Many people call themselves Christians but never warn their neighbor of false teachings and the consequences of living an unrighteous life. This is sad. You may ask, why warn people of hell and testify of Jesus? Why would God require this of me? It is vital, as a Christian, to do so when God calls us. If we know someone that is being deceived or walking on the wrong path, the Holy Spirit will nudge us to warn them and share the truth. It is up to us to respond to God’s calling. In the time of Ezekiel, God expected him to warn others of their wickedness, otherwise God would require there blood upon his hands. God hasn’t changed, and if he is calling us to share the truth. So why not listen to Him? In the time of Ezekiel, he was told by God to 1“get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.” Though these people were 1“impudent and hardhearted”, God still wanted to give them a chance to be saved. God said to Ezekiel, 1“I have made thy face strong against their faces.” No matter what the people may say or do to him, God would carry him forth. He just asked him to listen. He said, “all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.” I pray that you will pay close attention to the Lord, that you may hear his counsel as well.
God’s counsel to Ezekiel, for the 1“captivity of Telabib”, was to 1“speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God”. God would then give him more words to speak as he listened to His counsel. Will you also speak up, when God has directed you to speak to somebody? Know that God wants you to share the truth with boldness. His message will be different to each person, we just got to be open and always have a listening ear. The Spirit will speak to your heart, if you are living for God. God told Ezekiel to not speak his own words but what God would give him. So he came to the people and gave them a warning. He told the wicked that they will 1“surely die” because of their sinful lifestyle. This is important, because if he hadn’t, the Bible says, 1“his blood will I require at thine hand.” It is the wicked that don’t listen to the truth that will die in their sins. He did his part, now it is up to the unbeliever to repent and come to God for forgiveness and mercy. God’s Word is clear that we aren’t only to tell the wicked to repent but also the righteous to 1“sin not”. It reads, 1“if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.” It is amazing when your testimony of Jesus Christ can strengthen another person’s faith. Act when God calls and you will do amazing things for Him.
Let us pray:
Lord, will you give us all an ear to hear your message? Will you open the hearts of all people that love You? Give them words to speak to the lost. Help them know how to approach them. Help us all to understand the importance of warning our neighbor. Lord, Your ways are so important. After coming to know You, I know now that many people are lost. So many are on a path to destruction. I pray that You will help me reach these people. Help me find those that are ready to listen to Your truths. Help me to also speak to the hard hearted. I know that all people need to get a witness of Your love. Whenever I feel Your nudge, I will respond. I will listen to Your counsel and speak Your will. Even those in the faith, I will speak to, that they may live righteous before You. I know Your ways are good. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Ezekiel 3 (KJV)
1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.
13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
22 And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.
23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
