THE WORK OF A WATCHMAN

“Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me. If I say to the wicked person, “You will surely die,” but you do not warn him—you don't speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life. Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to [your] warning, and you will have saved your life.’" (Ezekiel 3:17-21 HCSB)

There are a number of metaphors used to describe the role of the preacher. He is a shepherd, who leads and feeds the flock of God. He is an overseer who is responsible to guide and guard the servants of God in their labor. He is an elder who is mature in faith and has wisdom to share and a life to emulate as he fathers the family of God. He is a farmer who casts the seed, cultivates the soil, and conserves the harvest. The preacher is a builder who makes sure the church is built on a solid foundation of faith in Christ and is cemented together in love and built in such a way as to display the glory of God who indwells them.

There is a common thread that runs through each of these—the man of God has oversight of God’s people. He watches over the flock, the work, the family, the field, and the house of God.

He is a watchman on the wall.

That is the way God describes the work assigned to the prophet Ezekiel, and as such is instructive for those who preach the Word of God to the people of God today. Twice, God stresses His servant’s grave accountability to warn the people as he watches over their souls—here in chapter three and again in chapter thirty three of the book that bears the prophet’s name. While all of us have a work to do for the Lord, we are given different assignments. How can one know if he is designated for the ministry of the Word—gifted and set apart for this duty? Not all are, but some are—I am and you might be.

Let’s examine Ezekiel’s selection to this special service. While the specifics of his experience are not likely to be identical with ours, there are general principles that do apply to each preacher.

He is CALLED (1:1-2:4).

“In the thirtieth year, in the fourth [month], on the fifth [day] of the month, while I was among the exiles by the Chebar Canal, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth [day] of the month-it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile—the word of the Lord came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar Canal. And the Lord's hand was on him there.” (1:1-3)

The preacher has a divine calling. He knows what he must do and has no doubt that is his assignment. It is not of his choice, but God’s. Ezekiel did not decide on being a prophet as one of several vocational options. It was God’s call.

Ezekiel’s call was dramatic—a vision of God’s glory, an experience of celestial beings, an audible voice speaking to him. Those were things unique to Ezekiel’s call. But the main point and one that is consistent throughout the Scripture is that it is an unmistakable call, confirmed by God.

Moses had the experience of the burning bush. David had the duty of caring for sheep as a boy and Samuel anointed him to shepherd God’s flock. Isaiah saw the Lord and heard His commission while worshipping in the Temple. Jesus came to Peter, James and John and summoned them to follow Him. Paul was knocked to his feet by Christ, the Light of the World, and raised up to preach the light of the Word.

God still calls. It is not for me to say how God will speak to you, but He will! Sometimes it is a sudden summons, as one flips a light switch, and for others a gradual dawning of understanding as a sunrise. My call was more like the latter. Irrespective of the unique manifestations, there is the universal mandate—the call of God is clear—like the sounding of a trumpet.

His hand rested on Ezekiel and His hand will rest on you, if He has reached out for you to be a watchman. You have this awareness of an unseen hand that is placed on you—the call of God to preach the Word. It isn’t the supernatural signs that indicate the call, but the spiritual sense that is undeniable.

The call is CONFIRMED (2:5-6).

“Whether they listen or refuse [to listen]—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words, though briers and thorns are beside you and you live among scorpions. Don't be afraid of their words or be discouraged by [the look on] their faces, for they are a rebellious house.” (2:5-6)

Not only would Ezekiel know that he had been set apart as a watchman, but the people would know. His message and his manner would communicate his call and they would confirm it. They might not want to hear what he had to say, and refuse to accept it, but in their heart of hearts they would know he had been sent by God. When they looked on the wall, they saw a watchman. They recognized it was Ezekiel.

We note this confirmation by God’s people throughout the Sacred Volume. The nation of Israel welcomes Moses as their deliverer. The people of God submit to David as their King. The sons of the prophets affirmed that the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha, as the man of God. James and the other Apostles affirmed the Lord’s call to Paul. The church laid hands on men like Barnabas and Timothy, expressing their conviction of God’s selection for this ministry. This was the attestation of the people of God to the designation of the preacher by God.

I was not called by the church. But, when I announced my call, it was affirmed by them. Several came to me and said how they had seen God at work in me. They commended me to the ministry. They licensed me to preach and later I was ordained as a pastor, then installed by the vote of the congregation after being thoroughly examined as to my call. This confirmation has continued again and again as I have served the Lord through the years.

I have heard those who say they are called to preach, and after listening to them it was obvious they missed something somewhere! I have watched some who said they had this call, but their lifestyle denied it, and eventually moral failure or doctrinal error—sometimes both—manifested the sham.

The one called and confirmed has a work that is CONSUMING (2:7-3:3).

“’And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you: Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.’ So I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and there was a written scroll in it.” (2:8-9)

“He said to me: ‘Son of man, eat what you find [here]. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll.

‘Son of man,’ he said to me, ‘eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.’ So I ate [it], and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (3:1-2)

You cannot speak for God unless God has spoken to you. The watchman had a warning to share, and that word had been given to him by God. His authority would be divine, for the source of his message would originate in heaven. He is not like the boy who cried, “Wolf!” when there was none.

The preacher is a man who hungers for truth and feeds his own soul on the sweetness of Scripture. He consumes it as the sustenance of his spiritual vitality and is then consumed with sharing it as his Scriptural ministry. Unless you are constrained to get alone with God and meet Him in His Book, then you are not suited to go before men on His behalf. People don’t need your opinions—they need God’s Word.

Moses alone in the desert hears from God. David alone in the fields with his father’s sheep communes with God, preparing his life work and message. Isaiah is alone in the Temple when God appears to Him. John the Baptist is alone in the wilderness before his public ministry begins. Paul went away into the isolation of Arabia at the outset of his missionary work. We must hear from God in order to speak for God.

There are many demands on the pastor. There are several responsibilities assigned him. But, preeminent over all is prayer and the ministry of the Word. Not even good things must detract from the main thing (see Acts 6:1ff). If he is not responsible in His speaking, then he will never be succeeding. He cannot speak publicly, if he does not spend time with God privately.

Called, confirmed, consuming and the preacher is COMMIITTED (3:4-11).

“But the house of Israel will not want to listen to you because they do not want to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted. Look, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.

I have made your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Don't be afraid of them or discouraged by [the look on] their faces, even though they are a rebellious house.’ Next He said to me: ‘Son of man, listen carefully to all My words that I speak to you and take [them] to heart.

Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, “This is what the Lord God says,” whether they listen or refuse [to listen].’” (3:7-11)

The preacher must be courageous. His convictions must be solid and though he will be tempted to quit, he resists the urge to run and keeps sounding the alarm. He longs for the people to heed his voice. But, even if they do not, he knows that he will answer to God for staying at his post.

It was a hard-headed congregation that Ezekiel would serve. But, God assured him he would make his head harder than theirs! Every preacher must have a hard head of conviction and a soft heart of compassion. If he gets those reversed, he will be a washout rather than a watchman.

A soft-headed preacher who is squishy in his convictions, will soon compromise the truth. A hard-hearted preacher will drive the sheep and not lead them. He will hurt them and not heal them. His disposition will undermine His declaration. The preacher needs to remember that God is watching the watchman. He wants hard-headed, soft-hearted men.

Called, confirmed, consuming, committed and COMPELLED—that is the preacher of the Word (3:12-4:17)

“Now at the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.’” (3:16-17)

Ezekiel was compelled to speak. He was literally borne away by the Spirit (3:12-15) and bound up in his service (4:1-17). The man of God was carried, captivated—and thus, compelled.

Why would a man preach the Word? Because he cannot do anything else!

Now, don’t read that as a lack of capacity for other vocations. In fact, most are engaged in other lines of secular work—and rather successful in it—when they are called to spiritual service. Tending sheep and mending nets—God’s call doesn’t come to the lazy but comes to the laboring.

But, despite the ability to do other things, the man of God has been set on the wall, given an assignment by God—and is compelled under heaven’s authority to do his job. His call is clear. His call has been confirmed. He is consumed with it and committed to it. Roll all this together and it equals—compulsion.

Jeremiah and Ezekiel were contemporaries. Jeremiah’s congregation was the Jews in Jerusalem and Ezekiel’s was those in Babylon. Both men had difficult duty and were tempted to give up, but they did not, because they could not. There was a fire in their soul that could not be extinguished—a compelling force that had to be released. A preacher must preach! If you can’t do anything else, then do it! God has called you. This is the work of the watchman.

Without Christ, there is no salvation. Run to Him and be saved. Repent of your sins and receive Him as your Lord. Trust Him to make you a new person. Flee the wrath to come.

Oh, Christian! Are you living outside the will of God? Your Father will correct you. His discipline is done in love, but may be painful—for you and for others. Confess your sin. Call out for mercy. Commit your way to His direction.

The blood is off my hands. I pray it will be on your heart, and not on your head. I have sounded the warning, will you heed it?

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of everyone's blood…” (Acts 20:26)