But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
Ezekiel 33:6 NIV
From the onset of the book of Ezekiel, the Lord consistently emphasizes a significant responsibility. He assigned Ezekiel the role of a watchman. As God frequently reminds Ezekiel of this divine responsibility, a critical issue consistently emerges. This is what I invite you to ponder upon from this verse.
The Lord declares that if the watchman fails to sound the alarm to the people and a sword comes and claims a life, the death of that individual, as the word of the Lord clarifies, would be due to their sin. There could have been a different outcome if the watchman had sounded the trumpet. If he had issued a warning for the people to hear. However, it’s crucial to understand that anyone who died in that situation would have done so because of their sin.
Meanwhile, the Lord states that the watchman’s negligence in fulfilling his duty would be punished. However, it is important to note that his punishment would be due to his negligence. He would not bear the sin of the one who died due to his absence from sounding the warning.
This brings us to an important issue to consider in our lives: How are we living? It would be incorrect for us to attribute our sinful lifestyle to the absence of a watchman in our lives. We cannot persist in sin and justify our sinful lifestyle due to a lack of sound teaching. Meanwhile, if this was the case in Ezekiel’s time, how much more so today when God is accessible to everyone everywhere, and His word is available in various forms?
Through this platform, we’re able to disseminate the word of God digitally in text. Likewise, numerous resources are available online, sounding a genuine warning of the coming of the Lord Jesus. Given all these resources that God has made available, it would be wrong for anyone to continue in sin, perhaps because they’re still waiting for someone to ‘spoon-feed’ them.
When judgment comes, even those whose watchman has failed should not expect their watchman to bear their sin while they go unpunished. Everyone will be held accountable for their actions and inactions. Let no one deceive you; everyone will have to give an account of how they have lived their life.
So, let’s take heed to ourselves and consider how we are living. Let’s consider our actions, our thoughts, our ways. Let the sinners repent, and let those who have been given a responsibility dutifully and diligently discharge their duties. The Lord is coming with His judgment, and He will repay everyone as their actions deserve.
In conclusion, the essence of this post is a call to self-examination and responsibility. It emphasizes the importance of personal accountability and the consequences of our actions. It also reminds us that while guidance is crucial, the ultimate responsibility for our actions lies with us. Likewise, it serves as a reminder that we have access to numerous resources to guide us on the right path. Therefore, it is up to us to make use of them. It ends with a sobering reminder of the impending judgment and the need for repentance and diligent discharge of our responsibilities. Remember, every action has its consequence. Let’s live wisely.
