Ezekiel 33:1-11
“Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
I was reflecting on this passage in Ezekiel 33 the other day, and it deeply troubled me. As someone who often listens to sermons and messages from various pastors, I realized how few of them boldly confront the topic of sin. We rarely hear warnings about the consequences of sin, nor calls to turn from iniquity.
This is concerning because scripture is clear: sin has serious consequences. God Himself warned Adam and Eve in the garden not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Yet they disobeyed, and humanity has struggled to heed God’s commands ever since. As it says in Genesis 2:16-17:
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
From the beginning, Mankind has faced a tendency to disregard God’s warnings. This disobedience leads to destruction, both in this life and in eternity.
One troubling issue today is the prevalence of sexual immorality, particularly sex outside of marriage. The sanctity of marriage is under attack, and many no longer honor or fear the consequences of defiling the marriage bed. Infidelity has devastating effects on relationships, families, and children. Yet, even within the church, there is often silence on the matter.
Scripture is unambiguous about the consequences of adultery and sexual sin. Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Adultery not only destroys trust and intimacy between spouses but also grieves the heart of God. Under human law, there may be no consequences for such actions, but under God’s law, they are grave sins with eternal implications, leading to the second death in Hell if unrepented.
To remain silent on this issue would be unloving. True love warns against sin and points people toward repentance and life. As Christians, we must honor marriage and remain faithful to our spouses. We must keep the marriage bed holy and undefiled.eath. Having sexual relationships outside of marriage is devastating to the person who is being faithful. God hates adultery. It is devastating to the relationship between the husband and wife. It hurts both the one who was betrayed and the person committing adultery.
A Prayer for Marriages and Families
Lord, I pray for boldness within Your church, that pastors and leaders will proclaim the truth about sin and warn Your people of its consequences. I pray specifically against sexual sin, especially adultery, which devastates marriages and families.
Lord, protect the sanctity of marriage. Strengthen husbands and wives to honor and cherish one another. I pray for spouses to be united in prayer, keeping their hearts and marriages free from the snares of the enemy.
Guard the hearts of parents, reminding them of the impact their actions have on their children. May the Holy Spirit guide us in righteousness and help us resist temptation. Lord, send Your angels to protect families, marriages, and homes from division and harm.
Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Lord. Help us to walk in obedience to Your Word. Amen.
