"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." (Ezekiel 33:7)

A watchman. What is a watchman? Why was Ezekiel made one? Do we have any around today? What is a watchman supposed to do? To fully understand the answers to these questions, let's consider a few truths.

1. God is a God of judgment. God makes the rules, man breaks the rules and the judgment of God comes. We see that judgment in Noah's day; in Sodom and Gomorrah; with the children of Israel many times; in nations that forget God; and in the eternal destination of the lost just to name a few places.

2. God is a God of love. Yes, God is a God of judgment but He doesn't like it. Now I'm not being irreverent here but think of it. Genesis 6:6 says that God was grieved at His heart. Why? Because man had become so sinful that God had to judge them.

Ezekiel 33:11 says that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Why? Because God doesn't want to judge man. Why? Matthew 25:41 says that hell was created for the devil and his angels . . . NOT MAN!!!

Now you and I both know why God doesn't like to judge . . . because He is a God of love. There is no searching or full understanding of the tremendous love that God has for us. I like 1 John 3:1. "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God." It just goes beyond our understanding and knowledge. (Ephesians 3:19)

Now where does the watchman come in? Watch the progression.

1. God makes commandments and expects man to follow them.

2. When man breaks the commandments to a certain point, the judgment of God must act.

3. The love of God, however, doesn't want to judge man and so God sends a watchman to warn him to turn from his sinful ways.

In Noah's day, God pronounced the judgment. He instructed Noah to build an ark. As Noah built the ark, what else did he do? He PREACHED, 2 Peter 2:5. Why? Because he was a watchman. Lot warned his family of the judgment that was about to come? Why? Because even Lot was a watchman.

Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others wept and prayed and preached while being cruelly persecuted. Why? Because they were the watchmen for the nation of Israel. The Apostles preached the Gospel in Jerusalem and all over Judea to the Jewish people. Why? They were the watchmen. Paul carried the Gospel all over Europe and Asia. Why? Because he was the watchman to the Gentiles.

Bob Jones Sr. went all over America preaching "Do Right". R.G. Lee preached his famous sermon "Payday Someday" everywhere he could get a crowd. Oliver B. Green, Billy Sunday, John R. Rice, Jack Hyles, and others spent their lives preaching all over America, getting the lost saved and Christians on fire for God. Why? They were watchmen. Missionaries like Hudson Taylor and David Livingston, gave their lives to carry the Gospel overseas. Why? They were watchmen.

You see, if the judgment of God is coming and we know that it is; and if God doesn't have pleasure in the death of the wicked and is not willing that any should perish; then God needs some watchmen and women to warn the people so that the judgment can be stayed. In Jesus day, he said that the fields were white, already to harvest, (John 4:35) and plenteous, but the labourers were few. (Matt. 9:37) My question is then, where are the watchmen?

There are a few Scriptures that I want you to see. In the front of your Bible somewhere, write out, Luke 19:10. "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Now beside that verse put, John 20:21. "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

Now are you starting to see who the watchmen are? 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; AND HATH COMMITTED UNTO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION."

Whether we like to admit it or not, we are the watchmen and women. You and I, sinners saved by grace, have been commissioned (Matthew 28:18-20) and ordained (John 15:16) to be watchmen for our generation. What a responsibility!

Now here is the message. As we read the account of the watchman in Ezekiel 33:1-6 we notice that if the watchman sees the judgment coming and warns the people, then they die in their sins and their blood shall be upon their own head.

But if the watchman sees the judgment coming and doesn't warn the people; the people still die because of their sins, but the blood is required at the WATCHMAN'S HAND.

Can you see the terror as the rains begin to fall in Noah's day? The begging, the screaming, mothers with babies, old men and women, young children. All perishing in the flood. Can you imagine how Noah would have felt if he hadn't warned them?

How about Lot. Can you imagine how he would have felt seeing the smoldering remains of his family members that remained in Sodom if he hadn't warned them? I think about the end of the Nation of Israel (Judah). Zedekiah was the last king. You know the end of his story. The King of Babylon slew Zedekiah's sons right before his eyes and then had his eyes put out. He was then taken, bound to Babylon. Shortly before that, Jeremiah, the watchman, warned him. How Jeremiah would have felt if he hadn't.

The Apostle Paul saw many people saved. But he also knew that most of the Jews and a large portion of the Gentiles would die and go to hell. Did you see what Paul said in Acts 20:26, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men." How could he say that? Because he said in verse 27 ". . . For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

Now here is the real question. Who are we warning? Who are we telling about the upcoming judgment? People that we know will go to hell if they don't get saved. There is no question about it. Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers; they'll all die and burn forever if they don't get saved? The question is; have we warned them?

Will their blood be on our hands? What kind of watchman are we? Well, let's see. The judgment is coming. We come across scores of people every week, and most of them are not saved. How many people have you personally warned this week? This month? This year?

The truth is in most churches today the Great Commission has become the Great Omission. Our schedules have become so busy that we have time for everything but soul winning. We'll put several bucks into faith promise so that missionaries can do it; we pray all the time that someone will do it; and the whole time our hands are dripping with blood because we are not doing it!

The last two verses in Isaiah (Isaiah 66:23-24) indicate that the saved will frequently visit a place where we can see those that died without Christ. There will be two groups of lost people there . . . the warned and the unwarned. How many of the unwarned are there because YOU didn't warn them!!! ". . . but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." (Ezekiel 33:6)

Make a covenant with the Lord right now. Confess that you haven't been the watchman that you need to be, and start passing out tracts and WARNING folks about the coming judgment of God. Because "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall DOUBTLESS come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalms 126:5-6)

TORCH EDITOR: For meetings you can contact Evangelist Daugherty by calling (540) 942-7892 or 1-888-612-4779. See his ad listed with the other Evangelists who advertise in the pages of the TORCH.