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Ezekiel 33 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The role of watchman that was given to Ezekiel is one of the most fascinating metaphors for a prophet. We first read it in Ezekiel in Chapter 3.
“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me.
Ezekiel 3:17 NASB
It is emphasized again here in Chapter 33. Consider a watchman’s role. Stationed in a tower high above all other structures, the watchman’s job was to overlook the fields for both thieves and animals eager to steal their crops or attack their city. In order to accomplish this role with success, the watchman would need to be elevated and alert. How many times does God tell us to stay alert in Scripture? I’ll give you the quick answer. A lot.
For Christians today, if we are dedicated to being alert, it is God Himself who will provide the view. We cannot begin to see things clearly until we are elevated and over the big picture. How many times does God give us the big picture? In my life, not nearly as much as I’d like. So, the moral of this particular metaphor is to be 100% dedicated to being alert and watchful towards the things of God. When we commit to this, He will provide the view and the vision in order to sound the alarm.
This leads to the next role of a watchman. Once something was spotted, it was his job to blast that message to the people who were responsible for doing something. Notice, it was not the watchman’s job to manufacture the message. It was provided to him while being open and alert. The people who heard the message were now responsible for acting upon what the watchman had told them. Here we have the bottleneck of all humanity. Obedience.
It was not Ezekiel’s fault that the people didn’t listen. He wasn’t a failure. He did what he was stationed to do in the tower that God provided for him. It was the people who failed to respond to the warning. This is ultimately where Ezekiel lands at the beginning of this chapter.
then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.
Ezekiel 33:4 NASB
What does this look like today? First, are you being vigilant at your watchtower? Like a watchman who stood for many hours staring at the same thing, it’s easy to slip into a complacent lifestyle by going through the motions. We must be ready! God is calling us to be faithful to watching and responding to Him. The people you are leading are waiting and watching for your signal. Are you ready or have you fallen into a deep slumber?