Minor Prophets XII: God Watches The Watchman

Yes, God does hold us as believers accountable for the well-being of fellow believers. Ezekiel was responsible for being the watchman for his people (as listed below). We see allusion to the fact that we are indeed "our brother's keeper" in contradiction to Cain's snide reply to God in Genesis. Not only is the familiar passage of Ezekiel 3 paint this picture but so does Hosea.

Outside of Hosea 9:8 we see at least three other references to prophets being called “watchmen”. A watchmen was responsible for warning a city of an approaching enemy from a city wall of hill, just as God’s prophets were to warn God’s people of coming judgment on sin. Because of this parallel it is not surprising to see the comparison between the two.

(1) As mentioned above, the most familiar and obvious to me was where Ezekiel is named God’s watchman to warn Israel of coming judgment. Specifically Ezekiel 3:16-“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me."

(2) God then appoints Ezekiel a second time in Ezekiel 33:1-7 with nearly identical wordage, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.”

(3) Outside of Ezekiel we see Jeremiah being called to the same type of task for Judah at the time of Jerusalem being under siege, “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ Jeremiah 6:17

(4) We also see a mention of a watchmen on the wall so of Jerusalem in Isaiah: “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest…” Isaiah 62:6

(5) Depending on which version of the Bible you use you can also find a “watchman” in Isaiah 21:6: (ESV) “for thus the Lord said to me:"Go, set a watchman; let him announce what he sees.”

If Hosea 9:8  is not enough to convince you that we are indeed our brother's keeper, perhaps you should visit this other Scriptural zip codes for further proof?