Paul makes a statement in Acts 18:6 that should both haunt us and clarify our purpose.
Acts 18:6 ESV And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Paul tells the Jews that ‘their blood be on their own heads’ and that he is innocent. This is a statement made by prophets and it’s for every believer to understand.
Blood on Hands/Head
- On Hands – to have blood on your hands means that as God’s messenger, you are guilty of not obeying or giving a message to someone.
- On Head – The recipient is guilty of not accepting the message. The messenger is innocent.
It’s very prophetic language and this wording stems from the Old Testament. It is also a mentality for believers.
Ezekiel 3:17–19 (ESV) “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
The point is this: Not all Christians have a prophetic gifting as described in the New Testament, but all Christians are prophets in this sense: God has given all of us a message: The Gospel.
He’s given us all a command to speak: Matthew 28, “Go and make disciples of all nations…”
You see, today, we have relegated the ‘watchman on the wall’ as someone who is looking for Christ’s return. That is only part of that responsibility.
According to Ezekiel, at least in a New Testament sense, the watchman is the person who shares the message of God to their people. We have all been given the Gospel, and we have all been called to share it because God’s judgment is coming for those outside Christ.
God is almost done with our ways, our sin, our neglect, our injustice, murder, and our immorality. The age of grace will come to an end.
However, He sends His Son to rescue us and everyone who would hear His message and turn to Christ for salvation. But who is the watchman called to speak that message? Make no mistake. If you have received the message of salvation, that message was not just for you. It is for everyone. Whether it makes us uncomfortable or not, we must face the truth as believers:
We are the watchmen.
The message is His, but it is ours to share. The Gospel is necessary, and judgment is coming. As hard as this message is to hear, we are called to speak it as watchmen. Yes, we watch for signs of His return, but we proclaim Christ’s salvation until He comes. It is the message given to every believer.
