Whatchman?

God has given us an amazing gift that not even He will go against - this is the gift of FREE WILL.

... but are you responsible for the choices others make

... or do not make?

Will you be held accountable for not sharing the Gospel?

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Many years ago someone who had a profound influence on my life preached a message urging those who gathered around him to go out and spread the Gospel ... and he used this passage from Ezekiel 33:

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. Eze 33:8-9

God is speaking to the prophet Ezekiel to prophesy against Israel. 

Let's try and keep in mind that we are reading in the old covenant here and that what is written is a shadow onto Jesus.

The prophet Ezekiel (Strengthened by God) was also known as the son-of-man. So, he is a shadow of the One Who is to come.

Who is the Son-of-Man?

Jesus was referred to, and referred to Himself as the Son-of-Man.

If the wicket does not turn, against Whose Hand will God require his blood?

And Who did exactly this? Who paid for the wicket on the cross with His own Blood?

I think it is clear!

Why do we always want to move and motivate people through preaching condemnation instead of bringing the Good news?

But, there are other interesting words used in these scriptures and the ones preceding and following.

In verse 7 God says: So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman [צָפָה tsâphâh] unto the house of Israel.

The pictograph for the word watchman is very interesting. It depicts: hook the mind onto Grace! 

What?

The picture says: Jesus came to hook the mind of the evildoers onto Grace (Himself) to show them He is God and that in His heart of compassion and love and forgiveness there is more than enough room for everyone who fell short of the Glory of God. This means everyone!

Throughout God says to the Son-of-Man to speak and say the word and to warn. The Hebrew word used for these words is dâbâr דָּבָר: the matter, the cause, the affair, business, the case,  the message, the reason, the tidings, the sign, the explanation ... with pictograph: the door to the house is the highest person (Jesus)] Remember our post on "The Word from beginning to end!"

The word used for turn or repent is שׁוּב shûb. It occurs in the old covenant 1106 times and, as in the Greek (metanoia), it has a profound graceful meaning. Literally it means to: turn back, to convert back, to go back, to restore, to reverse, to recover, to refresh ...

The pictograph for shûb is even more astonishing! It depicts: consume the hand of the house.

What?

It depicts Jesus! He is the Hand that made us free - the whole of the house! So that we could become the house of His indwelling Spirit. We should consume (receive) Him!

God even says it in no uncertain terms ... just in case someone might have missed it: 

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Eze 33:11