Ezekiel 33:1

Ezekiel 33:1 says, Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,  Ezekiel didn’t specify the exact day that God’s word came to Him this time, but he still knew that it was God’s word, just as we should always know when God is speaking to us.   

Verse two adds, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:  Now, Ezekiel was to speak to the people of Israel.  He had prophesied against other nations in the previous eight chapters, but he was now to speak to the people of Israel and let them know who he was, and that was a prophet of God.  He was to let them know of the coming danger to them.  We as Christians today are to let lost people know of the coming danger if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and we are also to tell saved people of the danger of coming under the power of sin once more.  Like Ezekiel, we are to be watchmen on the wall.   

Verse three continues, If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;  God said if the watchman saw trouble coming to the land that he was to blow the trumpet to sound the alarm.  As followers of Christ today, we are to sound the alarm of God’s coming destruction, to our fellow believers, but especially to the unsaved of the world.   

Verse four states, Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.  God also said that if the trumpet sounded warning people of the coming destruction and they did not heed it that they would be taken away captive and it would be their own fault.  We as Christians are to sound the alarm of God’s coming destruction, and if we do not heed it, the responsibility of our coming everlasting punishment will be our own.  Of course, everyone is always responsible for their own belief or disbelief in God’s salvation plan, but we as Christians have a responsibility to share the gospel and warn people of God’s coming judgment.   

Verse five adds, He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.  God once again states that the responsibility for heeding the warning of the watchman rests with each individual. Those who hear and take action will be spared, and those who don’t will have their blood on their own hands.  When we share the gospel with people today, those who accept God’s gift of salvation will be spared everlasting punishment, and those who don’t will go away to everlasting punishment, but it will be their own disbelief that sends them away.