Proclaiming what the Bible says will happen in the last days “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword.

• Slide 1

Slide 2 Proclaiming what the Bible says will happen in the last days 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. Ezekiel 33:2-6 Slide 3 During Old Testament times a watchman formed a vital part of the peoples security structure and was the vanguard of every nations defense. Watchmen were posted to protect vineyards and fields during the harvest season. Watchmen were also posted on city walls and at city gates and were charged to scan the horizon for runners with messages for the king. The primary function of a watchman was to be attentive and to stay alert as he was responsible for warning the citizens of an impending attack by sounding a trumpet (a shofar). The watchman carried a heavy burden of accountability to those he was charged to protect and for the careful execution of his duties. Failure to perform his job was punishable by death. This fact carries over even to our modern age where soldiers that are assigned to guard duty can receive severe penalties (including a firing squad during wartime) for falling asleep on duty. The job is that important because often many lives often depend on it! It is equally the responsibility of the Christian to alert others to what Gods word has declared will happen in the coming days so they can prepare and get right with God and accept the salvation that He has offered through His Son Jesus, before the opportunity to do so is removed forever. The first step in this process should start with demonstrating to the non-believer that the Scriptures are not simply a collection of stories and examples of morality but are indeed the actual words of God and that they are self-authenticating and inerrant. A watchman alerting the citizens by the blowing of the shofar Slide 4