Skeletons of Sermons Ezekiel 33:7-9 So you, O son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear the word at my mouth… I. WHAT GOD SAITH TO THE WICKED. 1. The people addressed are all who do not unfeignedly turn from sin to God. 2. Death is here denounced as the judgment to be inflicted on all who turn not to their God; and to the same effect the inspired writers uniformly speak (Isaiah 3:11; Romans 6:23; James 1:14, 15). 3. There is an implied assurance that the wicked, if they will repent, shall not die. And this is expressly stated in the following context: ver. 14-16, so that, awful as this passage is, it is no less encouraging than it is awful; because it assures the contrite and believing sinner that he shall never perish. II. THE NECESSITY IMPOSED ON MINISTERS TO PROCLAIM IT. The consequences of neglect in any minister are declared in two respects: 1. The person whom he neglects to warn will perish. If, through the sloth or treachery of the sentinels, a, camp be surprised at midnight, nothing but confusion and ruin can ensue. Thus if a person appointed to warn the wicked neglect to do so, the wicked will continue regardless of their impending doom, till it is too late to avert it. And it will be to no purpose to say, "I was not aware of my danger; my minister has betrayed me." No; the wicked have means of information within their oval reach, independent of their ministers; and they have secret intimations in their own consciences that they ought to repent: and therefore they must take the consequences of their own wickedness: "they must die in their iniquity." 2. He himself also will be dealt with as the author of that sinner's destruction. As a sentinel who, by neglecting to give notice of the enemy's approach, occasioned the overthrow of the army to which he belonged, would be chargeable with all the consequences of his neglect, so will the blood of all that perish through the minister's neglect "be required at his hand." (Skeletons of Sermons.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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