Spokesman for God
Ezekiel 33:7-9
By Harold D. Dinsmore, M.Div.
Ó2008 Harold D. Dinsmore 

Here we are, celebrating the third Sunday of Advent!  Impossible!  We just celebrated Thanksgiving!  Well, with the third Sunday comes our theme for the day; WITNESS!  Being a witness is misunderstood and avoided by a surprising number of Christians.  I have had opportunity to work with literally hundreds of people in churches over the years who think being a witness is not their job or that they don’t feel called to win the lost for Christ.

It’s too bad they have missed a clear teaching of the Bible.  In fact, it is a most prominent teaching.  As New Testament Christians, we hear many times a preacher preaching on the Great Commission.  Jesus did give us a command to win the lost.  It is not an option.  “Go and as you are going, make disciples, baptizing them...”  But that is not a new concept from God.  In Ezekiel 33, the Word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and He shared a story with him concerning Israel and her watchmen.  If any enemy were to approach, the watchman was to sound the trumpet, warning the people of an impending attach.  Mo natter what the outcome, if they heeded the warning or not, the watchman was off the hook.  If he did not warn the people and even if one were killed, he was responsible for their blood.    It was a violation and a flagrant dereliction of duty and it could cost the watchman his life.