The Watchman on the Wall

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life.” (Ezekiel 33:1-5 ESV).

 

Hurricane season this year officially begins on June 1^st. Following a year in which there were an historic number of major storms, meteorologists have begun prepping for what’s expected to be another eventful hurricane season. In 2020, the Atlantic region experienced a record-breaking 30 named storms, two more than the previous high of 28 named storms back in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans and other parts of the United States. The NOAA predicts this year may be more active than 2020! Just one story from our recent past:

 

It was after dark when Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up in front of the oceanfront units of the Richelieu Apartments in Pass Christian, Mississippi. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved. Peralta yelled up, "You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm is getting worse." But as others joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta's order to leave. "This is my land," one of them yelled back, "If you want me off, you'll have to arrest me." Peralta didn't arrest anyone, but he wasn't able to persuade them to leave either. Sadly, the chief wrote down the names of the next of kin of the 20 partiers. They were amused as he took their names. Some even thanked Peralta, and then they shared, "I'm sure we will be just fine."

It was 10:15 p.m. when the front wall of the storm came ashore. Scientists clocked Camille's wind speed at more than 205 miles per hour, at that time, the strongest on record. Raindrops hit with the force of bullets, and waves off the Gulf Coast crested between 22 and 28 feet high. News reports later showed that the worst damage came at the little settlement known as Pass Christian, Mississippi. It was there that 20 people were killed at a hurricane party held at the Richelieu Apartments. Nothing was left of that three-story structure but the foundation; the only survivor was a five-year-old boy found clinging to a mattress the following day. Those people died because they failed to hear the words of the watchman!

If ever there was a time when we ought to be cognizant of the trumpet warnings from the Watchmen on the Wall of our days, this certainly is it. I cannot remember a time in my seven decades of living that the warning was so clear in a call to repent. Coming from a fellow sinner, we can be pretty sure that every once in a while there are so many voices that it is difficult to hear the truth. During the last twelve months, clearly God was doing the talking. He has also given a clear message of forgiveness and grace. Easter is rapidly approaching. What better time than now for all of us to repent and call for His healing of our world and nation?