10 September 2002

Text: Ezekiel 33

THE CONCEPT OF A WATCHMAN
Ezekiel 33:1-6

1. Appointment of a Watchman
"The people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman"
Ezekiel 33:2

2. Duties of the Watchman
a) Responsible watchman
"When he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people…"
Ezekiel 33:3

b) Irresponsible watchman
"But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity…"
Ezekiel 33:6

c) Accountability to God
"But his blood I will require at the watchman's hand…"
Ezekiel 33:6

3. Responses of the people
a) Those who will not respond
"Then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head."
Ezekiel 33:4

"He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning, his blood shall be upon himself."
Ezekiel 33:5

b) Those who will respond
"But he who takes warning will save his life."
Ezekiel 33:5b

EZEKIEL AS A WATCHMAN
"So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel"
Ezekiel 33:7a (Cf. Ezekiel 3:16)

1. The duty of the spiritual watchman
a) Receiving a word from the Lord
b) Preaching that word from Him
Ezekiel 33:7

2. The accountability of the watchman
a) "His blood I will require at your hand"
Ezekiel 33:8
b) "You have delivered your soul"
Ezekiel 33:9

EXCUSES FROM ISRAEL
"How can we live?"
Ezekiel 33:10

A STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER
A Call to Repentance
"Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, O house of Israel?"
Ezekiel 33:11

THE SUBJECT OF THE JUDGMENT OF GOD
1. The Righteous
Ezekiel 33:12-13
The righteous must continue to live righteously.
If he does wickedly, his past righteousness in the past cannot help him if he turned his face towards sin

2. The Wicked
Ezekiel 33:1416
The wicked will be judged and condemned if he does not repent.
If he does repent, his past would not be held against him!

THE CHALLENGE OF THE REBELLIOUS
"The way of the Lord is not fair"
Ezekiel 33:17, 20

GOD DEFENDS HIS STATEMENT CONCERNING JUDGMENT
"I will judge every one of you according to his own ways"
Ezekiel 33:20