“A watchman is what I have made you to the house of Israel, . . . and you must warn them from me.”​—EZEKIEL 3:17.

1. Why listen when Jehovah’s “watchman” speaks?

JEHOVAH’S “watchman” is speaking God’s message right now. Are you listening? Your very life depends on your responding to that message with appreciation and action. Soon, ‘the nations will know Jehovah’ when he sanctifies his holy name by destroying this wicked system and preserving his people. Do you hope to be among them? (Ezekiel 36:23; 39:7; 2 Peter 3:8-13) You may be, but only if you listen when Jehovah’s “watchman” speaks.

7. Ezekiel’s commission entailed what responsibility?

⁷ Eating the scroll produced in Ezekiel ‘a rage of spirit’ appropriate to its message. At Tel-abib he dwelt ‘stunned for seven days’ digesting the message. (Ezekiel 3:12-15) We too need to meditate and study diligently to comprehend deep spiritual things. Having a message to declare, Ezekiel was commissioned as God’s watchman. (Read Ezekiel 3:16-21.) The newly appointed watchman was to warn lawbreaking Israelites that they faced divine execution.

8. Who serve as Jehovah’s “watchman” today, and who are associated with them?

⁸ If Ezekiel failed as a watchman, Jehovah would hold him responsible for the deaths of victims. Although those not wanting him to administer reproof would put figurative cords upon him, he would boldly declare God’s message. (Ezekiel 3:22-27) In our day, Christendom refuses to listen and tries to impose restraints upon anointed Christians. But since 1919 these anointed ones have served as Jehovah’s “watchman,” courageously declaring his message for this system’s “time of the end.” (Daniel 12:4) Associated with them in this work is an increasing “great crowd” of Jesus’ “other sheep.” (Revelation 7:9, 10; John 10:16) Since the “watchman” class keeps speaking God’s message, surely every one of the anointed and the “great crowd” would want to declare it as a regular publisher.