The Watchmen Have Been Warned

I was drawn to refresh myself on Ezekiel 33 today, and when I realized what the first passage was about, I knew why.

Several colleagues and I have devoted our lives to being these watchmen as the Lord has called us to be, and often enough, we encounter the usual accusations of "doom and gloom" mongers, or worse, complete apathy. We don't enjoy needing to tell people that we live in the End of Days. We DO enjoy telling them what comes next, but first, there are some hurdles to cross. We want to see people thrive, so we warn them of the trials as well as the way to reach the reward promised to the faithful servants of our Lord.

Ezekiel, Chapter 33, verses 1-9 are as follows, according to the King James Version of translations. (Research and comparison of other translations is encouraged as a general rule.)

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, "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: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 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. 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. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."