Ezekiel 33:21–33 The City of Jerusalem Had Been Captured

[Study Aired October 7, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study is about the condition of those who were left as remnants after the invasion of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the desire of these remnants to inherit the land which they believed they, as descendants of Abraham, were entitled to it. The Lord’s response through Ezekiel was that they were not worthy of the inheritance of Abraham because of their sins.

The rest of the chapter focuses on the unwillingness of the people of Israel to obey the word of the Lord proclaimed by Ezekiel. The Lord also promised that everything that He has said through Ezekiel shall come to pass in the fulness of time. That is what will make the people of Israel recognize that a prophet has indeed been among them.

Eze 12:21  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 12:22  Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Eze 12:23  Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
Eze 12:24  For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
Eze 12:25  For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD. 

The Report from a Fugitive

Eze 33:21  And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. 

The number ‘twelve’ is the number of Christ. It also means foundation. That of the number ‘ten’ signifies the completeness or fulness of the flesh. The number ‘five’ is a symbol of grace through faith. ‘On the fifth day of the tenth month in the twelfth year of the captivity of the Lord’s people’ signifies that it is when the sins of our flesh have reached their fulness or become complete during our time in the physical churches of this world, or Babylon, that Christ comes to us with His judgement (grace) to begin the walk of faith as we leave behind the Law of Moses. That is the time that we escape from Jerusalem as fugitives when we become aware that the city is smitten or taken. What this implies is that our exit from Babylon is when we come to the realization that the city of Jerusalem is smitten or the churches of this world are under the dominion of the evil one.

This brings to mind Psalm 124 where the Lord has caused us to escape as fugitives from the snare of the fowler as follows:

Psa 124:1  A Song of degrees of David. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
Psa 124:2  If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Psa 124:3  Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Psa 124:4  Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Psa 124:5  Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Psa 124:6. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. 
Psa 124:7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. 
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The snare of the fowler in Psalm 124 refers to the attractiveness of the churches of this world and their false doctrines. These false doctrines refer to the waters which overwhelmed us including the stream and the proud waters which went over our soul in Psalm 124:4-5.

Our exit from Babylon is initiated by the Lord coming to us with the Spirit of His mouth and His brightness. That is when we come to see who the harlot woman really is. That is the time that we begin to understand the spiritual meaning of the Lord’s words.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

The Lord Opened Ezekiel’s Mouth to Speak

Eze 33:22  Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.   

The news that the city of Jerusalem is smitten is not good news to hear when we have spent all our time in the city and are therefore in love with the city or Babylon. As shown in verse 22, the Lord prepares our hearts before we are given to receive such news. The hand of the Lord being upon Ezekiel, a type of the Lord’s elect, in the evening before the fugitive came with the news, was to prepare him for the message from the fugitive who represents the Lord’s elect.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

1Ch 29:18  O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

The man who fled from Jerusalem to meet Ezekiel in the morning signifies the Lord leading us from Babylon to meet the Lord’s elect. The morning represents the time that the morning star, who is Christ, comes to us with His words. That is when we hear the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord spoken to us by His elect symbolized here by Ezekiel. The time that Ezekiel was made dumb was when he was with the exiled people of Israel who in this case represent Babylon, since the word of truth would not have profited them.

Eze 3:26  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.

Psa 39:9  I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

The fugitive, who represents the Lord’s elect, hearing the word of the Lord from Ezekiel, confirms the fact that we speak wisdom to them who are mature, that is, the Lord’s elect. It is instructive to note that the Lord gave a sign to Ezekiel that when he sees a man who has escaped from Jerusalem, then he shall speak. That is to suggest that the words of the Lord are for the Lord’s elect in this age.

Eze 24:25  Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,
Eze 24:26 That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears? 
Eze 24:27  In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD

Eze 33:23  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 33:24  Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. 

As indicated in the previous studies, the word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel signifies the Lord coming to His elect with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. What this means is that the Lord coming to His elect is to judge them for the destruction of their flesh. The coming of the Lord is also to illuminate His words so that we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

Verse 24 shows us our mindset when we were in the physical churches of this world, or Babylon. The ‘wastes of the land’ of Israel refer to the spiritual degradation state of our lives when we were living in Babylon. At that time, we thought we were Abraham’s seed and therefore we regarded the Lord’s promise to Abraham as His promise to us. This is the Lord’s promise to Abraham about the land of Canaan on the day the Lord made a covenant with him:

Gen 15:18  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 

As the Lord’s elect, we are Abraham’s seed and therefore are recipients of the Lord’s promise to Abraham. Spiritually, the land here in Genesis 15:18 symbolizes our bodies which we must possess to please the Lord. It is insightful to note that Abraham was promised not only the land but the rivers of Egypt and that of Euphrates. This implies that possessing our bodies involves possessing the false doctrines of this world. That means not living according to these false doctrines.

In His life here on earth, the Lord demonstrated how we can overcome the pull of the flesh to possess our bodies by walking on the sea, which signifies the flesh of mankind. Peter, who is a symbol of the elect, followed His example and started walking on the sea initially, towards Jesus. However, when he became afraid when he saw the boisterous waves, he started to sink. Jesus saved him but questioned him for doubting.

Mat 14:23  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Mat 14:24  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
Mat 14:25  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Mat 14:26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
Mat 14:27  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mat 14:28  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 
Mat 14:29  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 
Mat 14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 
Mat 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 

This whole episode is to demonstrate to us that our victory over the flesh is through faith, and the word of the Lord makes us aware that this faith is not ours but the Lord’s.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In verse 24 of our study for today, the people of Israel who remained in the land after the Chaldean invasion thought that just because they were physically related to Abraham they are entitled to the land. In other words, our brothers and sisters in Babylon think that they are Abraham’s seed and therefore, they can possess their bodies. Their reliance on the law of Moses means that their walk is not that of faith and therefore they cannot possess their bodies, or overcome the flesh. The next verses show us why they are disqualified from receiving the promise of Abraham.

Eze 33:25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? 

Here in this verse, we are given a list of what we were doing in Babylon which disqualified us from receiving the land promised to Abraham or being given to possess our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. The first thing mentioned here is eating meat with blood in it. Eating meat with blood in it signifies imbibing false doctrines which causes us to hate our brothers and sisters. As Apostle John indicated, hating our brother or sister spiritually means committing murder. During our time in Babylon, we hated the Lord’s elect and therefore were guilty of the blood of Christ and His messengers.

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 

Looking for our idols for help means depending on our false doctrines which have become our idols of the heart and therefore prevent us from knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder we are deceived into thinking that we are Abraham’s seed and therefore we shall inherit the land.

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Eze 33:26  Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile everyone his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land? 

The sword here is put in a negative context. The negative aspect of sword refers to words that are spoken which destroy us. The sword therefore refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.   

Psa 64:2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

Standing upon our sword means relying on our false doctrines instead of the truth of the word of the Lord. In this case, our works become an abomination to the Lord. That is to say that we engage in idolatry, which means we worship another Jesus, instead of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

In verse 26, we are also guilty of defiling our neighbor’s wife. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Lord showed us who spiritually signifies our neighbor.

Luk 10:36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 
Luk 10:37  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

From the parable, we can see that our neighbor is one who has shown us mercy. We know that it is our Lord Jesus Christ who has shown us mercy and therefore is our neighbor. Defiling our neighbor’s wife is therefore doing evil to the Lord’s bride. This is the same as what happened in the Corinthian church where a man defiled his father’s wife.

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

We are therefore not different from this man. In our time in Babylon, we polluted the Lord’s elect who were captives in Babylon with false doctrines. The Lord is therefore asking us whether we really deserve to possess the land, or our bodies, in view of our sins during this time of our walk in Babylon.

The Remnants Shall be Judged

Eze 33:27  Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. 

In view of our sins as described in the preceding verses, we are to face the Lord’s judgement. Here in verse 27, the Lord is applying His judgement tools to correct us. These tools are ‘the sword’, ‘pestilence’ and ‘noisome beasts’. If we continue to remain in the ruined cities or Babylon, then we shall fall by the sword, that is, be deceived by false doctrines. The open fields represent the world. If we continue to conform our lives according to the standards of this world, then we shall be devoured by the beasts of the field. That is to say that we shall live according to the dictates of our flesh. The ‘caves and forts’ in verse 27 symbolize anything that we depend on or hide in. These shall be taken away by the Lord through pestilence.

‘Pestilence’ comes from the Hebrew word “deber” which means ‘murrain’ or ‘plague’. ‘Murrain’ means ‘destruction’, and the only place that the word was used in the Bible was in the fifth plague in Egypt when there was widespread destruction of cattle of the Egyptians:

Exo 9:1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:2  For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
Exo 9:3  Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

The Lord uses pestilence when we have gotten far away from Him. For example, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, the Lord used pestilence to get their attention. The Lord’s use of pestilence means that the people of Israel were given over to the devil, which in this case was represented by Pharoah who caused the people of Israel to be under great affliction.

Lev 26:25  And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Exo 1:8  Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

Exo 1:11  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Exo 1:14  And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in the  morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Exo 3:7  And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

When the Lord got the people of Israel’s attention, He came to help them as the people drew closer to the Lord. Today, the Lord still uses pestilence to get our attention when we have drifted far from Him. For example, in the Corithian church, Paul gave over the man who slept with his father’s wife to the devil so that he may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Eze 33:28  For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. 
Eze 33:29  Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. 

Verses 28 and 29 continues with the Lord’s judgment of our old man, or flesh. When a land is laid desolate, all kinds of wild animals roam about looking for something to devour. When our bodies, which are represented by the land, are not being offered as a living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord, then our bodies are dominated by our flesh that is empowered by the devil. In this case, our bodies can be described as being “desolate”. The “pomp of the strength of the land ceasing” means that our old man, or flesh, shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgement. The “mountains of Israel” are places of idol worship which refers to the idols of false doctrines in our hearts and minds. It is in our hearts and minds, which is the seat of the our old man, who thinks that he is God. The judgement of the Lord, therefore, cleanses our hearts and minds such that “the none” can pass through. That is to say that the flesh cannot dominate us again.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

In verse 29, we can see that the Lord’s judgement results in us coming to know Him.

Our Inability to Obey the Word of the Lord

Eze 33:30  Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. 
Eze 33:31  And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goth after their covetousness. 

These verses show us our state when we were in the physical churches of this world or Babylon. We desire to hear the word of the Lord, but to do according to what we hear, is the problem. We therefore worship the Lord with our mouth but our hearts were far away from Him.

Isa 29:13  And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
Isa 29:14  therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

Mat 15:7  You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
Mat 15:8“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 
Mat 15:9  in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” 

During this period of our walk with the Lord in Babylon, we were the four angels bound by the river Euphrates. In other words, we were captives of the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition, which is represented by the river Euphrates that nourished Babylon. No wonder we were not able to worship the Lord acceptably in Babylon.

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Psa 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? 

In the fulness of time, the Lord gave the command for us to be loosed from the river Euphrates so that we can hear the voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar which is before the Lord. What this means is that we are given the strength of the Lord to be able to do according to what we hear from His words.

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Eze 33:32  And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. 
Eze 33:33  And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. 

These verses continue to let us know our deplorable state in the churches of this world. Here in verse 32, the Lord is saying that during this stage of our walk in Babylon, when we hear from the Lord’s elect represented here by Ezekiel, we regard them as nothing more than singers with beautiful voices who sing love songs, or musicians with instruments. We listen to their words but we do not do them. Jesus, in His ministry here on earth, also said the same thing about us during this period of our walk in Babylon, in another way as follows:

Mat 11:15  He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 11:16  But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17  And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mat 11:18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mat 11:19  The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

From the Lord’s words, we can see that the reason we were not able to do what we hear was simply because we did not have the power to carry them out until we are loosed from the river Euphrates. In the fulness of time, we, as the Lord’s elect, are given the power to understand the words of the Lord’s elect and to do them. That is when we come to realize who really are the Lord’s elect, signified here as a prophet in verse 33. It is this time of our walk with Christ that we are able to say, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”.

Mat 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

May the Lord be praised for opening our eyes to see and ears to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord!! Amen!!

Ezekiel 33:1–20 Ezekiel is Israel’s Watchman

[Study Aired September 30, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study is about being a watchman for the people of Israel. Before we can understand what being a watchman to the house of Israel means, we need to know who a watchman is. The Hebrew word for watchman is ‘tsaphah’ and it means ‘to lean forward, to peer into the distance; by implication means to observe, behold, spy out, wait for, keep the watch.’ In the Old Testament period, because of the many enemies of the people of Israel, the city of Jerusalem was protected by thick walls around the entire city. As a matter of fact, most big cities in the Old Testament were protected by thick walls. Israel’s watchmen were therefore guards who would stand on the walls and in the towers to look out upon the land for messengers, unusual activity, and most importantly, any sign of an enemy or approaching army. Immediately when these watchmen see any sign of an enemy, they have to sound the alarm. A watchman therefore plays a leadership role in the protection of the people of the Lord.

As we are aware, the Bible was written for the Lord’s elect, first. We are therefore required by the Lord to be like watchmen. When we fail in this role, then we are just like the watchmen of Israel (Babylon) described in the Book of Isaiah as follows:

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

As indicated in Isaiah 56:9, when we are not watchful, we become mincemeat to our old man or flesh. That is to say that we are dominated by our flesh. Here the watchmen are described as ‘blind, ignorant, dumb and greedy dogs, cannot bark, sleeping, and loving to sleep’. The watchman being blind implies that one cannot see the enemy’s devices. As indicated by Paul, we, the Lord’s elect, must know the devices of the enemy.

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

Being ignorant refers to our inability to comprehend the scriptures. When we are ignorant of the scriptures, we end up establishing our own righteousness and do not understand the power of God.

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 
Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

Mar 12:24  And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? 
Mar 12:25  For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
Mar 12:26  And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

As indicated in Isaiah 56:11, the Israel’s watchmen were  tagged as dumb and greedy dogs which means that they cannot rightly divide the word and are also never satisfied with what the Lord has given to them. Dumb means we cannot speak and the reason we cannot speak is because we do not know how to divide the word of truth.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Sleeping or lying down or loving to sleep implies that as watchmen, we do not stay alert and are not sober-minded to know that the enemy is prowling around looking for an opportunity to devour us.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

Isaiah 56:9-12 therefore show us the role of a watchman. In the New Testament, we do not read about actual watchmen anymore. However, our leaders are given the role of spiritual watchmen, to watch over our souls and to feed us His word.

Heb 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 

On another level, we, His elect are called to become watchmen over our bodies so that we can offer them as living sacrifice to the Lord. We are to be vigilant as we watch for any move by the adversary who is a roaring lion looking to devour us. We are also to watch our doctrine, to make sure that it aligns with the truth of the word of the Lord.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Today’s study focuses on our role as watchmen as we are given more insight into how we can become effective watchmen of our temple and the body of Christ as a whole.

Eze 33:1  Again the word of the LORD came me, saying, 
Eze 33:2  Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 

The word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel, means the Lord coming to His elect with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness, which is His judgement. The Lord bringing the sword upon our land is His judgement of our old man or flesh. What verse 2 is therefore showing us is that when we share the word of the Lord with one another, then we are playing the role of a watchman. In verse 2, the focus is on becoming aware of the Lord’s judgement in our lives. When we know that it is the Lord coming to us with His judgement through the agency of the evil one, to bring us to an expected end, then we are strengthened to withstand the devices of the enemy.  ‘A man from their coasts’ in verse 2 means one of our brethren. Therefore, the people of the land taking a man of their coasts for a watchman means our brothers among us who share the word of the Lord with us about our impending judgement are acting like watchmen of the Lord’s elect.

Eze 3:17  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. 
Eze 3:18  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.
Eze 3:19  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.

Eze 33:3  If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 
Eze 33:4  Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 
Eze 33:5  He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

These verses show us the role of a watchman in the body of Christ. As indicated, the sword upon our land represents our fiery trials or judgement which is an evil experience the Lord takes us through to refine us. As the story of Job tells us, the devil, our enemy is the executor of this sword upon our land.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

As the Lord’s watchmen, we are to sound the alarm or sound the trumpet to our brothers and sisters of our impending judgement. In the Book of Revelation, the voice of the Lord is likened to the sound of the trumpet as follows:

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 
Rev 1:11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 1:12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Sounding the trumpet as the Lord’s watchmen therefore means speaking the word of the Lord. As we are aware, our fiery trials is the Lord’s way of destroying our old man or flesh within us to make us His sons. It is the central theme of the word of the Lord which we are to warn our brothers and sisters about it.  Even our Lord Jesus had to go through suffering or judgement during His days here on earth to perfect Him.

Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 
Heb 5:10  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Our message as the Lord’s watchmen is to proclaim the Lord’s sword upon our land and also to indicate the Lord’s way of dealing with this enemy in our land.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Many of our brothers and sisters have fallen victim when the enemy came upon their land with the sword. In verse 5, the Lord is assuring us that we are exonerated from what happens to our brothers and sisters if we warn them and they do not pay heed to the warnings. In this case, their blood is upon their own heads. This is what Apostle Paul said about being a watchman which is consistent with verse 5:

Act 20:25  And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26  Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 
Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Eze 33:6  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. 
Eze 33:7  So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 

In verse 6, the Lord is telling us that if we are negligent in sounding the alarm of the Lord’s judgement in our land, we, as the Lord’s watchmen, shall be liable for the spiritual death of our brethren.  In our lives in the churches of this world or Babylon, we were never warned of the Lord’s judgement or sword in our land. On the contrary, we were told that suffering is not our portion in this life. No wonder we were swept away by the flood of the enemy and became spiritually dead. This is what we were taught in Babylon:

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Verse 7 shows us that the Lord has appointed us, His elect, for the special role of being a watchman. As we are aware, Ezekiel who is referred to as the son of man, an accolade that Jesus used to refer to Himself when He was here on earth, is a symbol of the Lord’s elect. Therefore, being given the honor of being a watchman is part of our calling.

Eze 3:17  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. 

Eze 33:8  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 
Eze 33:9  Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 

Being a watchman is not only to warn them of the impending judgement of our old man, but to tell them about the way of peace which leads to life and also the way of death, which brings destruction. This is what Joshua, an example of the Lord’s watchman, told the people of Israel:

Jos 24:14  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Jos 24:19  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
Jos 24:20  If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. 

Apostle Peter, in playing His role as a watchman, admonished us to leave our wicked ways which bring death. If through our admonition, a brother or sister continues to persist in his or her wicked ways, we are not guilty of his or her blood.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 
1Pe 4:3  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
1Pe 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Eze 33:10  Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? 
Eze 33:11  Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 

During our time in Babylon (house of Israel), our sins really weighed us down and as a result, we could not understand the extent of the Lord’s mercies. It is when Christ came to us that we were given to know that our Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked and that He wants the wicked to turn from their ways and live, as shown here in verse 11. Since our Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, He therefore devises means by which His banished shall be saved.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.  

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

Eze 33:12  Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 
Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 

In verse 12, we are told that the righteousness of the righteous will not save him when he rebels or sins against the Lord. In the Book of Hebrew, we are also told the same thing that if after we have tasted of the heavenly gift, we end up rebelling against the Lord, then we are basically crucifying our Lord Jesus Christ again and putting Him to open shame. In that case, it becomes difficult to come to repentance and be saved. This is not speaking about falling into sin during our walk with Christ since the Holy Spirit convicts us to repent and move on. What this verse is speaking about is becoming entrenched in our sin and therefore becoming unrepentant.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 

As the word of the Lord says, if we repent from our sins and come to Him, He is able to save us.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

In verse 13, we are being warned that if we trust in our own righteousness and we continue to commit iniquity, we shall die in our sins. Trusting in our own righteousness is the same as leaning on our own understanding.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Eze 33:14  Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 
Eze 33:15  If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 
Eze 33:16  None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. 

We, His elect, were once the wicked destined to die. However, the Lord came to us in His mercy to deliver us from our sins and to give us hope. This mercy that we have received from the Lord is the same mercy that will be shown to the world who now represent the wicked, in the fulness of time.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Eze 33:17  Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 
Eze 33:18  When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 
Eze 33:19  But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 
Eze 33:20  Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. 

When we did not know the Lord, we behaved like the people of Israel who said that the way of the Lord is not fair. The Lord’s response to our accusation that He is unfair in His ways is given in the parable of the laborers of the vineyard who complained that He paid those who came late first instead of those who came first. This is the parable and His response:

Mat 20:1  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
Mat 20:2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Mat 20:3  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
Mat 20:4  And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Mat 20:5  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
Mat 20:6  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
Mat 20:7  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
Mat 20:8  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
Mat 20:9  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
Mat 20:10  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
Mat 20:11  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 
Mat 20:12  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 
Mat 20:13  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 
Mat 20:14  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 
Mat 20:15  Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 
Mat 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Our limited minds sometime make us think that we are wise. The Lord has told us that His ways are past finding out and so we cannot comprehend many things that He does.

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

The judgement of the Lord is what causes us to have the mind of Christ. That is why in verse 20, we are told that when our minds are different from the mind of Christ as we think that His ways are not fair, then we must go through His judgement. However, in this age, it is only the Lord’s elect who are privileged to be judged so that they have the mind of Christ.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

May the Lord help us to have the mind of Christ as we die to our flesh daily!! Amen!!