Ezekiel 33:7-9
“So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” vs. 7
Ezekiel, prophet to the exiles in Babylon, believed that he had been made a sentinel for the house of Israel, and understood rightly that his calling was crucial. It would be his responsibility to issue a warning from the Lord if the people engaged in wicked behavior. If he saw the wickedness and said nothing, the resulting punishment would be on him. If he spoke, and they persisted in their behaviors, it was on their shoulders. The role Ezekiel described, that of a sentinel, is an important one. Without sentinels, people are generally oblivious to the consequences of risky behaviors and tend to go blithely on their way even in the face of impending disasters. Contemporary prophets speaking as sentinels have an obligation to offer warnings when they see danger lurking, even if people pay no attention to them. Some of them have spoken out about what they perceive as an imminent environmental crisis…and warn that it may even now be too late. Others warn of threats in other areas…and the dire consequences awaiting our risky behaviors. Through the years, we have learned that sentinels may not always be right–but they always deserve our attention. We ignore them at our peril.
Thought for the Day: Which sentinels have a word from God for me?
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