WEDNESDAY 8TH MAY 2019 MORNING
Ezekiel 33:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
7 “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. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
Footnotes:
- Ezekiel 33:8 Or in; also in verse 9
God chose the Prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman. A watchman would blow the trumpet to warn people that the enemy was coming. Ezekiel was to warn people about spiritual danger. This is a job for Christian Pastors and Evangelists and Elders. But all Christians can also play this role. You can warn your friends and relatives when you see them going astray and call them to come back to God. Let us all ask God for wisdom to know who we need to speak to and what we should say.
JUMATANO TAREHE 8 MEI 2019 ASUBUHI
EZEKIELI 33:1-9
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
2 Mwanadamu, sema na wana wa watu wako, uwaambie, Hapo nitakapoleta upanga juu ya nchi, watu wa nchi hiyo wakimtwaa mtu mmoja miongoni mwao, na kumweka awe mlinzi wao;
3 ikiwa, aonapo upanga unakuja juu ya nchi hiyo, apiga tarumbeta na kuwaonya watu;
4 basi mtu awaye yote aisikiaye sauti ya tarumbeta, wala haonywi, upanga ukija na kumwondoa, damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe.
5 Aliisikia sauti ya tarumbeta, wala hakuonywa; damu yake itakuwa juu yake; lakini kama angalionywa, angalijiokoa roho yake.
6 Bali mlinzi akiona upanga unakuja, kama hapigi tarumbeta, wala watu hawakuonywa, na upanga ukaja ukamwondoa mtu awaye yote miongoni mwao; ameondolewa huyo katika uovu wake, lakini damu yake nitaitaka mkononi mwa mlinzi huyo.
7 Basi wewe, mwanadamu, nimekuweka kuwa mlinzi kwa nyumba ya Israeli; basi ulisikie neno hili kinywani mwangu, ukawape maonyo yangu.
8 Nimwambiapo mtu mbaya, Ewe mtu mbaya, hakika utakufa, nawe husemi neno la kumwonya mtu huyo, aiache njia yake, mtu mbaya huyo atakufa katika uovu wake, lakini damu yake nitaitaka mkononi mwako.
9 Walakini ukimwonya mtu mbaya kwa sababu ya njia yake, kusudi aiache; wala yeye asiiache; atakufa huyo katika uovu wake, lakini wewe umejiokoa roho yako.
Mungu alimwita Nabii Ezekieli kuwa Mlinzi. Mlinzi alikuwa na wajibu kupiga tarumbeta kama aliona adui anakuja ili watu wajue kuna hatari na kujiandaa kupiga vita na adui. Nabii Ezekieli alikuwa na wajibu kuonya watu kuhusu hatari za kiroho. Akiona watu waliishi dhambini na kuvunja amri za Mungu alipaswa kuwaonya ili wapate nafasi kutubu.
Wachungaji na Wainjiliti na Wazee wa Kanisa wana wajibu kama huo. Pia hata Wakristo wa kawaida wanajibika kusaidia ndugu na marafiki zao. Ukiona mtu amemkosea Mungu omba Mungu akupe hekima ya kuongea naye ili apate Nafasi kutubu na kumrejea Mungu.
