The theme of those called to be God’s watchman is prolific throughout the whole of Scripture. It is found in Psalms ^[1] Isaiah ^[2] Jeremiah ^[3] and other places. It is a useful exercise to look up all the instances in your concordance and examine them side by side. In Ezekiel’s case he is called to warn about the effects of sin not just in the case of the unsaved who God identifies as “the wicked“, but to those who claim an intimate relationship with Him who in spite of knowing better engage in behavior contrary to the biblical definition of someone in good standing with the Lord.

I would offer that even at this hour in our present age that God has appointed watchmen. There are a host of not just individuals but entire organizations who call themselves a “discernment ministry”. However we have to deal with the fact that Satan’s favorite tactic is to always create a counterfeit of the authentic. Where there is a true prophet of God Satan raises false prophets; when God appointed Apostles the early church had to deal with the false ones brought forth by Satan; and I would offer that not everyone claiming the title “watchman” nor embracing the category “discernment ministry” are the genuine article. In fact, the repeated historical and biblical model is that the genuine are almost always numerically inferior to the counterfeit.

I believe one of the key measurements is provided in this verse: True watchmen don’t create new or unique messages; true watchmen speak according to God’s Word. A lot of what we see today among so-called “discernment ministries” is infighting as to who is more knowledgeable, who is more informed, a kind of professional jealously as to who is more expert in their field. Those with the true calling care for the integrity and application of God’s Word far more than their own ranking and authority. The false spend most of their time comparing themselves to others; the true spend all of their time trying to get you to compare yourself to God’s Word.

There is probably a lesson in all of this for us personally that regardless of how we feel emotionally when witnessing intense sin — whether leading to death in an unsaved person or causing a believer to seriously stumble in their faith — it isn’t about how WE feel or what WE think but how what God has already established in His Word should apply. Or as Paul puts it…

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