The Watchman’s Call in Ezekiel in Our Day
By Dr. Tyson Lambertson, ICEJ USA Outreach Director
Ezekiel 33:7–9 (ESV) gives us one of the most sobering assignments in Scripture:
So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
The Watchman’s Role Was Responsibility, Not Prestige
God didn’t call Ezekiel to a comfortable job. The watchman’s post wasn’t about prestige; it was about responsibility. Sitting high on the city’s walls, the watchman could see what others could not, sounding the alarm before danger arrived and keeping the people ready. In God’s kingdom, silence in the face of danger is not just unwise, it’s a betrayal of the trust He’s placed in us.
David Guzik says it plainly: “A watchman who failed to speak was as guilty as the enemy who attacked, because his silence allowed destruction to come” (para. 4). That shakes me. God’s measure of our faithfulness is not whether everyone listens, but whether we obey and speak His Word when He gives it.
The late Dr. George O. Wood once said, “The watchman’s responsibility is not to make people respond, it is to make sure they have been told. If you speak the truth in love and they reject it, that’s between them and God. But if you stay silent out of fear or convenience, you share in their loss.” I can’t read Ezekiel 33 without hearing those words in my spirit.
The Watchman and Israel Today
This calling isn’t just ancient history. It speaks directly to the church’s relationship with Israel right now. Dr. Gerald McDermott has pointed out that many pastors won’t address God’s ongoing purposes for Israel either because they’re afraid of controversy or because they’ve misunderstood Scripture. Yet Ezekiel’s commission doesn’t give us the option to be silent.
ICEJ Senior VP and Spokesman David Parsons states, “The watchman’s call today includes warning against theological currents that strip Israel from God’s redemptive plan. To neglect this is to leave the flock vulnerable to deception.” JuergenBuehler adds that in our era of rising antisemitism, pastors must be watchmen both spiritually and morally, teaching biblically and refusing to let indifference take root in the church.
However, Jack Hayford often reminded us that the watchman’s role isn’t just about warning—it’s also about announcing hope. For Ezekiel, the urgency came from impending judgment. For us, the urgency is even greater because “our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11 ESV).
Standing the Post
Some critics of biblical Zionism claim that focusing on Israel distracts from the gospel. I couldn’t disagree more. The gospel is rooted in God’s covenant promises, and those promises include His enduring commitment to Israel (McDermott). To remove Israel from God’s plan is to rewrite the very story of redemption.
The watchman’s task is forward-looking—it’s about being ready for the day when we will give an account to God. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 to “stay awake” and “watch.” This isn’t just about reading headlines—it’s about preparing God’s people for the fulfilment of His covenant promises, including the physical and spiritual restoration of Israel.
The prophetic horizon right now is ready. This is not the moment to step down from the wall. It’s the time to stand our post, lift our voice, guard covenant truth, and proclaim the hope of the kingdom that’s coming.
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References
Buehler, J. International Christian Embassy Jerusalem teachings on Israel and antisemitism. International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. www.icej.org.
ESV. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles. 2001. www.esv.org.
Guzik, D. Commentary on Ezekiel 33, par. 4. Enduring Word. www.enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ezekiel-33/.
Hayford, J. Israel: A Blessing or a Burden? Regal Books, 2002.
McDermott, G. Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land. Brazos Press, 2017.
Parsons, D. The Watchman’s Call and Israel’s Place in God’s Plan (par 2), International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. www.icej.org.
Wood, G. O. Living in the Spirit: Drawing Us to God, Sending Us to the World. Gospel Publishing House, 2014, p. 97.