The Watchman

 

    A watchman is someone employed to look after an empty building, normally at night.  When God employed Ezekiel to be His watchman it was a position to watch over a city.  Ezekiel's job was a little different.  His was more like being a witness.

    Ezekiel ate the scroll that God fed to him, so that he could speak it to Israel.  It tasted sweet.  God knew that the people did not want to listen  because they were hardheaded and hardhearted.  He made Ezekiel's forehead as hard as a diamond so that he would not be afraid or discouraged as he looked them in the eye as he gave them God's message.  So he could be strong enough to handle anything they threw at him.

    The nation was already in exile, so the spirit lifted Ezekiel above the creatures.  As he was lifted he was filled with the angry spirit's bitterness toward Israel's rebellious hearts.  When he was sat down in Tel-Ahib, a mournful place of a ruined site.  He sat for seven days stunned.  It was all so overwhelming, but it is like he was preparing for the priest hood.

    God came to Ezekiel again to give him a warning: the wicked will die for their sins, but if Ezekiel did not warn them then he would die.  He would be responsible for their blood, like he had killed them himself.  Those who turn from God will have every righteous act ever done be forgotten, so when they die they will go to the pit.  Those that do listen and turn from their wicked ways will live.  Ezekiel fell before God's glory.  

    This is when the Spirit spoke from within Ezekiel: go home.  It was given with warning of what would happen.  He Would not get to have fellowship, but would be the prophet in whom people came to get a message.  His tongue would be stuck to his mouth so he could not speak.  Only when the spirit had a message could Ezekiel speak.  It is up to the people to listen or ignore the message.

Ezekiel 3