Meditate and listen for the sound of the
trumpet.
The word of the LORD came to me: "Son
of man, speak to your people, and say to them, 'Suppose I bring a sword against
the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make
him their watchman. He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the
trumpet, and warns the people, but there is one who hears the sound of the
trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him
away. He will be responsible for his own death. He heard the sound of the
trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he
had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life. But suppose the watchman
sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then
the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his
iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person's death.'"
Ezekiel 33:1-6 NET
The Watchman. Ezekiel brought the word of
the Lord to the people of Israel. As a prophet he was supposed to warn Israel
of impending danger. That danger is still to come. Ezekiel says…suppose the
watchman hears the sound of the trumpet…and doesn’t heed the warning.
Sounding the alarm is important to warn the
people. If he doesn’t sound the alarm then the sword…the battle…will do them
all in. The alarm will warn the people and they’ll all be saved. No alarm…and
the watchman loses his life…swept away for his mistake. God appoints Ezekiel as
the watchman.
When I say to the wicked, "You will
certainly die," and you do not warn him - you do not speak out to warn the
wicked to turn from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so that he may live -
that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable
for his death. But as for you, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from
his wicked deed and from his wicked lifestyle, he will die for his iniquity but
you will have saved your own life. "When a righteous person turns from his
righteousness and commits iniquity, and I set an obstacle before him, he will
die. If you have not warned him, he will die for his sin. The righteous deeds
he performed will not be considered, but I will hold you accountable for his
death. However, if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not
sin, he will certainly live because he was warned, and you will have saved your
own life." Ezekiel 3:18-21 NET
Read more about Ezekiel and his prophesies
to Israel. Those were written by Ezekiel after he was taken captive along with
hostages from Jerusalem and exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. The alarm
is for Israel…but can we consider that we need to listen for the alarm, too?
Sound the alarm for those in Israel. Sound the alarm for those who love the
Lord.
 |
| Light at the end of the tunnel, Excavated tunnel at King Agrippa's palace - Israel. |
Unlike that watchman, will you listen? Will
you heed the sound of the alarm and warn others? That is a big responsibility.
Listen for the sound of the trumpet. Sound the alarm. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Hope for the future.
Prayer
~ Lord, give us insight to understand Your prophetic word. We are but a grain
of sand…but we do want to see and understand all that has and will happen. We put our hope in You.
©
2020 Text and photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright
©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights
reserved.
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