God Has Given Us Watchmen
Ezekiel 33–34 | Come Follow Me for Teens
Have you ever been driving somewhere unfamiliar and suddenly realized you weren't entirely sure where you were going?
Maybe you've been looking at the directions on your phone.
The road ahead seems simple enough. You can see where you're going, and everything looks fine.
Then your navigation tells you to take a turn that doesn't seem right.
You look at the road in front of you and think, Why would I turn here? I'm pretty sure I should just keep going straight.
But there's something important you may not realize.
Your navigation system has information you don't have.
It may know about an accident several miles ahead, a closed road, or traffic that you won't encounter for another fifteen minutes.
From where you're sitting, everything looks normal.
You can't see a problem.
But that doesn't mean there isn't one.
Now imagine you ignored the directions because you couldn't understand why they were suggesting a different route.
You continue driving until eventually you discover what the system was trying to warn you about.
And then you wish you'd listened.
I've thought about that kind of experience while studying one of the Lord's remarkable teachings in Ezekiel.
In Ezekiel 33, the Lord compares His prophet to a watchman.
In ancient times, cities often had walls and towers where watchmen could look out over the surrounding countryside. From that elevated position, they could see an approaching army or another threat long before the people inside the city could recognize the danger.
Imagine living in one of those cities.
You're going about your day. Perhaps you're working, helping your family, visiting a friend, or preparing for dinner.
Everything seems normal.
But someone standing high above the city can see something you cannot.
An enemy is approaching.
And that watchman has a responsibility.
He needs to sound the trumpet and warn the people.
Why?
Because knowing about the danger gives them an opportunity to prepare.
Listen to what the Lord told Ezekiel:
"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."
—Ezekiel 33:7
I love that illustration.
The Lord places a watchman where he can see what others may not yet recognize, and then He gives that watchman a message to share.
Can you see how that applies to living prophets?
Think about the world you're growing up in.
You have remarkable opportunities. You can learn almost anything, communicate with people around the world, explore interests, develop talents, and prepare for a future filled with possibilities.
But there are also challenges that can be difficult to recognize when you're in the middle of them.
Messages about who you should be.
Pressure to fit in.
Ideas about relationships and happiness.
Endless distractions competing for your attention.
Choices that may seem harmless today but can lead somewhere you never intended to go.
And sometimes, the hardest dangers to recognize are the ones that don't look dangerous at first.
That's one reason Heavenly Father has given us living prophets and apostles.
He knows the world we're navigating.
He understands the challenges His children will face.
And He has provided inspired guidance to help us recognize truths and dangers we might otherwise overlook.
There's another interesting word used to describe prophets in scripture.
Seer.
In Mosiah 8:15–18, Ammon explains that a seer can know things past and things to come through the power of God.
Then he describes the gift of a seer as:
"A great benefit to his fellow beings."
—Mosiah 8:18
Think about that.
A great benefit.
What a blessing it would be to have someone who could help you understand things you haven't experienced yet, recognize dangers before you encounter them, and make choices that prepare you for the future.
That's the blessing God intends His prophets to be.
And there is something especially important about the message Ezekiel was asked to deliver.
The watchman wasn't supposed to invent his own warnings.
The Lord said:
"Thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me."
—Ezekiel 33:7
The source of the warning was God.
And understanding the character of the God who gives those warnings changes the way we think about them.
Why Does God Warn Us?
Have you ever had a parent warn you about something that you didn't think was a big deal?
Maybe they told you to be careful about a particular friendship.
Or suggested that you spend less time on your phone.
Or encouraged you to think more carefully before making a decision.
At the time, you might have thought they were being overly concerned.
Perhaps you even wondered why they couldn't just let you make your own choices.
But sometimes, as you get older, you begin to understand their perspective.
They weren't trying to make your life miserable.
They were concerned about something they recognized that you didn't fully understand yet.
Now consider this question:
Why would a loving Heavenly Father give us commandments, warnings, and prophetic counsel?
The answer is found in another beautiful verse from Ezekiel.
In Ezekiel 33:11, the Lord declares:
"I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
I want you to notice what God is revealing about Himself.
He wants His children to live.
He wants us to turn away from choices that can bring pain, bondage, and spiritual danger.
He wants us to experience the blessings of following Jesus Christ.
His commandments and warnings come from a Father who loves us and understands where our choices can lead.
And when we understand His love, we begin to look at His guidance differently.
Imagine again that you're driving along a winding mountain road.
There's been a terrible accident around the next bend, but you can't see it yet.
A person farther ahead begins waving at you and telling you to slow down.
Would you be angry that someone was interfering with your driving?
Would you think they were trying to take away your freedom?
Probably not.
You'd recognize that the warning might save you from something terrible.
God's warnings are evidence that He cares about where we're headed.
The Watchman and the Good Shepherd
But Ezekiel doesn't stop with the image of a watchman.
In the very next chapter, the Lord gives us another beautiful picture of His relationship with His children.
He describes Himself as a shepherd.
In Ezekiel 34:11–16, the Lord promises to search for His scattered sheep, gather those who have wandered, feed them, and bring them to a place of rest.
Then He makes this promise:
"I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick."
—Ezekiel 34:16
What an incredible description of Jesus Christ.
He knows when someone is lost.
He recognizes when someone has been hurt.
He sees those who are struggling, discouraged, or spiritually weak.
And He wants to bring them back.
I love putting these two chapters together.
In Ezekiel 33, the Lord provides a watchman to help His people recognize danger.
In Ezekiel 34, He reveals Himself as the Shepherd who searches for those who have wandered and strengthens those who are hurting.
The two images teach us something beautiful about His character.
He loves us enough to warn us before we wander, and He loves us enough to come looking when we do.
Maybe you've experienced a time when you didn't follow counsel you knew was right.
Perhaps you made a choice that led to consequences you hadn't anticipated.
Maybe you're still trying to work through something you wish you'd handled differently.
Remember the Shepherd described in Ezekiel 34.
He hasn't stopped caring about you.
He knows where you are.
And He wants to help you find your way back.
Where Are Prophets Trying to Lead Us?
There's a story Elder Carl B. Cook shared in General Conference that I've always appreciated.
He had recently begun serving as a General Authority and was feeling overwhelmed by his new responsibilities.
At the end of a particularly exhausting day, he entered an elevator with his head down, thinking about everything he was expected to do.
Then the elevator stopped.
Someone stepped inside.
It was President Thomas S. Monson.
President Monson noticed Elder Cook looking down and asked what he was looking at.
After a brief conversation, he pointed heavenward and encouraged Elder Cook to look up.
It was a simple interaction.
But it helped Elder Cook recognize where he needed to turn for strength.
Later, Elder Cook explained something beautiful about the purpose of prophets:
"They lead us to God."
—Elder Carl B. Cook, "It Is Better to Look Up," October 2011
I love that statement.
And I think it's something every teenager ought to remember.
When prophets encourage us to pray more sincerely, they're helping us turn toward Heavenly Father.
When they invite us to study the Book of Mormon, they're helping us hear the words of Jesus Christ.
When they teach us about repentance, they're directing us toward the Savior's power to forgive and change us.
When they encourage temple worship, they're helping us prepare to receive sacred blessings and draw closer to God.
When they warn us about things that can weaken our faith, they're helping protect our relationship with Christ.
Their greatest purpose is to help us come to Him.
And that brings me to something I want you to think about.
You may not always understand every prophetic invitation the moment you hear it.
There may be times when a teaching challenges something you've believed or asks you to make a change you hadn't considered.
But you can study that counsel, pray about it, seek the Holy Ghost, and begin acting in faith.
In Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–6, the Lord invites His people to receive the prophet's words with patience and faith.
I love that He includes both.
Sometimes we need faith to begin following.
And sometimes we need patience as our understanding grows.
Over time, we may discover blessings we couldn't fully appreciate when the counsel was first given.
That's often how our trust in the Lord develops.
We listen.
We act.
We learn.
And through those experiences, we come to know Him better.
Scripture
Ezekiel 33:7 — "I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel."
Ezekiel 33:11 — "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
Ezekiel 34:16 — "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away."
Mosiah 8:18 — A seer is a great benefit to his fellow beings.
Doctrine and Covenants 21:5 — Receive prophetic counsel "in all patience and faith."
John 10:11 — "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
Reflection
Why would Heavenly Father compare His prophets to watchmen?
What is the advantage of receiving guidance from someone who can see dangers we haven't yet recognized?
Why do you think the Lord wants us to understand His love when He gives warnings or commandments?
What do Ezekiel 33 and 34 teach you about the character of Jesus Christ?
Have you ever followed prophetic counsel and later recognized a blessing you hadn't anticipated?
What teaching or invitation from a living prophet has helped you draw closer to the Savior?
Is there a prophetic invitation you could take more seriously right now?
Today's Challenge
Find one invitation from a living prophet or apostle and act on it this week.
Here's how:
1. Listen with a purpose.
Choose a recent General Conference message and read or listen to it.
As you do, ask yourself:
What is the Lord inviting me to understand or do?
2. Choose one action.
It might be something simple.
Spend a few more minutes studying the Book of Mormon.
Improve your prayers.
Be more careful about the media you consume.
Prepare for the sacrament differently.
Reach out to someone who needs encouragement.
Choose something specific you can actually do.
3. Look for what it teaches you about Christ.
At the end of the week, think about your experience.
What did you learn?
Did following that counsel influence your thoughts, your choices, or your feelings?
Did it help you recognize something about Heavenly Father's love or the Savior's character?
Write down what you discover.
The purpose is to develop your own experience with following Jesus Christ.
Christ-Centered Thought
There's one final connection I want you to notice.
In John 10, Jesus Christ describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.
He declares:
"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."
—John 10:14
Think about what that means.
The Savior doesn't see you as one more person in an enormous crowd.
He knows you.
He knows what you're experiencing.
He knows your weaknesses, your worries, your hopes, and your potential.
He knows the decisions ahead of you and the kind of person you can become.
And because He loves you, He has provided guidance to help you return to Him.
Sometimes that guidance comes through the quiet influence of the Holy Ghost.
Sometimes through a scripture that speaks directly to your circumstances.
Sometimes through wise counsel from a parent or someone who loves you.
And sometimes through the words of a living prophet.
All of these gifts can help you recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd.
And remember something beautiful about His shepherding.
He has already demonstrated how much He loves His sheep.
Jesus Christ willingly gave His life for them.
For you.
Through His Atonement and Resurrection, He made it possible for us to repent, be forgiven, overcome spiritual death, and eventually return to our Heavenly Father.
So when you hear the Lord's guidance through His prophets, remember who stands behind that message.
The Savior who gave His life for you.
The Shepherd who knows your name.
The Lord who wants you to live.
There will be times in your life when you can't see the road ahead very clearly.
You may face choices you don't yet know how to make.
Challenges you never anticipated.
Or questions you haven't figured out how to answer.
But you don't have to navigate mortality without help.
Heavenly Father has given you prophets who can help you recognize His direction.
And He has given you a Savior who knows the entire journey.
Trust the Good Shepherd.
Listen for His voice.
Follow the direction He gives.
And remember that the One who sees what you cannot yet see also knows exactly where He wants to lead you.
He wants to lead you home.
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