By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 1: The Anatomy of a Prophet
Week 4: The Nature and Responsibility of the Office
Anchor Scripture: “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” — Ezekiel 33:6 (NKJV)
The Teaching
As we approach the end of our first month, we must confront the sobering weight of prophetic accountability. The Prophet is often called a Sentinel—a guard whose sole duty is to alert the people to the reality of what is approaching. In the Kingdom, a “warning” is not an act of hostility; it is a supreme act of mercy.
However, there is a fine line that the Sentinel must walk: the line between Warning and Condemnation. Condemnation is a final sentence; it attacks the person and leaves no room for change. But a prophetic warning is an invitation to avoid a consequence. When a Sentinel blows the trumpet, they aren’t saying, “You are doomed”; they are saying, “The sword is coming, so move to safety!”
The weight of this office lies in the “blood requirement.” God tells Ezekiel that if the Sentinel sees danger and stays silent to “keep the peace” or to avoid being disliked, they become spiritually responsible for the casualties. To be a Prophet is to realize that your silence is not “kindness” if it allows someone to walk into an ambush. You are called to love people enough to tell them the truth, even when the truth is uncomfortable. You are a herald of safety, but that safety is only found through the sound of the trumpet.
Prophetic Insight
The greatest enemy of the Sentinel is the “Fear of Man.” If you are more concerned with your reputation than with the safety of the sheep, your trumpet will produce a “muffled sound” (1 Corinthians 14:8). People may not always thank you for the warning in the moment, but the fruit of your faithfulness is preserved lives. Remember: you are not responsible for how people react to the trumpet; you are only responsible for blowing it. When you speak the warning God gives you, you “deliver your own soul” and clear your hands of the blood of others.
The Activation
Is there a situation in your life, your family, or your church where you “see the sword” (a pattern of sin, a dangerous decision, or a spiritual attack) but you have remained silent out of fear? Today, ask the Holy Spirit for the “Spirit of the Sentinel.” Ask for the right timing and the right words to deliver a loving, clear warning. Don’t speak out of anger; speak out of the desire for their protection.
Daily Prayer: Lord God, I thank You that You are a God who warns before He acts. I accept the weight of the Sentinel’s mantle. Forgive me for the times I have stayed silent to protect my own comfort while others were in danger. Wash my hands of the blood of men. Give me the boldness to blow the trumpet with clarity and the love to deliver every warning with Your heart. Let my voice be an instrument of safety for Your people. Amen.
