A.Ezekiel prophesied to the exiled Jews in Babylon from around 592 B.C. to 570 B.C.
B.The book of Ezekiel is rich with spiritual lessons.Presently, let us be benefited by studying chapter 33.
II."I HAVE APPOINTED YOU A WATCHMAN” (EZEK. 33:1-9)
A.Ezekiel’s responsibility as a spiritual watchman was to give warning to the wicked.
1.The work of an ordinary watchman is described in verses 1-6.
a.If he saw an enemy army approaching, then he was to blow the horn and warn his people.
b.His responsibility was only for sounding the warning.If the people did not heed his warning and perished, then he had no guilt for their blood.However, if he failed to sound the warning, then he would be held responsible for their deaths with his own life.
2.Ezekiel was called by God to be a spiritual watchman for the Jews in verses 7-9.
a.Ezekiel was to warn the wicked that their sin would lead to death.
b.Like the watchman, Ezekiel’s responsibility was limited to sounding the warning.If the wicked refused to turn from their sins and died, then he was not responsible.However, if he did not warn the wicked and they died in sin, then he would also be condemned.
B.Christians have a similar commission from God to give warning to sinners.
1.It is our responsibility to tell sinners to repent of their sins and turn to Christ.
a.The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16) and the church’s appointed work of evangelism (1Tim. 3:15) make us as watchmen who must sound the warning.
b.This is simply a matter of telling and exemplifying the good news of Christ to sinners.
2.If we do sound the warning, then we are innocent of the lives of unrepentant sinners.If we do not warn them, then we have failed in our commission from Christ.
a.We need to be able to repeat the words of Paul in Acts 20:26-27 – "Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.”
b.Otherwise, we will be like those lepers in 2Kings 7:9, who said, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent…punishment will overtake us.”
III."I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED” (EZEK. 33:10-20)
A.Ezekiel was to emphasize the need for each person to be righteous in the present in order to live, but the Jews rejected this teaching of God.
1.When the Jews lamented their state of condemnation in Babylon, God assured them that He did not desire their death and gave them the opportunity to repent (vv. 10-11).
2.In verses 12-16, God explained that their deeds of the past could be counteracted by their deeds in the present.A righteous man who sins will not be saved by his former righteousness, and a wicked man who repents will not be condemned for his former wickedness.
3.Stubbornly and foolishly, the Jews rejected God’s consolation (vv. 17-20).They said, "The way of the Lord is not right.”
B.Similarly, the gospel of Christ emphasizes the need for repentance and faithful living for salvation, although many men reject this message.
1.The message of repentance is inseparable from the gospel.
a.Starting with John the baptist (Matt. 3:2) and Jesus (Matt. 4:17), followed by the apostles (Acts 2:37), and continuing with all servants of Christ (2Tim. 2:24-26), the preaching of repentance is necessary to save the lost (Luke 13:3).
b.The good news for sinners who turn to Christ today is the same as that preached by Ezekiel, that "if a wicked man restores a pledge, pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the statutes which ensure life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezek. 33:15).
2.Not only must sinners repent, but they must remain faithful to the Lord (Rev. 2:10).They will be saved "if indeed [they] continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:23).
3.Those who teach the doctrine of "once-saved-always-saved” reject God’s warnings about apostasy (see Acts 8:18-24; Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-31; 2Pet. 2:20-22).They refuse to accept that "when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in it” (Ezek. 33:18).
IV."SHOULD YOU POSSESS THE LAND?” (EZEK. 33:21-29)
A.When Ezekiel heard the news of Judah’s fall, he told the Jews that they had forfeited possession of the land because of their sin.
1.Babylon carried the Jews into captivity in three stages.Ezekiel was brought to Babylon during the second stage.From there, he heard the news of Jerusalem’s destruction that occurred with the third stage (v. 21 – "The city has been taken”).
2.The Jews were still expecting a right to the land because of the promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:7-16), but their expectations were false.
a.Moses and Joshua had warned Israel that if they forsook God and sinned, then they would perish from the land (Lev. 18:24-30; Deut. 8:1-20; Josh. 23:15-16).
b.Now that the Jews had defiled themselves, they lost their claim to the land.In verses 25-26, Ezekiel said to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘You eat meat with the blood in it, lift up your eyes to your idols as you shed blood. Should you then possess the land?You rely on your sword, you commit abominations and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you then possess the land?’”
B.Just as Israel lost their claim on the promised land, so also Christians will lose their claim on heaven if they return to sin.
1.Christ has given a promise of salvation, but He set conditions for receiving the fulfillment of that promise (Mark 16:16; John 3:16, 36; Acts 2:38; etc.).
2.The fate of apostate Christians is made clear in 2Peter 2:20 – "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”
V.LIKE A SENSUAL SONG (EZEK. 33:30-33)
A.Ezekiel spoke the truth that the Jews desperately needed, but they viewed him as mere entertainment and did not obey his words.
1.God warned Ezekiel of this, saying, "Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them” (v. 32).
2.Although the people would hear his words, they would not obey.God said, "They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain” (v. 31).
B.Likewise, many people of our time consider good preaching to be an entertaining and emotional experience, but they have little interest in obeying any Biblical messages they hear.
1.Much of the preaching done in churches today is presented with drama and comedy so that it is a performance rather than a means of teaching.Preachers who can captivate an audience and create emotional responses are highly esteemed even when their sermons have little Biblical content.
2.There are also talented speakers like Ezekiel who can hold an audience’s attention and teach truth, but many times their words are disregarded and only their impressive speech is remembered.
a.James warns us about listening in this way, saying, "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (Jas. 1:22).
b.The Lord illustrated the results of those who hear His words and do them versus those who hear His words and do not do them in Matthew 7:24-27.Hearing the gospel is of no profit unless the message is obeyed.
3.Consider the warning and admonition of Paul in 2Timothy 4:3-5 – "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
VI.CONCLUSION
A.The 33rd chapter of Ezekiel demonstrates the truth of Romans 15:4 – "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
B.Therefore, let us take hold of this Scriptural instruction so that we may realize our hope in Christ.
