Sweeter Than Honey: Ezekiel the Watchman

From the Old Testament to the New, the eternality of God's Word is clearly proclaimed: 

Job tells us, “I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my portion of food” (Job 23:12). 

Isaiah reminds us that, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). 

And Matthew records Jesus saying, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

God's Word is like an eternal Love Letter to us!

​Have you ever received a love letter, friend? Did you read it? Did you read it just once, or did you read it over and over again? A Love Letter is a treasure when you love the One who sent it!

How would you like to read through God's Love Letter—His Word, the Bible, with a group of like-minded, Christian girlfriends? We're doing that over in the private, Sweeter Than Honey, Facebook group. Did you know you don't have to start a Bible reading plan on January 1? You can begin today! This simple plan, and an accountability partner, will help you succeed. Who will be your accountability partner? Share this post with them and invite them to the private Facebook group.

JOIN THE PRIVATE SWEETER THAN HONEY FACEBOOK GROUP

Sweeter Than Honey is patterned after this Bible Reading Itinerary. On Tuesdays, here at the blog, I would love it if you and I could take a trip through God's Word and Sweeter Than Honey, together! I would also encourage you to Join us over in the private, Sweeter Than Honey, Facebook group, introduce yourself, meet new friends, and share your thoughts there as well. We're waiting for you!

Ezekiel 33-36: Ezekiel the Watchman

Up until now, we’ve seen Ezekiel the Prophet.
​Today, we see Ezekiel the Watchman—Israel's Watchman.

“The Word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a Word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.’” (Ezekiel 33:1-9)

The first thing I notice in this passage is that the Lord calls Israel “your people” instead of My people. “The Word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, speak to your people…’” (33:1). When the Lord speaks to Ezekiel and calls Israel “your people,” this gives Ezekiel a sense of responsibility for these people. The responsibility he has for them, we will also read, is to be their watchman.

The duty of a watchman is to blow the trumpet and warn the people. If the watchman warns the people and the people hear but do not take warning, their blood will be on their own head—"He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning… if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life” (33:5). However, if the watchman does not warn the people, “…and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand” (33:6).

Being a watchman for the house of Israel was a pretty serious business!

​But aren’t we also watchmen today? Aren’t we watchmen for the people God brings across our paths every day? We are, and the business is just as serious! We are armed with the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. We know the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let’s be the watchmen, or watchwomen, that God has called us to be in our time, just as Ezekiel was to the house of Israel in his time.

​Being a watchman (or watchwomen) is serious business! How are you going about that business in your everyday life today?

About Sweeter Than Honey

When I read God’s Word each morning, I find inspiration and insight that keeps my day on track. Join me on this journey. Let’s settle in with His Word—it’s His Love Letter to us. Did you know that? Let’s read it like a love letter, expecting to glean something for our walk with Him every day. Let’s look for peace in the chaos and strength for our weaknesses. Even on our busiest days we can carve out a few minutes to refocus on the important—the eternal. Can’t we? We may have to get up a little earlier, when the house is still and quiet, or stay up a few minutes after the others are all tucked in for the night, but we can do this! I know we can.

Let's be intentional about focusing on God’s Word and the truths found there. Let's let it inspire us to live out our faith each day in a way that causes those we come in contact with to want what we have found. God sees you. He knows you by name, He knows the number of hairs on your head, and He cares about every detail of your daily existence. He wrote you a Love Letter. Let’s dive in!

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