Ezekiel 3:18, commentary and pictures

God appoints His servant a watchman to hear the word at His mouth and warn the wicked that he shall surely die unless he turns from his wicked way, that his life may be saved. If the warning is not given, the wicked shall still die in his iniquity, but his blood God will require at the watchman's hand as guilt for souls lost through unfaithfulness. If the watchman faithfully declares the warning, he has delivered himself and is clear before God even if the wicked does not turn, for the choice and its consequence then rest with the hearer. The warning must be plain, pointed, and full, reproving sin and telling the sinner his danger, yet given with the meekness and love of Christ, with vigilant trumpet sound, and never withheld from fear of opposition or suffering. This trust rests not on ministers alone but on every believer, parent, teacher, and church, for all who know the truth are their brother's keeper and must warn neighbors, the erring, and the young lest bloodguilt come upon them through indifference, ease, or worldliness.

Watchman Appointed to Hear

God sets His servant as a watchman over the house of Israel to hear the word at His mouth and to give warning from Him. The watchman is to lift the voice when danger is present, so the people know when peril threatens them and are not left in darkness. This charge admits no excuse and calls for dependence wholly on God, with success and glory left to God rather than to human leaders.

The watchman is also a shepherd to the flock, set to see evil coming, to discern danger to the sheep, and to watch lest they be harmed and destroyed by wolves, torn and scattered, stray from the true pasture, or be led into fanaticism. To witness the flock torn and scattered, confused and destroyed, and to give no warning and discern not the evil, is unfaithfulness to that trust. No excuse stands for suffering the flock to stray and be devoured, and to plead that the weak, erring sheep led the shepherd astray, or to wait for evil to develop, or to take offense at decided testimony, only proves unfitness to guide and shield the flock and destroys confidence in him as one to care for the sheep and bring them back to the right path.

When God pronounces upon the wicked that he shall surely die, the watchman must give him warning and speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life and turn him from his evil course. That duty is plain and requires faithful reproof of sins and wrongs among God's people even when the task is disagreeable and may not be received by the one at fault. Silence leaves the messenger answerable for lives lost, while giving the warning is obedience intended to save them.

If the watchman gives him not warning, the same wicked man shall still die in his iniquity, but his blood God will require at the watchman's hand. The neglected warning is charged to the one who withheld it, whether minister or any person entrusted with truth, for the warning is a sacred trust to be communicated to others, including by personal effort to draw people, especially the young, to Christ, and by bringing the light of truth to those who have not heard it. That responsibility must not be left silent even when proclaiming it brings trials or opposition, and neglect through failure to speak when opportunity is given still leaves guilt.

If the watchman faithfully declares the warning, he has delivered himself and is clear before God even if the wicked does not turn from wickedness. The responsibility for acting then rests with the hearer, whose choice and its consequences are not charged to the messenger. So one who sees a brother sin against the commandments must tell him of his sin and rebuke and reprove him to turn him, and if he is warned and will not forsake his sin, the one who warned is clear, but if the sin is seen and nothing is said and the sinner is passed by and taken away in iniquity, the silent one must give account for souls lost through silence and will lose his own soul.

Faithful Manner of Warning

The warning must be plain, pointed, full, and open, declaring the whole counsel of God without softening to spare feelings or to avoid opposition, hatred, derision, grief, or trials. No phase of the message for this time may be covered up, blanketed, or hidden from souls ready to perish, for to hide truth in any way dishonors God and leaves the blood of the lost upon the garments of those who fail to warn. Softening or diminishing God's plain, cutting reproof is unfaithfulness, danger, and sin, and one who obstructs the warning takes the wrongdoer's guilt upon his own soul, since sympathy that excuses evil only helps him remain in sin instead of turning from it. Even when giving reproof is dreaded and painful, iniquity and disobedience to God's requirements must be protested against, and withholding reproof to spare feeling leaves the one who saw the danger chargeable with the sinner's sin. Sensational religion that merely moves feelings while leaving the heart unchanged is no substitute, nor is crying peace where there is no peace.

Faithful warning reproves sin and wrong, tells the brother his danger, tells him the wages of sin is death, and never says it shall be well with the sinner. The watchman must not suffer his brother to continue in sin unwarned, but must tell him his works are known by the Searcher of hearts, urge him to face the mirror, humble his heart before God, be jealous of himself, see the sinfulness of his thoughts and the offensive character of his works before God, and put away acknowledged errors. Ignoring wrongs among God's people effectively supports and excuses the sinner, shields the wrongdoer, and makes the silent one guilty as well and under God's displeasure. God designed such reprovers to keep His people from becoming careless and corrupt, and praising and flattering unfaithful, unconsecrated people is participation in their sin of neglect and unfaithfulness. Leaving that work undone shows one's own soul is not right before God, and strict self-discipline is required in order to help discipline others.

The warning must be given with the spirit and meekness of Christ, in love from a sanctified heart, with words flowing from the Spirit of Christ dwelling within and borne out by both words and life. Sabbath-keepers testify to neighbors through words, actions, and faithful Sabbath observance, showing love and honor for the Creator, and all who claim to believe must represent Him through good works and take part in saving souls. An erring brother must be warned with kindness and love and not treated as an enemy, because when a man does wrong it is often from spiritual blindness, deception, and delusion, and because Christ has bought him at great cost those who accept His sacrifice are pledged to special care for him. Conduct must be guarded so as not to disgust unbelievers and place an obstacle to their accepting truth, for turning them away by such conduct leaves their blood on the one who caused it. Cruel words and actions that drive a person away leave his blood upon the doer unless undone, and skirts are made clean only by making things as straight as possible by undoing what was said and done against him.

Watchmen must be wide awake at their post day and night, watching with eagle eye for the approach of danger and giving the trumpet a certain sound so the people may shun evil and choose good. Sleeping under stupor, careless indifference, and stupidity cannot be excused, for on every side are breakers and hidden rocks that will leave souls helpless wrecks unless God is made refuge and help, and every soul must distrust self, keep the way of the Lord, and work away from self. Vigilance must constantly increase as the close of time nears, with dangers seen, discovered, and warned against, and those entrusted with warning are accountable to speak when opportunity comes to bring the light of truth to those who have not heard it. Labor must go beyond the pulpit to personal effort, not relying only on preaching to crowds or to large congregations, but watching over individual souls, visiting homes and cottages, becoming acquainted with people, and reading to them from the Bible with kind interest. Neglecting these opportunities brings guilt, for at the judgment the unwarned will rise up charging that they were never told and never warned.

The warning must not be withheld from fear of distress, opposition, or trials, and no soul is to be left unwarned whatever its end may be. Even those most bound in ensnarement, who are most confident and boastful and who protest that they are not ensnared, must have the truth told to them. Neglect through failure to care for health, so that time and usefulness are lost, still leaves sinners unwarned who might otherwise have been warned. Leaving a field of labor when people still need the truth leaves souls without needed warning and raises the question of responsibility for their choices, and failure to remain at the work until done, using every means, incurs the guilt figured as blood on garments. Continuing in contentions and little differences while remaining miserable representatives of truth leaves the blood of souls upon professed believers until they cease watching for one another's faults, humble themselves with broken hearts and contrite spirits, redeem the past, elevate the standard, and show sweet union in life.

Blood Required for Silence

To have blood on the garments or required at the hand is to bear guilt for souls lost through unfaithfulness and to be held to render an account in the judgment for the good that could have been done but was left undone through selfishness, indolence, shame of the cross, and separation from God by neglect of duty in the home and among neighbors. Those who die unwarned and unsaved will confront in the judgment those who might have saved them, charging them with never telling of danger, never entreating to come to Jesus, never laboring with prayers and tears and warnings to make them sensible of their lost condition, never pointing friends and neighbors to the way of salvation and to preparation to meet God in peace before it is everlastingly too late, and asking why they were left among the unsaved. A person in a saved state feels the perilous condition of the unsaved whose probation will soon close, will not rest day nor night without arousing them and pointing them to Christ as the only One who can save, and will follow every judgment-bound soul, including those connected in worldly business and those living close beside, with warning; to associate with unbelievers yet remain pleasing and silent while professing to serve Christ proves servanthood to Satan.

No excuse stands for the watchman and shepherd who suffers the flock to stray and be devoured, to be torn and scattered by wolves and by fanaticism, confused and destroyed, or led out of the true pasture. To plead that the weak, erring sheep led the shepherd astray only proves unfaithfulness and unfitness to guide and shield the flock, destroys confidence in him as a faithful shepherd to bring them back to the right path, and leaves the sin and injury to the cause resting heavier upon the silent shepherd than upon the erring sheep themselves. Waiting for evil to develop, taking offense at decided plain testimony, opposing organization and God's servants, and holding an indefinite noncommittal position that creates distrust and uncertainty and injures souls temporally and spiritually until faith becomes disgusting to unbelievers, bring blood-guilt that God holds the watchman personally responsible for and will not allow him to throw upon others. That guilt remains until there is humble confession in every place the influence was exerted, thorough restitution, entire reform and conversion, and overcoming of jealousy and envy, and until then the church cannot depend on him and God will not trust His flock to his care.

Unfaithfulness imperils the watchman's own soul and can lead to the second death unless he repents and learns to warn and help others, for neglect makes him accountable for souls who might have been saved through faithful service and for talents left unused. Softening plain, cutting reproof to spare feelings or to avoid grieving, hatred, derision, and opposition, and withholding or making mild the messages God gives to warn of the coming hour of wrath, is unfaithfulness, danger, and sin that leaves garments stained with blood that eats holes in them. The one who so withholds must face Jesus with terror and agony under His dreadful frown and turned face, sharing the despair and horror of a lost and despairing company, while he who fears God more than man and faithfully declares all that is revealed to the end, though he must suffer much, is clear of bloodguilt, gains God's approbation, and by sufficient grace will eat of the tree of life and drink of the river of the water of life. Ministers who fail to tell of that hour, who teach that all the world is to be converted and cry peace to quiet every fear, and who call those who do warn fanatics and evil men, leave souls unwarned for the plagues, when the wicked will turn on them with bitter hate for not warning them, and God will not spare the unfaithful watchmen but make their suffering tenfold greater than their people's.

The blood of perishing souls will be on the garments of those who make high profession yet remain indifferent, at ease, and feeling irresponsible for souls perishing around them for want of light and knowledge, who never warn them, never pray with or for them, and never make earnest efforts to present the truth to them. Through unbelief, worldliness, indolence, and selfish pleasing of self when ability and long-known truth called for thorough consecration and labor in the vineyard where fields are open everywhere, parents and churches and believers who let those close to them die in sin without warning must work for salvation while God works with their efforts, and if they neglect they will render a fearful account in the day of final rewards and punishments and in the day of God. Ministers who teach important truths but live in ways that deny them fail to give effective warning, for worldly conduct and spiritual sleep while souls are in peril soothes the impenitent conscience, leaves hearers unconvicted, and brings contempt on the ministry. The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not obey His commands in word and deed, and in the shaking time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken, if no effort is made to win souls to Christ, guilt is incurred for work that might have been done but was left undone through spiritual indolence, so that those of the Lord's kingdom must work earnestly to bind up the law and seal it among the disciples.

A watchman is responsible for warning the wicked and directing them away from sin so they may live, and those who quiet people seeking salvation by falsely interpreting God's word fail to give that warning so that the people may die in sin but their blood is required at the watchman's hand. Religious teachers who step between awakened people asking what they must do to be saved and the truth, who preach smooth things to lead them away, who unite in crying Peace, peace when God has not spoken peace and there is no peace, and who oppose the preaching of His near coming, are unfaithful watchmen doing the work of the great deceiver, and like the Pharisees who would not enter the kingdom themselves and hindered those entering, the blood of the souls they mislead, hinder, and leave unaroused in carnal security and contented distance from God will be required at their hand. The same accountability rests on those professing God's service while doing the enemy's work, becoming girded with infidelity until crooked paths seem straight, living in continual violation of truth with corrupt principles interwoven into life-practice, sowing evil, causing questioning and doubt instead of leading to Christ, unsettling minds by speculative theories, pantheism, human science and philosophy apart from the Word, and forging fetters of doubt, unbelief, fault-finding, and accusing over which souls stumble to perdition. Those entrusted with solemn testing truth must therefore not exalt human wisdom nor depend on finite, changeable, erring men, but cultivate living faith, trust God's power, unmask Satan's net of false theories and religions spread to catch the unwary, do the Word, be lights, show reverence, work under His administration, and manifest Him by humble circumspect walk, love, forbearance, long-suffering, and gentleness, lest defects of character repulse souls and turn them from truth so that the lost die in sin with their blood upon his garments.

All Entrusted to Warn

Ministers are watchmen upon the walls of Zion answerable for souls, whose accountability for warning the world of coming judgment to save life is as much greater than common temporal trusts as eternal things outweigh temporal things. As spiritual physicians for souls diseased with sin they must feel the worth of souls, take the burden on the soul, stay awake to the work, weep over and plead with backsliders and sinners, and labor carefully and earnestly in private as well as in public to impress minds and watch character development. They must fearlessly declare the whole counsel of God for instruction, warning and correction on every point of faith and duty, showing what people must be and do to stand perfect, never withholding painful truth from fear of giving offense or from desire for friendship, applause and sparing feelings, but giving faithful reproof and instruction applicable to each case of cherished sin. Yielding to inclination rather than duty, indulging self at expense of spiritual strength, moving indiscreetly, being fitful, impulsive, unconsecrated, impatient and irritable, building up then tearing down, disheartening converts, losing confidence and marring the work leaves many past cure to die in sins and brings bloodguilt, so that lost souls rise in judgment to condemn the unfaithful and the full result is known only as God sees. Neglect to improve opportunities is doing the work negligently, imperiling truth and souls and requiring entire change before being entrusted, while only the teacher who warns fully is pure and free from the blood of all men.

Every believer is his brother's keeper and a personal watchman whom the world claims as light to warn the wicked from his wicked way, impart knowledge of Christ's love, and lead souls to piety and devotion. Those who know truth and the Bible must place themselves decidedly on the Lord's side, come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty, work with industry, watch for opportunities to do good, and trust prayer for capability and the Holy Spirit, for iniquity must not separate anyone from Christ and this saving work given by Christ. Turning away from those needing light, passing by without effort, failing to speak and act one's part, or leaving the church unawakened and not standing at post leaves the blood of the lost charged in judgment when they rise to accuse, with the negligent seen as spiritually dead, having a name to live while misleading by empty profession and depriving those in darkness of light. Such success and glory belong to God rather than human leaders, yet human agents must faithfully do their appointed duty as instruments holding and proclaiming truth in dependence wholly on God.

Parents stand in God's place to children committed to their trust to train for heaven, and must faithfully warn, restrain, correct and turn them from the evil way, subduing evil tempers, passion, disobedience, pride and impurity. From false sympathy, blind love, over-tenderness and lax government they must not excuse faults and pass them by without correction, but must learn the claims of chastity and the destructiveness of filthy and solitary vice and teach and guard their children against those dangers. Children lost through such neglect are cut down by the destroying angel, for God cannot cover iniquity even in children nor save the unruly in trouble, and their blood rests upon unfaithful parents whose own salvation becomes doubtful and whose curse and unfaithfulness they must meet when judgment sits. Many lost children will then rise to condemn parents and charge their destruction upon them, daily actions forming a record tested in judgment, though ignorance may apologize where parents never learned the lessons nor knew what might have saved their children ruined through uninstructed indulgence. Each can deliver only his own soul, so all must look well lest bloodguilt be on garments, with special pity, compassion and pleading to spare a little longer lest one's own children be cast down and lost before one's eyes.

Influence over associates is powerful for good or evil, and those who know truth must speak to restrain others from wrong and point them to life, especially youth endangered by evil companionship, cheap conversation, smoking and liquor-drinking, lest precious blood be found on garments in judgment. The teacher's highest trust as Christ's co-worker is to win pupils by tender solicitude, gaining confidence to lead, control and train, bringing holy motives into their lives through piety, purity, painstaking effort, glowing love, pure affection, fervent prayer and faithful warning, and must keep working in faith even when patient discipline and prayer fail for a time with unprincipled characters, trusting God to save others through him. A guardian entrusted with a child is not clear unless doing duty in his own house, keeping close watch, inquiring the cause when she grows less susceptible to truth, losing hope, faith and confidence and becoming prejudiced, hateful and opposed, and if the influence withers, blasts and desolates good he must remove her to right influence, since fatherly affection, mutual love and comfort are insufficient reason to keep her to go away unconverted. Physicians likewise must prepare patients for eternity as God guides, giving warning intelligently, sometimes pointing to Christ as personal Saviour as circumstances allow, and letting God prepare minds, while timely patient compassionate help can save the newly converted to useful service and obstruction of restoration risks guilt for spiritual loss.

Labor for souls is labor for time and eternity with angels commissioned to cooperate, requiring more earnest efforts to establish truth in various localities, widen operations with zeal, faith and prayer rather than decline, and give the truth for this time to perishing souls without covering any phase. Those who know people perish for lack of light and of coming judgment must make earnest efforts to present all points of truth and duty, enlighten, warn and urge to repentance, bring city dwellers the truth lest they die unhearing, and hide nothing in any way, for to do so dishonors God and leaves the negligent spiritless, inactive and answerable for loss. God requires the blood of the unwarned at the watchman's hands and at the church's hands, and dissension, confusion, worldly policy, perplexing precept or example of Christian life, and failure to arouse generally, to confess and put away defiling sin, and to heed peace in the day of atonement leave the church unclean and charged with souls going daily to the grave.

All who profess godliness and consecrated youth must feel the danger of those out of Christ whose probation will soon close and do all they can even at sacrifice of pleasure and natural desires. To pass day after day and week after week indifferent to young hearts never touched by grace, neglecting happy acquaintance and attention to spiritual needs, is sin in Heaven's sight, and ministers as watchmen are accountable for the youth of their congregations. Failing through selfishness, indolence or shame of the cross, when influence might have saved souls had they stood in God's counsel, not only loses their own souls but leaves the blood of poor sinners upon garments, requiring an account for good they could have done had they been consecrated but did not do through unfaithfulness.

Warning in Daily Relationships

The duty belongs in ordinary life, to neighbors, to homes, and to those met in daily business and common relationships. Those who know a sinner is in danger must warn and urge that person to turn from sin and be saved, telling what they believe, helping others understand truth and righteousness, and pointing friends and neighbors to the way of salvation. Genuine conversion bears fruit in such effort, following every judgment-bound soul with prayers and tears and warnings, reading truth with kind interest, entreating sinners to come to Jesus and to prepare to meet God in peace before it is everlastingly too late. Neglect leaves the unwarned to die in wrongdoing, separates the unfaithful from God, and leaves no excuse, for the Master will demand what was done to save souls living close beside and those connected in worldly business, and why they are among the unsaved. In the judgment the lost will confront the silent with the terrible question why they were never told, never entreated, never labored for, and neglect will be charged as accountability to God.

Orphans, widows, and other neglected ones are God's property bought at a price, as valuable to Him as anyone else and precious to Him. Christians must give them special attention, provide homes and care, and count such use of means a duty, because their lives and souls are entrusted to those who know them. Failing to warn and help those whose lives are endangered makes their souls required at the negligent hand. Their loss matters more to God than wealth or buildings, and those who control or mistreat others and lead them away from Him must answer for souls harmed by their conduct.

An erring, hurting, or deceived brother must be told his sin, rebuked, and warned with solemn appeal and love rather than treated as an enemy or passed by uncared for. Those charged with watching over souls must not allow anyone to remain confused or perish without warning, but must correct those deceived about their condition lest they die in sins without having been warned. Weakening the discouraged, undermining faith by suspicion and criticism, withholding loving support, or speaking against brethren bears responsibility for souls lost through such conduct, while prayer and brotherly care can help save them from death. Causing a young convert to stumble and make shipwreck of faith by works, words, and deportment, through neglect, indifference, unfaithfulness in sacred work, and a worldly example that shows allegiance to the world, leaves his blood in the skirts and required at the hands of those who influenced him. So also one who spreads unbelief and leaves even his own wife without a firm grasp of truth bears guilt before God if she is lost, and her blood is found on his garments.

Those placed in positions of trust with influence over minds must take heed not to become agents through whom the enemy works to the detriment of souls. They must not lead others to lean upon and give homage to human beings instead of God, for if through such leading the weak brother perishes, the blood of his soul will be required at their hand. The warning must come from a living connection with God and spiritual understanding, not merely the ability to speak well, and those more desirous to teach than to learn, who never come to knowledge of the truth, bear in their garments the blood of souls. As murmurers and accusers of the brethren they stand directly before the wheels of the car of truth and salvation instead of pushing it on, opening a door for temptation and for the enemy to come in and control them, and God will reward all such according to their works. Withholding means to send printed truth incurs the same charge, for stewards to whom God has lent money who let it lie idle while the printed message hungry souls need is stopped for want of funds are guilty of the death of those sheep, and their blood is upon their garments. The messenger ready to write and speed the message where servants cannot go is free from that blood, but those who know the warning received over time and fail to share it with people turning toward destruction and living in sin have their blood upon their hands.

Coarse, unkind, unsympathetic, unchristlike disposition that thrusts away and scatters souls and drives them onto Satan's battleground to be tempted and fall leaves the blood of souls upon garments, to be called to account when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened. No one who does not daily take himself in hand and through grace set his heart in order is to be trusted with high responsibilities, for one who lets the heart harden and natural disposition conquer becomes sapless and bears only wild fruit, refuses divine guidance, and will too late mourn lost blessings, opportunities and privileges gone forever. Cruel words and actions done to drive a person away leave his blood upon the doer unless taken back, and skirts are made clean only by making things as straight as possible by undoing what was said and done against him. The same guilt rests on harmful church influence that pulls others down to unjustly condemn those serving God, on persistent sin hidden under a show of innocence that attacks those sent to reprove and leads others to reject God's messengers and lose confidence in those carrying out His will, and on suggestions, insinuations and influence that corrupt faith and nearly destroy the deceived adviser.

In the last days faithful sentinels on the watch tower must warn of dangers and perils thickening about the remnant, of great scenes soon to open, of the Lord coming with power and great glory, and of Satan making most decided efforts to gain control of the world and accomplish the destruction of its inhabitants because he knows his usurped authority will soon be forever at an end and his last opportunity is now before him. God in mercy gives many warnings to point out dangers and the exalted position He would have His people occupy, and if they keep themselves in His love and separate from the world He causes special blessings to rest upon them and light to shine round about them, so their influence for good is felt in every branch of the work and in every part of the gospel field. If they fail to meet His mind and continue with little sense of the exalted character of the work, their influence and example prove a terrible curse doing harm and only harm, and the blood of precious souls is found upon their garments. Faithfulness means not betraying sacred, holy trusts by giving utterance to opinions shaped by Satan's specious reasonings, for every soul not fully surrendered to God and kept by divine power will form an alliance with Satan against heaven. Each worker must therefore take his own case before the Lord, examine self instead of the fancied shortcomings of a brother, realize personal weakness and defects of character, guard house and family, turn attention from jealously watching fellow workers and restricting their liberty, and remain constantly on guard because Satan watches to take him unawares.