Ezekiel 33:2, commentary and pictures

When God brings the sword of judgment upon a land, the people of that land take a man from among themselves from their borders and set him as their watchman to see danger coming and warn them so they can prepare. The watchman is accountable if he fails to warn, but is clear if he warns and the people refuse to heed, while each hearer is personally responsible for whether he heeds the warning, since no one can obey for another. A faithful watchman keeps unceasingly vigilant watch, discerns the foe and the danger before the people, distinguishes truth from error and righteousness from unrighteousness, and gives an immediate, clear, loud, certain trumpet sound showing the people their transgressions. An unfaithful, sleepy, ease-loving sentinel stays quiet while all seems well, demands smooth messages and cries of peace, neglects the Scriptures and entertains error, and bears the blood of perishing souls upon his head, yet those who let themselves be deceived are still not excused for trusting him instead of searching the Word for themselves. The instruction is present truth for those living in the last days, with ministers who preach the Word set as watchmen like guards on a city wall whose faithfulness affects the safety and salvation of souls, charged to warn of coming judgment and prepare the way for Christ's second coming.

Sword and Appointed Watchman

God addresses the prophet with instruction to speak to the children of Israel that when He brings the sword of judgment upon a land, the people of that land take a man from among themselves from their borders and coasts and set him as their watchman to see danger coming and warn them. The watchman is appointed by the people to guard the land when danger pictured as a sword coming upon the land threatens them. When danger threatens a land its people are to appoint a watchman to warn them, and this charge grounds the duty of watching for souls and warning and reproving people, since those responsible must give an account.

The watchman's duty is to stay alert, understand God's word, recognize the coming danger and enemy, and faithfully warn the people so they can prepare. He is as one set to watch and warn when danger comes upon a land, responsible to understand and faithfully explain God's word and to warn people of danger. Like guards on a city wall, those bearing this responsibility must remain spiritually alert, hear God's word, discern the enemy, and sound the warning when danger comes, because souls depend on their faithfulness.

The following verses establish accountability: the watchman is accountable if he fails to warn, but is clear if he warns and the people refuse to heed, while those who hear the warning are responsible for whether they heed it. If he fails to warn the wicked they perish through his lack, yet if he warns them and they refuse to turn he has fulfilled his duty. Under God's government each person is personally responsible and no one can obey for a neighbor, so another person's neglect does not excuse neglecting one's own duty.

Faithful and Unfaithful Warning

A faithful watchman keeps an active, unceasingly vigilant watch, staying alert to everything that threatens the spiritual life, health, and prosperity of the people entrusted to him. He hears God's word, sees dangers before the people do, distinguishes truth from error and righteousness from unrighteousness, and discerns the wily foe as he enters to deceive the inexperienced and unsuspecting and to tear down what God commanded to be built up. With spiritual sight given by God he sees as Christ saw and works as Christ worked.

Faithful warning means giving an immediate, clear, loud, certain trumpet sound when the sword is seen coming upon the land. It shows the people their transgressions, reproves sin, protests and counters harmful movements, prays for God's Spirit to oppose them, and speaks and acts to prevent the enemy from taking possession. Those charged with watching for souls must give such warning because they must give account.

An unfaithful sentinel gives up the watch to recline at ease and remains inactive and quiet while all seems to be going well, as though the danger did not concern him. He is a sleepy, ease-loving watchman who is disturbed by true reproof and warning, calls it uncalled for and too severe and harsh, claims in heart that the bearers of it take too much upon themselves since all the congregation are holy, and demands smooth messages and cries of peace, peace, so that everything will move on smoothly in comfort and happiness. He reassures the people that all the world will be converted, neglects to search the Scriptures, entertains error, preaches false doctrine, stands in the way of obedience by warning the people against doing what God told them to do and hindering them from receiving the Word, and so does the enemy's work while professing to be on the Lord's side.

A watchman who fails to warn bears strict account proportionate to the influence of his words and example in leading souls into transgression, and the blood of those who perish through his unfaithfulness is upon his head. His ruin and condemnation answer to that influence, he suffers even greater punishment, and when plagues come the deceived people blame him for failing to warn them. Leaders who remain easy or careless instead of discerning and correcting wrongdoing, rebuking sin, watching over the community, and preventing harmful influences from taking root remain accountable to God for neglecting that solemn duty.

Those who let themselves be deceived are still not excused for neglecting to search the Word for themselves and committing their souls to an unfaithful minister. The minister cannot pay ransom for them, for Christ gave His life to save them and to give them another trial to return to loyalty, and those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin. The warning to be given concerns coming judgment and the great day of God for which people must prepare, and a minister applies it by sounding the trumpet clearly, keeping the third angel's message central and not allowing side issues to hinder its converting work.

Watchmen in Present Work

The instruction in Ezekiel 33 and 34 is present truth for those living in the last days, not a pleasing fable, and must be read and studied with the utmost stretch of understanding to grasp its present meaning and obeyed by making straight paths for the feet so the lame may be turned out of the way. Ezekiel 33:1-16 is for the Holy Spirit to apply to the individual case, calling each person to let the Holy Spirit come into the heart and abide there, to have Satan expelled from the soul temple, and to open the door of the heart to Jesus so as to enjoy the richest blessing.

Ministers who preach the Word are watchmen set over the people, like guards on a city wall, whose faithfulness affects the safety and salvation of souls entrusted to them. They must prayerfully search the Scriptures, preach only a plain declaration of the Lord, help church members obey the Word, stay spiritually alert to hear God's word, understand and faithfully explain it, discern and correct wrongdoing, rebuke sin, watch over the community, and prevent harmful influences from taking root. Those responsible must give a strict account, for if they fail to warn the wicked they bear responsibility and the blood of souls who perish through their unfaithfulness will be upon their head, but if they warn and the people refuse to turn the watchman has fulfilled his duty. One who neglects to search, entertains error, preaches false doctrine, stands in the way of obedience, warns the people against doing what God told them to do, and hinders them from receiving the Word is doing the enemy's work while professing to be on the Lord's side, with ruin and condemnation proportionate to the influence his words and example had in leading souls into transgression. Those who let themselves be deceived are still not excused for neglecting to search the Word for themselves and committing their souls to an unfaithful minister, for the minister cannot pay ransom for them, since Christ gave His life to save them and give them another trial to return to loyalty, and those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin.

Those who have a knowledge of the Scriptures are that watchman when God brings the sword upon a land, charged to speak God's warning to the children of His people, to search out the sheep who are hungry for truth, and to bear the message to all so that those who have not been fed with pure provender may hear and understand for themselves. God's faithful messengers must lift up the voice as John the Baptist did, proclaiming the message of warning and preparing the way for Christ's second coming, and God will not leave His people in darkness to be led by men who occupy the position of shepherds yet war against His commandments. The watchman's work remains even when those who claim to be shepherds refuse to examine God's Word and oppose the messenger and the message sent to warn the members of the churches and open the truth before them.

Zion's watchmen must discern the sword coming and sound the warning clearly, loudly, and forcefully when they see danger coming upon God's people, so that God's people recognize their danger, with spiritual sight from God enabling them to see and work as Christ did. A watchman's faithfulness is also measured by how he manages his family and the churches into order, as shown by Bro. Covert's influence in Indianapolis, where neglecting these duties leaves disorder that may take years to correct while zealous work can bring things into order, and a faithful watchman must speak and act to prevent the enemy from taking possession.

The watchman image applies to those responsible for guiding others spiritually, including parents, who must remain alert, look for danger, give immediate warning, and not let their children's unbelief lead them away from duty. It applies to canvassers as messengers of the Lord, whose duty is to awaken a spiritually sleeping world and warn people of their danger, helping churches that do not recognize their time of visitation to learn the truth and bringing people in darkness and error the good news of salvation through Christ and obedience to God's law.

The chapter connects with Christ's commission to His followers, which medical missionary work carries out, and serving in this work means setting aside self-importance and learning to bear Christ's yoke and burdens. God arouses watchmen and sends them forth with messages of warning, of reproof, and of instruction, that the people may be enlightened, hear the alarm, realize their danger, and do the work required at the present time, speaking by His word and by His ministers. The American Sentinel is in God's order one of the voices sounding the alarm, like a trumpet giving a certain sound, and the Lord intends His people to heed whatever He sends them by not only receiving light when presented but passing it along and adding their influence in its favor that its full force may be felt in the church and the world, by reading it carefully and then sending it to some relative or friend, thus putting to the best use the light God has given them.