Ezekiel is full of images that convey God's truth. Chapter 33 the image of the Watchman is used to remind the religious leader/minister of his responsibility to proclaim the truth of the God's Word. It reminded of the resent hurricanes in the Southeast United States. It was the primary function of the hurricane center to reveal to the people the unfolding conditions, the severity of the hurricane, and the needed actions/response of the people. It was not incumbent on the hurricane center to move the people from the danger! How that parallels the ministry of God's Word in today's world! If we fail to convey the message, then we are responsible. Our part is to be faithful to the proclamation of His Word.

Chapter 34 changes the image to the sheep and the flocks.

Reading through the prophets can be a very revealing experience. It seems the second half of Isaiah deals with the idolitry of the Isaelites. The most grievious afront to God is not the moral lack, but placing other things ('gods') before him. Time and again He chastizes the people for their postitution, i.e. their turning from him to other gods. It would seem that all other sins eminate from this. If God is not in charge, how then can we live a moral,righteous life? If Christocentric, we fail.

Then comes Ezekeil. Reading through chapters 26-32, God deals with the nations surrounding his chosen. Here the emphasis is upon pride. Tyre, Sidon, Egypt all think of themselves as the ultimate. Look at their culture and power. But God reminds them (and us) that it is He who has done all thing and we cannot claim the glory. Thus he takes them down.

We are always one step away from being destroyed because we think we are great. As the Word reminds us, "Pride comes before the fall!" (Proverbs 16:18)