judgment comes. If we are walking side-by-side in faith, we should have a heart that wants to restore the relationship of those who have fallen, pray for those who are lost, and always love one another. Ezekiel 33:13 (ESV) says, "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.” Let this be a warning to believers. If someone of faith falls, lift him up, help him to be restored to a righteous state. Let's not thinking we are too righteous. Let us humbly trust in God alone who restores humankind to Himself through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who can separate us from our sin ad makes us white as snow.
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