How does Ezekiel 3:18 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Setting in Ezekiel 3:18 “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood.” • God appoints Ezekiel as a “watchman” (Ezekiel 3:17), charged with relaying God’s warnings. • Failure to warn places blood-guilt on the messenger, underscoring personal responsibility. • The warning is life-or-death—silence equals complicity. Mandate of Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” • Jesus assigns every disciple the task of going, baptizing, and teaching. • The scope is universal: “all nations.” • Like Ezekiel, the messengers speak with divine authority and under divine presence (“I am with you always”). Shared Themes 1. Divine Commission • Ezekiel: God’s direct command to warn. • Great Commission: Christ’s direct command to disciple. 2. Accountability for Souls • Ezekiel bears guilt if he withholds the warning. • Believers today answer to Christ for faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). 3. Urgency of the Message • Ezekiel’s warning averts physical and spiritual death. • The gospel message rescues from eternal condemnation (John 3:18-19). 4. Authority of the Messenger • Ezekiel speaks God’s words exactly (Ezekiel 3:4). • Disciples teach “all that I have commanded” without alteration (Jude 3). Practical Takeaways • Treat evangelism as obedience, not an option. • Silence about sin and salvation endangers others and incurs responsibility (Acts 20:26-27). • Rely on Christ’s promised presence; the task is weighty but not solitary. • Present the whole counsel of God—warning and hope together. Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 24:11-12 – Rescuing those being led to death, with accountability for inaction. • Romans 10:14-15 – Necessity of a preacher for people to believe. • James 5:19-20 – Turning a sinner from error saves a soul from death and covers a multitude of sins. |
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