以西結 33:7 「人子啊，我照樣立你作以色列家的守望者；你要聽我口中的話，替我警戒他們。 8 我對惡人說：『惡人哪，你必要死！』你若不開口警戒惡人，使他離開所行的道，這惡人必因自己的罪孽而死，我卻要從你手裏討他的血債。 9 但是你，你若警戒惡人，叫他離棄所行的道，他仍不轉離，他必因自己的罪孽而死，你卻救了自己的命。」
Ezekiel 33:7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
神呼召以西結作以色列的守望者。守望者的工作是聆聽上帝的話，並從上帝那裡向人們發出警告。 (v. 7) 守望者首先需要向內看：使用上帝的話來確定誰是敵人和盟友. 其次要向外看：看刀劍是否已經臨到那地。若刀劍臨到那地, 守望者的職責是吹角警戒，不僅是為了警告人們，也是為了挽救自己的生命。早在我們這個時代之前幾十年，神學家梅欽就警告神學院的學生：
如果你選擇避免辯論[關於有爭議的信仰問題] ， 你只需要隨波逐流。每個星期天宣講你在神學院學習的課程，像你在大學裡學習的那樣學習——這些問題可能永遠不會困擾你。 重大的問題很容易避免。 許多傳道人正在這麽做。 許多傳道人正在對著空氣講道。
J. Gresham Machen 梅欽 1881–1937
今天，我們的孩子已經被世界上反聖經的教義（尤其是在我們的公立學校）和它所提倡的叛逆生活方式所吞噬。上帝正在呼召這一代的吹號者“吹號”，以警告人們在當今社會失去孩子的危險。教會“對著空氣講道”已經太久了；現在是吹號的時候了。願更多的人加入成為吹號者，警戒危險，搶救下一代！
God called Ezekiel to be watchman for Israel. A watchman’s job is to hear the words of God and to give people warning from God. (v. 7) A watchman first needs to look IN: to use the word of God to determine who the enemies and allies are. Second a watchman needs to look OUT: to watch to see if the sword has come to the land. If the sword has come to the land then it is the duty of a watchman to blow the trumpet not only to warn people but also to save his own life. Already decades before our time, theologian Machen warned seminary students:
You can avoid the debate [over contested issues of the faith] if you choose. You need only drift with the current. Preach every Sunday during your seminary course, study as you studied in college—and these questions will probably never trouble you. The great questions may be easily avoided. Many preachers are avoiding them. And many preachers are preaching to the air.
J. Gresham Machen 梅欽 1881–1937
Today our children have been devoured by the world’s anti-biblical teachings (especially in our public schools) and the rebellious lifestyle it promotes. God is calling trumpeters to “blow the trumpet” in this generation to warn contemporary people of the danger of losing our children in today’s society. Churches have been “preaching to the air” for too long; now is the time to blow the trumpet. May more people join as trumpeters to guard against danger, to save the next generation!
