KBM God's Watchman

We continue in our theme of “Impact 3:16” today by taking a look at Ezekiel 3:16. Now, admittedly this verse simply leads us into our lesson on the powerful words of God about “A Watchman” but not just any watchman “God’s Watchman.” Usually for “time sake” I expect you all listening to read most of the mentioned passages on your own, but because of the impact this section of scripture should have on all Christians today I want to read Ezekiel 3:16-21 in its totality.

Ezekiel 3:16–21 ESV

16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. 20 Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”

Before we dive in let me point out the obvious that there is a difference between private teachers and public teachers. A private teacher is one that talks or studies with others on more of a one on one situation like we find between Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos (Acts 18:24-26). A public teacher would be anyone preaching or teaching in a worship service, bible class, ladies day, and the like wherein the “public” has access to the teaching. The difference between that “everyone” is to be a private teacher (Hebrews 5:12-14) whereas not everyone is to be a public teacher (James 3:1). I only mention this distinction because Ezekiel 3:16-21 applies to both and is not limited to just a public teacher as I have heard some try and say. We know this because Ezekiel taught both privately and publicly and this was to him for both accounts. So, what can we take from this as “God’s teachers” (2 Timothy 2:2). What we teach people better be from God and not our own understanding. By that I mean, when we are teaching the bible to someone we better not try and sugar coat the truth just to not hurt someone’s feelings. If someone is living in sin and needs to hear the saving message of God as a non-child of God or as a wayward child of God we must teach what God has said they need to hear. In other words, we defend God and the truth of his word without hesitation but with gentleness and respect always for the one we are teaching.

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,