Ezekiel 3:16-21 – Rally the Righteous! – Bible study

Eze 3:16-21 Eze 33:1-10 Rally the Righteous! There are two chapters in the book of Ezekiel that say almost the same thing. Why? Because there is a responsibility that every Christian must bear. God gave such a responsibility to Ezekiel in chapter 3, but to make certain that he did not get side tracked, God repeated it again in chapter 33. So Ezekiel is charged by God twice to stand the wall. If God had but charged Ezekiel once, it would have been a holy charge. The fact that God gave him the charge again makes it a most holy charge. His was a charge to a holy position and a weighty responsibility. Lets consider the wall and the watchman this afternoon. What is the wall there for and what is the watchman to do? I. The Wall A. A wall may have several purposes but one of them is constant. A wall always separates. 1. To have a wall means something is to be on the inside while something is left on the outside. 2. If this separation is of people, then there must be some on the inside and some on the outside! 3. The wall of Ezekiels day separated those who trusted in Yahweh from those who did not. 4. Before we go any further, you should consider yourself. a. Are you on the inside or outside? b. We are trained today to denounce any type of separation among people. c. Like it or not, there are barriers between the believer and the non-believer, regardless of whether it be a husband and wife, parents and children, or you and your friends, coworkers, fellow students or peers. (1) There is the barrier of a different nature. Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (2) There is the barrier of different Masters. Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (3) There is the barrier of different goals and loyalties. Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (4) There is the barrier of different destinations. (a) There is no ignoring this one. (b) The disobedient child of God can abandon the first three, but the fourth is out of his/ her hands. (c) The lost loved ones of the saved will not go to heaven when they die. (5) Friend, make sure that you are on the right side of the wall. (6) If you are on the outside of salvation, you need to get inside! (a) The only way to get inside this wall is to be saved. (b) The only way to be saved is to have trusted Jesus Christ. (c) Speaking of another such situation, Jesus said, John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. i. The same two types of people are being separated in these verses, the sheep and the wolves. ii. The point Jesus was making was that He is the only Way inside the wall to the saved area! iii If you try to enter any other way, you are a thief and a robberand you wont be allowed inside. B. The wall is not only to separate, but it also protects. 1. The implication is that what is on the outside will harm or even destroy what is on the inside. 2. The wall keeps the dangers of corruption away from Gods people. a. We live in a world of deceit and wickedness. The wicked forces are not passive but very active and growing more so everyday. b. Evil wants to get inside the WALL! c. Wickedness tries to dress itself up to get inside the wall. Mt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (1) Sometimes, it dresses like religion. (2) Sometimes, like logic. (3) In our country, it is now dressing itself up like the law. d. The clothing that the wolf may wear is not important. Recognizing that there is danger is. 3. Any people without a defense wall will soon be a defeated and devoured people. 4. What do we build our wall of? a. the Bible. b. the Holy Spirit. c. the righteousness of our church and its people. d. good common sense. II. The Watchman – This is what the passage deals with. A. Every wall needs a watchman. 1. Whether the warning being given is for salvation or spiritual protection, every wall needs a watchman. 2. A wall left unmanned is a people left unprotected. a. A wall, as necessary as it is, is not lone protection. b. The walls purpose is to hold the wicked back long for the righteous to rally! c. If there is no one to rally the righteous, the wall will be breached. B. Ezekiel is a type of the preacher. 1. God calls some to pastor. 2. The word pastor means "to tend the flock." a. Sheep are not known for their intelligence; however, since pastors are sheep too that doesnt say much for the pastor either. b. Even the most intelligent of believers needs a word from the Holy Ghost and often, that comes through the pastor. 3. In this day, if you can find a real pastor, youd better keep him. a. I could not find any figures on the percentage of pastors that still believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, but less than 1/3 of American do. b. Neither could I find any statistics on the percentage of pastors who are gay, but I suspect that it is a growing figure. c. In 2010, 12% of pastors were female. In oldline Protestant churches, it rose to 24%! http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question3.html d. 50% of all pastors are divorced; 50% of those who start pastoring will quit; 70% fight depression. 4. We need to preachers to stand on the wall! C. But Ezekiel is also a type of the believers. 1. As the pastor is the spiritual leader of the church, so every believer is the spiritual leader of the world. 2. Every believer is called to preach and warn others. Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. D. If there is a watchman, there must be accountability. 1. Every Christian must give an account for standing on the wall. a. That is not just preachers. It is everyone. (1) As a preacher, I do have a great responsibility. (2) I must sound the alarm. Friend, I try. (3) But as residents inside the wall, YOU must rally! b. But you must take you space on the wall too. 2. We are too used to things being voluntary in the Lords work. a. As Bible believers, we have no earthly threat. (1) We dont lose our salvation. (2) We dont go to purgatory. (3) We dont come back as a lesser life form. (4) We dont even end up a lower life form in heaven. b. However, there is spiritual, eternal accountability. (1) It is being spoken of here. (2) It is detailed in the New Testament. 1Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. 14 If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any mans work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 3. We must all bear OUR responsibility. a. Surely there are some that even without the call of responsibility, you would WANT to warn. b. But ever lost soul and every endangered Christian needs someone to warn them. c. It is time to rally to the call of the watchman.